Man Dies After Suffering Critical Head Injury At Unlicensed Wrestling Event

Don’t try this at home folks. WWE says it ad naseum. It should be obvious that wrestling is dangerous and should only be done by trained professionals in a safe, professional setting. Unfortunately, an entertainer from Oklahoma didn’t heed these warnings and has passed away after suffering a critical head injury at an unlicensed wrestling event.

Via The Oklahoman:

An Oklahoma City entertainer who was injured Sunday at an unlicensed wrestling event has died, a hospital spokesman reports.

William Ogletree, 25, was fatally injured Sunday at Oklahoma City’s Blue Note Lounge during a staged wrestling event.

Investigators were looking into the event when Ogletree was in critical condition.

William Ogletree reportedly was injured Sunday while participating in a maneuver called the “spine buster” during a staged wrestling event, his uncle said.

The uncle said that his nephew’s foray into professional wrestling apparently was recent and he was unaware of his nephew’s participation but knew he had an interest in the theatrics of it.

Professional wrestling events are required to be licensed by the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission, and this one was not, said Joe Miller, the commission’s administrator.

Miller identified the promoter as Leslie Hensley of B.L.O.W. (Balthazar’s Ladies of Wrestling), and said his agency is investigating. Also investigating are Oklahoma City police and the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office.

The man appears to have received zero wrestling training. Oklahoma is notorious among independent pro wrestlers as being a difficult place to work due to the commission’s strict policies. But it is clear those policies are there for a reason. They are meant to protect people and ensure that only trained, vetted workers are wrestling.

I would never even think about entering a ring without receiving proper training. I certainly wouldn’t take such a dangerous move as a spine-buster. The move made famous by Arn Anderson is a punishing move on both the back and neck.

Share your thoughts on this story in the comments below.