While on Sunday Night’s Main Event, Josh Alexander spoke about his reigns as TNA World Heavyweight Champion.
He first captured the title at Bound For Glory 2021 and later won it again at Rebellion 2022. He did so with a knee injury. He said,
“I just never wanted to get out of the ring. I had this true passion for this that if my knee got banged up when I was training, I might be stupid for doing this but I didn’t wanna show that my knee was banged up because I didn’t want them to tell me I couldn’t train. So I’d be hiding all this stuff that was happening whether it was a bruise or a swell or a sprain or all this other stuff but, I just never wanted to get out of the ring. So, that’s kind of the mentality I always had and then when I trained with (Johnny) Devine, it was like, ‘You don’t know what hurt is. I’ve been wrestling with a torn ACL for a year and I just wear this brace’ and as I progressed through my career, I’ve wrestled with a torn knee for two-and-a-half years of my IMPACT — my whole title run, my knee was torn and I didn’t get it fixed until my tricep went and then I just called the surgeon, he was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll fit you in next week and you’ll be healed in six weeks.’ I had knee surgery in secret just to clean out my knee finally, you know, to get me back to 100 percent but, wrestling, there’s no off-season, there’s no time to get stuff fixed, especially if you’re on a run so, you just gotta keep going.
I came home from triceps surgery and it was like 10 days later, my surgeon fit me in to do my knee… Knee surgery is amazing now. I had the same surgery done when I was 17 and I was out for months and this one, I was on the stairs at the gym a week later. He was just like, ‘The more you can move, the better.’ I was like, ‘That’s great for me’ so, yeah.”
Josh Alexander, the reigning TNA World Heavyweight Champion, recently opened up about his impressive title reigns and the challenges he faced while competing with a knee injury. In an interview on Sunday Night’s Main Event, Alexander shared his determination to stay in the ring despite his physical condition.
Alexander first captured the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Bound For Glory in 2021. However, instead of taking time off to heal, he continued to compete with a knee injury. He revealed that he didn’t want anyone to know about his condition because he feared being told to stop training. This mindset of pushing through pain and hiding injuries became a defining characteristic of his wrestling career.
The wrestler acknowledged that he had wrestled with a torn knee for two and a half years during his entire title run. It wasn’t until his tricep injury that he finally decided to seek medical attention for his knee. He secretly underwent knee surgery to clean out the damage and improve his condition. Alexander emphasized that in the world of professional wrestling, there is no off-season or time to get injuries fixed, especially when you’re on a successful run. Wrestlers have to keep going, no matter what.
Despite the challenges he faced, Alexander expressed gratitude for the advancements in medical technology. He compared his recent knee surgery to one he had at the age of 17, which required months of recovery. This time, however, he was back on the stairs at the gym just a week after the procedure. His surgeon’s advice was to keep moving as much as possible, which suited Alexander’s determination to continue wrestling.
Josh Alexander’s story sheds light on the physical toll that professional wrestling can take on athletes. It showcases the dedication and passion these individuals have for their craft, often sacrificing their own well-being for the sake of entertaining fans. Alexander’s ability to persevere through injuries and maintain his championship reign is a testament to his resilience and love for the sport.
As fans, it’s important to appreciate the sacrifices made by wrestlers like Josh Alexander. Behind the glitz and glamour of the wrestling world, there are individuals who put their bodies on the line every time they step into the ring. Their commitment to their craft and their desire to entertain should be recognized and respected.