What Happened to Darren Drozdov: Tragic Passing at 54

WWE announced on Friday that Drozdov had passed away. The opening of SmackDown, which takes place in London and is broadcast live in the UK, featured a tribute graphic.

Drozdov was an outstanding football player for the University of Maryland before moving on to a career in professional wrestling. He later spent time in the NFL. He joined the Legion of Doom and made his WWF debut in the ring in 1998.

Darren Drozdov, “Droz”

A former professional wrestler who participated in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the late 1990s, Darren Drozdov is also known by his ring name “Droz.” On April 7, 1969, he was born in Neptune, New Jersey, in the United States.

In 1996, Drozdov started his career in wrestling, and in 1998, he joined the WWF. Alongside Hawk and Animal, he initially performed work for the group “The Legion of Doom.” Droz’s career as a singles competitor, however, is what made him most famous.

Sadly, a severe in-ring injury caused Drozdov’s professional wrestling career to end early. Drozdov was paralyzed from the neck down after suffering a severe neck injury on October 5, 1999, when he awkwardly landed on his head during a match against D’Lo Brown. He had to stop competing in professional wrestling because of this injury.

Following his retirement, Darren Drozdov worked as a motivational speaker, telling others about how he overcame adversity. Despite the tragic end to his wrestling career, he kept a positive attitude and carried on having a positive influence on others.

What happened to Drozv?

Darren Drozdov passed away tragically. WWE shared the sad news that Drozdov, formerly known as “Puke” and “Droz” and who used to wrestle for the company, passed away on Friday.

The former NFL player and professional wrestler Drozdov passed away from natural causes, according to a second statement released by his family. 54 years old was his age.

What Happened to Darren Drozdov
What Happened to Darren Drozdov?

After being rendered paralyzed in an in-ring accident, Drozdov bravely spent the final 24 years of his life living in a wheelchair. In October 1999, an encounter with D-Lo Brown led to the accident.

Following the accident that put an end to his career in the ring, Drozdov worked for WWE as a contributor to WWE.com. Predictions for WWE pay-per-views were made in a column he wrote.

Darren Drozdov ring accident

On October 5, 1999, Darren Drozdov was injured inside the ring while competing against D’Lo Brown in a “SmackDown” episode of the World Wrestling Federation (now known as the WWE). The incident resulted in a severe neck injury that left Drozdov paralyzed from the neck down.

When D’Lo Brown used a running powerbomb on Drozdov during the match, Drozdov’s head and neck hit the mat awkwardly due to a miscommunication and timing error. The impact caused a serious spinal cord injury that led to his paralysis.

To regain some function and mobility after the accident, Drozdov underwent numerous surgeries and underwent extensive rehabilitation. He is still a quadriplegic and needs a wheelchair to get around, despite having some limited use of his arms and upper body again.

Despite his obstacles, Drozdov has persevered and developed into a spokesperson for research and awareness of spinal cord injuries. Through motivational speaking engagements where he shares his tale of tenacity and fortitude, he has also continued to inspire others.

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Darren Drozdov – FAQs

What happened to pro wrestler Droz?

On October 5, 1999, at a WWF SmackDown! taping at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, Drozdov was involved in a match with D’Lo Brown when his active wrestling career abruptly came to an end. 

Whatever happened to D Lo Brown?

D’Lo Brown has been involved with IMPACT Wrestling for a number of years, holding a variety of positions, the most recent of which was co-Head of Talent Relations. D’Lo’s employment with the business came to an end in September 2022.

Did Chuck Austin ever get paid?

In 1994, a jury awarded him $26.7 million, but Jannetty was obligated to pay the remaining $500,000 for him. Following an appeal of the ruling, the WWF settled out of court for $10 million.

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