After Ricochet and Fallon Henley Get Placed in Concussion Protocol, Here Is Why WWE Doesn’t Joke Around When It Comes to Concussions

Fans know very well that pro wrestling is filled with storylines to keep them on the edge of their seats. They even know that the outcome of these matches is decided well in advance. But that said, the moves that the wrestlers perform in the ring are very real. Hence the WWE has always warned its viewers to not try any of these moves at home. But in addition to the safety of its viewers, WWE takes even more care for the safety of its precious talent.

WWE now has protocols in place for its wrestlers when it comes to in-ring injuries especially when dealing with concussions. Let’s take a look at why the WWE is so serious when it comes to concussions.

WWE takes its ‘Concussion Protocol’ very seriously 

Superstars Ricochet and Fallon Henley have both been placed on a ‘concussion protocol’ post their head injuries this week. Ricochet was injured during the Fatal Four-way match on RAW to decide the number one contender for Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship. He landed on his head when attempting a springboard hurricanrana. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reported that “(Ricochet) doesn’t remember a lot of the match.”

While Henley was injured during her match against Tiffany Stratton on NXT’s November 7 episode. Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted, “Stratton did her moonsault finisher, Stratton’s knee nailed Henley near the cheekbone and knocked her silly.” Both Ricochet and Henley have now been placed in WWE concussion protocol and there is no news on when they will return for in-ring action.

According to the WWE concussion protocol, “If a WWE Talent shows symptoms of a concussion or has suffered a concussion, then that WWE Talent will not be cleared to return to wrestling until he/she passes an ImPACT test and is clinically cleared by a certified physician”. After the talent has recovered, they then have to go through an ImPACT test which is typically administered within 24-48 hours from the time the talent’s symptoms have resolved.

An ImPACT test is a computerized neurocognitive assessment tool that measures the effects of a concussion through cognitive testing. All these tests are then evaluated by a clinical neuropsychologist. Only after clearing all these tests is the wrestler allowed to compete in the ring again.

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WWE is very strict when it comes to its concussion protocol because of its bad experiences in the past.

WWE has had its fair share of concussion scares in the past

Among the current roster, Braun Strowman has been out of action with a concussion he suffered during his April 2023 match on SmackDown. And just like Ricochet, Bobby Lashley had also entered concussion protocol back in 2022 after his match at Elimination Chamber. Talking about concussions, Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle once revealed that a severe concussion left him with no memory of his clash with Triple H and The Rock at SummerSlam 2000.

His concussion was so serious that he had no recollection of what happened for three hours that night. Similarly, current AEW wrestler Bryan Danielson was initially forced to retire in February 2016 due to his history of concussions. In total, he suffered ten documented concussions while wrestling. But later in 2018, he got cleared medically to return to in-ring wrestling. Bryan is currently in AEW and has been with them since 2022.

WWE once also got embroiled in a concussion class action lawsuit. The lawsuit was dismissed in September 2018 by US District Judge Vanessa Lynne Bryant but former wrestler Jim Brunzell would like to challenge that verdict again. According to the lawsuit, if individuals (Ex WWE wrestlers) wound up with early dementia, Alzheimer’s, or something related to CTE, then the WWE would have to pay for their treatment in a nursing home.

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This would come down to around $12,000 to $15,000 dollars a month. Hence in order to stay away from such tricky lawsuits and ensure the safety of its performers, WWE has a very strict concussion protocol in place.