Former Ring of Honor World Champion Davey Richards hasn’t wrestled since 2017 due to focusing on becoming a doctor and getting a knee surgery. However, Richards is open to a possible return despite being on track to become a doctor in two years since he has undergone a full knee replacement and feels much better.
“I’ve struggled with knee injuries throughout my amateur and professional wrestling career,” Richards explained on Twitter. “14 surgeries in all on my right knee. During my run In IMPACT Wrestling my right knee began to deteriorate badly. I remember the [doctor] for IMPACT at the time telling me I had the knee of a 70 year-old. I went through numerous treatments: PRP, scopes, stem cells, [Synvisc-One], etc. Nothing worked.
“I thought I found the answer in 2017: Biojoint. They told me me knee would be like new again. Only downside was 1 year layoff from anything physical. So I did it – they sawed off ends of my femur and tibia and took bone and cartilage from a cadaver and inserted it in me. Months went by and nothing got better. At one year they said wait another year. Nothing got better. More and more time extensions, which is why I had to cancel so many shows. Then I had another surgery to correct that one. Then another to correct that one.”
Richards then realized that he had to undergo a full knee replacement or his troubles would never be over.
“I researched the entire world and found Nanoknee. They said I would walk out of surgery, they said I would recover rapidly. They said I would be “me” again. I didn’t believe them. Then it worked. The surgery worked. Then I found Squat University to help rehab me. Help rebuild what I had lost. Little by little, day by day I felt more like me. Until today, when I realized I can not only do everything I used to, I can do it better.
“To every snow I missed and every fan I let down – I am truly sorry, it is completely my fault. My ego would not let me admit that inside I was falling apart. I couldn’t admit to myself I couldn’t be the one thing I always identified myself as: wrestler. I’ll make no excuses, I own all of it. It’s funny – in 2 years I will be a doctor. I’ll have more money than I know what to do with, and I couldn’t care less. It wasn’t then, and isn’t now about the money. It was about the wrestling. I don’t know what will happen. But maybe, just maybe I will be fortunate to be able to again participate in the greatest sport on earth: wrestling.”
