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WWE lets John Morrison return at less than 100%

John Morrison is taking a risky strategy by returning before his neck has fully healed.  (Photo via Sgt. Ryan Twist)

In a disappointing and perplexing turn of events, John Morrison has admitted in an interview with SLAM Wrestling's Bob Kapur that he's coming back from his recent neck surgery before he's 100% healed:

I'm coming back before I'm 100% healed.  With nerve injuries, it's really weird.  My doctor said that from (the week leading up to his return), I could be 100% healed in the next three weeks or the next year.   It's kind of a mysterious injury ... mysterious and provocative.  Which fits with me because that's kind of how I roll.

Disappointing, because neck injuries aren't to be messed with.  Perplexing, because how could this possibly happen under their current Wellness policy.  Morrison's neck surgery was performed by Dr. Joseph Maroon, WWE's medical director, which suggests that he must have given Morrison a green light to return, despite knowing that he isn't fully healthy yet.  Maroon shouldn't be in the business of tailoring his clearances to meet the wishes of the performer he is treating and the company he works for.  It sounds like Morrison, thinking short term, didn't want to miss the SummerSlam pay-per-view, which is usually the second or third biggest payoff in the WWE calendar year.  Moreover, before his injury he was getting the biggest singles push of his career and taking too much time off now would derail his momentum.  Morrison clearly realises this:

I was like, ‘I can't wait a year,' so I made the decision to come back -- and be careful -- but come back to doing what I love.

Surely it should be the company doctor's decision when he comes back, not his own?  I also think the only way to truly "be careful" is to take no bumps whatsoever on his damaged neck, which of course isn't going to happen.  I don't think Morrison, like Kurt Angle, understands the meaning of being careful, as he's vowed not to change his daredevil style, despite the neck problems that still plague him:

I thought about that, but I came to the conclusion that I don't want to change the way that I do things, because that's who I am.  That's the style that I developed my whole career, and it's not something I want to change.  I want to push myself to the limit and see if I can still hang with everything I've done in the past.  So far I've been able to without making any drastic changes.  I'm hoping over the next few months I'll recover.  I don't feel that I've lost a step, and I don't think that I'm going to.

Hopefully Morrison doesn't end up with a terrible painkiller addiction or problems with alcoholism by following in Angle's footsteps and working on a neck before it has been a 100% healed.

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Sad but not surprising

Honestly this whole year’s been really disappointing for Morrison. And I happen to think he’s got the ability to be a real star.

Writer (and a handsome one at that),
And the Valley Shook

by Billy Gomila on Aug 2, 2011 10:43 PM EDT reply actions  

Damn

I don’t think JoMo’ll get a PK addiction because of his neck =) If anything, it’ll be because of Melina =)

Seriously, he should have taken the time off.

by Tyrios on Aug 3, 2011 12:27 AM EDT reply actions  

Poor decision by WWE

Does anyone know if Maroon cleared Morrison to return to the ring or if WWE just put him on the road?

Freedom is a road seldom traveled by the multitudes...

by Major on Aug 3, 2011 5:55 AM EDT via mobile reply actions  

"Surely it should be the company doctor's decision when he comes back, not his own?"

This is the key sentence in this post. Doesn’t Dr. Maroon have a financial interest in clearing Morrison? They both work for the WWE — and I realize that is not Maroon’s only job — and the WWE obviously wants him back as soon as possible. I don’t know exactly how health insurance is handled for contracted WWE performers, but if they aren’t able to choose their own independent doctors that is inevitably going to corrupt the process.

by Finian1 on Aug 3, 2011 9:06 AM EDT reply actions  

Ultimately

If Morrision was told point blank he could come back, but was told the risks, who are we to tell him no?

by Jonathan Loesche on Aug 3, 2011 10:05 AM EDT reply actions  

ummm
My doctor said that from (the week leading up to his return), I could be 100% healed in the next three weeks or the next year

Plenty of people come back at less than 100% in every sport. I’d venture a guess that most of the regular performers in the WWE aren’t at 100% on any given day. From what it sounds like with this injury, he’s good to go but could still be having some minor problems. I don’t see any way you can tell a guy to sit out until he’s 100% (when most people aren’t ever truly 100%) when its so open ended on how long that can be. If it ends up being a full year before he’s feeling perfect, that’s a ton of money he’s losing and would really kill his career.

Anyways, I see Morrison more like Edge than an Angle. If the neck injury becomes more serious, he won’t be taking bumps straight on his head and literally risk killing himself in the ring.

"In fact, most of these free-swinging Padres couldn’t hit Dock’s funky palm ball. I threw it often. But by then, also, the first acid distractions entered: the TV flickered; the cracks in the wall started to move; the hand soap started to breathe — those sorts of things. Plus I was drawn to the outdoor garden between innings. Rain was near, I sensed." - A.J. Daulerio

by Gdawg on Aug 3, 2011 10:14 AM EDT reply actions  

Also

Was this injury sustained because of the attack by R-Truth or was that just the keyfabe explanation?

by Jonathan Loesche on Aug 3, 2011 11:42 AM EDT reply actions  

I’m not entirely sure, but I believe it was the kayfabe explanation.

Twitter me @kkelchner621
Read me at Cageside Seats

by Kaleb Kelchner on Aug 3, 2011 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions  

Oh Morrison…don’t become one of those guys, please.

Not going to lie though, I’d be dumb enough to get back in ASAP as well if I was just in the midst of getting a big push in the profession I love. He really did great in the cage match with Cena and The Miz, and he was getting a big feud with R-Truth. I hope he can stay healthy despite coming back so soon.

Twitter me @kkelchner621
Read me at Cageside Seats

by Kaleb Kelchner on Aug 3, 2011 11:49 AM EDT reply actions  

Duh...

He came back early because Mr H’s re-signed him to a mega-deal!

by 3r1c on Aug 3, 2011 1:08 PM EDT reply actions  

I bet he's really glad he rushed back

to lose his first two matches

Coach Raye crazy man. Says Yahoo in our training camp,We Didn’t know we had Wifi,cOach Sing says he likes UpGut.com. Bish! - Anthony Dixon

by 49erLou on Aug 3, 2011 1:54 PM EDT reply actions  

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