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by
Phil Speer - Credit: WWE.com
DETROIT – Oct. 28,
2002
Still a few months away from being able to return to World Wrestling
Entertainment, Rhyno stopped by RAW tonight to hang out with his
Superstar peers.
The former Hardcore Champion had
fusion surgery last Nov. 2 to repair a herniated disc between
his C6 and C7 vertebrae, requiring at least one year of recovery
time. His physician, Dr. Lloyd Youngblood, has told him he’ll
be ready to return to the ring in December or January.
Rhyno does have clearance to step
in a wrestling ring in a limited capacity. At the end of last
month, he drove from his home here just across the Canadian border
into Windsor, Ontario, the city where he broke into the business.
He spent three weeks there, walking around in the ring and exercising
lightly, but didn’t take any impact (any “bumps”).
Last week, he went to Ohio Valley Wrestling, the Louisville, Ky.-based
WWE training camp, and increased his in-ring-training regimen.
“That’s where I took my
first bump,” he said. “I took one the first day and
two the second day.”
Rhyno said he’ll return to
Youngblood’s office in mid-November.
“I want to see where I’m
at,” he said. “I want to see what I can do.”
He hopes to be cleared to do additional
ring activities, and then to return to OVW.
When he come back to WWE, he intends
to be better than ever. With that in mind, he’s been working
out as vigorously as possible.
“As far as the weights, I can’t go as heavy as I want,”
he said. “But I’m slowly getting up there.”
He also recently completed an eight-week
improvisation class with Second City Detroit, hoping to improve
on his interview and acting skills.
“I want to take more classes
when I get back on the road,” he said, adding that acting
is like wrestling in that “it takes years of practice, and
even when you’re on the road, you’re still practicing.”
Rhyno came to the WWE non-televised
event yesterday in Toledo, Ohio, and he says he’ll probably
go to the SmackDown! taping tomorrow in Grand Rapids, Mich. Rhyno
has good friends on both RAW and SmackDown! – especially
Edge and Christian. He said he doesn’t have a preference
as to which brand he ends up on when he returns.
“Actually, I find both shows
entertaining,” he said.
Either way, Rhyno said he fully
intends to be back by January’s Royal Rumble.
“If I’m not back by Royal
Rumble, I’m going to pick up a broom and start sweeping floors
here,” he said. “I’ve got to get out of the house.
It’s not that I have a bad home life, it’s just that
I’m tired of being there.
“I’m ready to come back
and start mixing it up – getting in that ring and doing a
little grappling.”
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