Buff Bagwell still hoping for one more match after leg amputation
Having one more match remains a goal for Buff Bagwell six months into his post-amputation life.
The former WCW star underwent a right leg amputation last July due to injuries stemming from a 2020 car accident. While losing a leg is devastating, the operation has improved Bagwell’s quality of life. He was miserable for years prior to the amputation because not having the ability to bend his knee made everything so difficult.
After his amputation, Bagwell stated that one of his goals was to get back into the ring for at least one more match. That is still something Bagwell wants to cross off his bucket list, but he isn’t going to force it. He’ll only wrestle again if he’s able to do so in a way that does not look “ugly.”
“I know I could wrestle again — another match or two,” Bagwell said on Insight with Chris Van Vliet. “But if I can’t do it where it’s [not] ugly, I’m not going to do it. And I’m not sure that’s possible. I don’t want it to be ugly. If it’s ugly at all, I’m not going to do it.”
One of the biggest hurdles for Bagwell would be climbing the steps to get into the ring. There’s no way for him to make that look good even with his $135,000 prosthetic leg. Still, Bagwell does hope to have another match and is going to start exploring the possibility in the next couple of months.
“That will be the first thing you got to conquer, is getting in, or sliding in and getting up fast. But again, if I can’t do those things without them being [ugly], I’m not going to do it. But I think I can. I think I can do it where it’s not ugly,” Bagwell said. “I just don’t know yet. So we’re definitely going to, in the next couple of months, I’m going to get in the ring and just see what I can do. But I really do think no matter what, I will do one match just because that’s one of my goals.”
Because Bagwell’s amputation was above the knee, he is more limited than he would have been otherwise. His prosthetic leg is unable to move in the same way that a human knee would.
Bagwell is now more than three years and five months sober. Through that sobriety journey, he feels like he’s found himself again and is back to being a good person. He credits his faith and his wife Stacy for making that transformation possible.
The 56-year-old Bagwell is planning a documentary titled “Still Buff” focused on his amputation recovery. He’s also documented his journey through videos on his YouTube channel. The latest milestone that Bagwell hit was being able to walk without the assistance of a cane.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.