Hiromu Takahashi Out For 9-12 Months With Broken Neck

The current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Hiromu Takahashi, will be out of action for at least 9 months. Takahashi was injured during the G1 Special in San Francisco after being dropped on his head in his match with Dragon Lee.

Updates from NJPW on his condition have been scarce (as is often the case with NJPW). The promotion announced shortly after the injury that Takahashi was awake and conscious and later that he had been transported back to Japan. It was reported last week he was still in hospital.

“The New Japan doctors believe it will be nine to 12 months before he can return,” Dave Meltzer wrote in the Wrestling Observer. “The belief is that he suffered a broken neck, which sounds terrible and that’s why nobody has said anything public.”

Although Takahashi is believed to have suffered a broken neck there was not said to be any nerve damage.

While a broken neck sounds bad, several wrestlers have sustained the injury and returned. Sean “X-Pac” Waltman mentioned on Twitter that he broke his neck twice and came back each time.

“I broke my neck twice,” Waltman Tweeted. “2nd time had it surgically repaired. I was able to make a full recovery & return for the most successful run of my career. Takahashi walked out of the ring on his own. He’s not done yet.”

Juice Robinson was a guest on Waltman’s podcast shortly after Takahashi’s injury.

“When you hear broken neck people think (he could be paralyzed) but that’s not with every broken neck but hopefully his broken neck is just you know time off,” Juice said. “Even though that still sucks but that beats the alternative. After seeing it, this is probably the best case scenario cause that looked like it could’ve been the last bump he ever took.”