WWE Wrestler Darren Drozdov, aka Droz, Dead at 54 — The Rock Pays Tribute
Pro wrestler Darren Drozdov, who wrestled for the WWE in the ’90s under the name Droz before an injury left him paralyzed, has died at the age of 54.
WWE confirmed the news in a tweet: “WWE is saddened to learn that Darren Drozdov passed away on Friday, June 30, at age 54. WWE extends its condolences to Darren Drozdov’s family, friends and fans.”
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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who wrestled with Drozdov during his WWE days, also paid tribute to him on Twitter: “Man I’m so sorry to hear one of our ring brothers has passed away. Darren Drozdov aka Droz. We wrestled on a lot of cards together. Such an awesome dude. Great personality and great wrestling talent. We always talked about football and fishing. Sending love, strength, mana and light to his family. RIP brother.”
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After a brief career in the NFL, Drozdov transitioned from football to wrestling, taking the name “Puke” for his ability to vomit on command. Drozdov joined the WWE in 1998, eventually changing his name to Droz and wrestling at big events like SummerSlam. His career was cut short, though, when he fractured two vertebrae in his neck during a taping of SmackDown! in October 1999. The injury left him paralyzed below the neck, although he later regained movement in his arms and upper body. He remained in the WWE family as a writer, offering commentary and predictions for upcoming matches.
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