Former WWE Superstar shares positive update after health scare earlier this year

Former WWE Superstar Stevie Richards is officially "out of the woods" after a spinal infection earlier this year.

Richards was hospitalized back in February due to intense back pain after a workout. He underwent treatment at the Mayo Centre in Jacksonville, Florida, and was discharged a few weeks later. He was diagnosed with a spinal infection, which could have been fatal.

In an appearance on Wrestling Shoots Interviews, Richards shared that he's no longer in trouble and has started working out. He added that he still has a weak immune system but remains optimistic about his full recovery.

"I'm officially out of the woods, but I also have to be very careful because the effects, so the effects from the spine infection have still lowered my immunity," Richards said. "I'm down about 35 pounds still, which I wanted to lean out, but I didn't wanna do it that way, but I’m down from, I was down from 215lbs and I dropped to 180lbs. ... Outside of hip hinging movements and putting any kind of pressure, axial pressure on my neck or my spine, I'm pretty much able to do just about everything."

The former ECW star continued:

"I'm really a fitness enthusiast and that's why my fitness brand, I started my fitness journey all over again and I'm still, technically even after about two months, I'm cardio, like 90% isometrics, some suspension, body weight training, and maybe a little bit of cable work, but isometrics have been." [H/T Wrestling Headlines]

Stevie Richards documented his recovery on his YouTube channel. He also revealed that he got the infection after getting bit by a friend's dog and was glad that it happened to him rather than his wife or kids from the neighborhood.

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Stevie Richards' WWE career

Stevie Richards made a name for himself in ECW but left the company in 1997. He was contemplating retirement when he received an offer from WWE in 1999. He debuted by helping his former bWo partner, The Blue Meanie.

Throughout his WWE career, Richards has portrayed several gimmicks. He started by mocking other wrestlers and imitating them. He then became part of Right To Censor before becoming Stevie Night Heat. He also formed a partnership with Victoria during the early 2000s.

Richards reunited with the bWo at ECW One Night Stand in 2005, with the group becoming active for around a year. He also wrestled for WWE's version of ECW before getting released in 2008. He's a one-time European Champion and 21-time Hardcore Champion during his time with the company.

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