Ex-WWE Star Zach Gowen Talks His Infamous Brock Lesnar Match And Wheelchair Stunt

Former WWE star Zach Gowen may not have won any championships in the company, but he left an undeniable mark in the memories of countless fans. Gowen first showed up on WWE television in 2003, quickly becoming involved in a storyline that featured Mr. McMahon and Brock Lesnar. Eventually, Gowen found himself working a match with Lesnar, and was later involved with a stunt that would see Lesnar throw Gowen, who is an amputee, down a flight of stairs. Speaking to Steve Fall of WrestlingNewsCo, Gowen discussed his storyline with Lesnar, and how these two memorable moments were executed.

"I think about the match that I had with Brock Lesnar, that was one of the most violent, bloody matches in WWE history," Gowen said, talking about moments that likely wouldn't fly in today's television landscape. The former WWE performer also revealed that he wasn't actually the one who was thrown down the steps in a wheelchair, as they had opted to use a stunt double instead.

"They brought in a stunt double to take that particular fall, down the stairs tied to a wheelchair," Gowen continued. "This guy looked just like me except he had two feet. ... Right before we cut, Vince asked me if I wanted to take the bump. And I looked at him and I said, 'Are you crazy?'" Gowen stated that he asked not to perform the stunt, and he believes his mother is probably thankful that he didn't end up letting Lesnar throw him down the stairs that day.

Despite McMahon's apparent hope to see him perform the stunt, Gowen has credited McMahon with saving his life in the past. According to Gowen, McMahon not only paid for two prosthetic legs, but also funded Gowen's trip to rehab, helping him deal with troubling addiction problems.