Few WWE superstars of recent years have a physique that can outdo that of Rick Boogs.
Arguably a vastly underrated talent, Rick Boogs looked like he had it all in WWE: charisma, muscles for days, and a handlebar moustache that could hold its own in any WrestleMania moment.
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But one night in Texas, in front of 70,000 people, it all came crashing down — quite literally — in a match that left him clutching his leg and his wrestling future hanging by a thread.
The man behind the Boogs persona is Eric Bugenhagen, a larger-than-life wrestler and YouTube star whose channel boasts over 126 million views.
His over-the-top antics and freakish strength made him a fan favourite but, at WrestleMania 38, during the opening tag match with Shinsuke Nakamura against The Usos, disaster struck.
Attempting a double fireman’s carry — a variation on a move he’d pulled off countless times — Boogs collapsed mid-lift. He’d torn his quadriceps and patellar tendon clean off the bone.
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WWE confirmed the injury as a full rupture, with Boogs undergoing surgery days later.
It was a dramatic and heart-breaking halt to a career that had been on the rise, Boogs having debuted in wrestling with WWE’s NXT brand in 2017.
By 2021 he was part of the ‘main roster’ on SmackDown as a hype man of sorts to Shinsuke Nakamura, his bulging body thrusting an electric guitar as the Japanese sensation made his way to the ring.
His WrestleMania disaster came the following year, and, while Boogs made a brief return to WWE TV in 2023, he featured only sporadically and was never able to make it back to the in-ring stage of WrestleMania.
Released by WWE that September, he has all-but wrapped up his wrestling career but regularly posts gym content to his 337,000 YouTube subscribers.
Now, though, he’s about to make a different kind of comeback — this time, in front of Amazon Prime’s cameras.
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According to Fightful Select, Bugenhagen has landed a role in the upcoming revival of American Gladiators, the iconic show that provided the original inspiration for the UK show Gladiators, itself enjoying a revival on this side of the pond.
An all-new season in the States is set for Amazon Prime, and Boogs will be involved, with Fightful reporting: “Bugenhagen is currently slated for the upcoming revival of American Gladiators, and he’s not the only one.
“There are a number of other wrestlers planned for the show, which should be announced in the coming weeks.”
One other personality set for American Gladiators known for his WWE standing is The Miz, the multi-time world champion who is slated to host the show that will feature iconic events including Hang Tough and The Eliminator.
“We’re excited to officially welcome WWE Superstar Mike ‘The Miz’ Mizanin to the American Gladiators Family,” Barry Poznick, general manager MGM Alternative, Evolution Media and Big Fish Entertainment, told Deadline.
“He’s the perfect host for the new era of this iconic franchise.”
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The brash and cocky Miz will be the perfect fit for the show and for Bugenhagen, too, it seems a logical next step — and a second chance at the spotlight after an abrupt exit from WWE.
The former collegiate wrestling standout had built a strong online following even before signing with WWE, mixing high-octane workouts with absurd humour. His YouTube videos — featuring guttural screams and deadlifts that later became synonymous with his time in the ring.
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The former Boogs might not be powerbombing anyone through a table anytime soon, but he will be back on screen, screaming and sweating in lycra as audiences cheer and boo the good and bad on American Gladiators.
WWE is behind him, it seems, but it’s hard to imagine anything more wrestling.