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Wrestling legend Ken Patera said to have suffered broken neck

Posted: Jul 1st 2026 By: Joseph Currier

Pro wrestling legend and former Olympian Ken Patera is said to be recovering from a serious injury.

A friend of Patera’s posted a message to a Facebook group asking everyone to send their thoughts and prayers after Patera recently suffered a fall in the gym that resulted in a broken neck. The post was shared by Steve Stasiak of Book Pro Wrestlers, a booking and talent management organization that works with wrestlers and legends.

“I wanted to pass along the news that my friend Ken Patera recently had a fall at the gym that resulted in his C1 being broken,” the original post from Monday said. “Ken had a back surgery 2.5 years ago and had been making great progress on his health, having returned to the gym and dropping a significant amount of weight. Send some thoughts and prayers to my buddy, please.”

There has been no further information regarding how Patera — who is in his 80s — is doing or when exactly this fall happened.

A star for the AWA, WWF, and in Japan, Patera’s wrestling accolades included being the second-ever WWF Intercontinental Champion. At the first Survivor Series, Patera competed in the main event when he was part of a babyface team alongside Hulk Hogan, Bam Bam Bigelow, Paul Orndorff & Don Muraco.

Patera represented the United States in weightlifting at the 1972 Olympics and was once an accomplished strongman competitor.