Standing ovation for Ohio wrestler, bouncer, hero as WWE NXT honors him at Full Sail Live
Before WWE NXT went live on USA Network on Nov. 6, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative Paul “Triple H” Levesque welcomed hero Jeremy Ganger to the NXT ring at Full Sail Live to be honored for his bravery.
Ganger, who is an independent pro wrestler, saved hundreds of lives in the Dayton, Ohio, shooting in August.
A bouncer at Ned Peppers bar that night, Ganger prevented the gunman from entering the bar and was injured in the process.
In an ABC News video, Ganger held the front door open and waved in and pulled people inside Ned Peppers as the shooter got closer. Ganger told them to “Get inside. Get down!”
Also in the ABC News video, Ganger said he “would’ve died” before he let the Ohio gunman into the bar where about 200 people were hiding during the melee.
ABC News reported more lives would have been lost had the shooter made it into the bar amid his rampage, which left nine people dead and dozens injured. Police, who were on patrol in the area, fatally shot the gunman within 30 seconds of when he opened fire in the popular Dayton nightlife area.
Ganger recalled giving the shooter a “dead stare,” determined to block him from getting into the bar early that Sunday.
“Our patrons are more important than one active shooter; so I was going to try to stand my ground the best I could,” Ganger told ABC News. “I would’ve died before that guy came in.”
Ganger spent three days at the hospital for shrapnel-related injuries to his lower right leg.
He added in the news report: “I am lucky, but I would do it again, though.”
Shortly after, Ganger returned to work.
“If I don’t go back to work, he wins,” Ganger said. “He took something away from all of us, if we don’t go back. He’s not gonna beat me.”
On behalf of WWE, Levesque presented an NXT championship belt to Ganger in the middle of the ring, making him an honorary NXT champion as the crowd gave Ganger a standing ovation and chanted, “You deserve it!”
NXT Referee Drake Wuertz handed the coveted belt to Levesque, who presented it to Ganger.
Usually, WWE presents honorary WWE title belts to NFL Super Bowl, NBA, NHL Stanley Cup, Premier Soccer and MLB World Series championship teams, but Levesque noted how his heroism far surpasses what anyone has done in the ring or what any team has done on the field.
Photos of Ganger being honored before a packed crowd at Full Sail Live.
Ganger is an indie pro wrestler who wrestled as Pitbull in the early 2000s for WAR Wrestling, Rockstar Pro Wrestling and Heartland Wrestling Association in Ohio. He spent two days in Orlando, including touring the WWE Performance Center, and continues to wrestle on the indie circuit.
After the ceremony, he sat ringside for the NXT live show on USA Network.
NXT on USA
NXT is 8 p.m. Wednesdays on USA Network live from Full Sail Live at Full Sail University in Winter Park, near Orlando.
For everything NXT, click https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt.
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