Shawn Thornton Balances Protection With Job Requirements

When Thornton does return, he will be wearing a helmet that covers more of his forehead to protect the cut. What he will not be wearing is a bandage or a visor. He is, after all, a tough guy in a sport in which scars are counted like trophies.

“For me, I fight a lot and I think it’s more dangerous to land on my head when I am wrestling somebody a lot bigger than me,” he said. “If you have a visor on, you’ve got to take your own helmet off. The odds are with me landing on my head more so than getting cut. This is unfortunate and scary, but on the other side of it with my job, I’d rather have the helmet on.”