David Arquette feels "lucky to be alive" after being hospitalised following a wrestling match.
David Arquette
The 47-year-old actor took part in a 'Death Match' with Nick Gage on November 16 and accidentally came away with a "gruesome" cut in his neck, which got infected.
He told People magazine: "I'm lucky to be alive. If I had been cut in the jugular, I probably wouldn't be here right now.
"Sometimes they use those florescent light tubes and I got cut and started seeing dripping blood and I panicked. I turned around too quickly and the end of a broken bulb got me in my neck. It was gruesome."
David was taken to hospital and had the wound stitched, but had to return the next day when he "woke up with the shivers and a swollen neck".
He was told he had cut part of his neck muscle and admitted the injury was "really scary".
He said: "Doctors call that The Box because it's such a dangerous place to get punctured. It was really scary."
Though the 'Scream' star - who has daughter Coco, 14, with ex-wife Courteney Cox and sons Charlie, four and Gus, 20 months, with spouse Christina McLarty - has been wrestling for many years, he admitted he didn't know very much about Death Matches, which have "no rules and no disqualifications" before taking part in the bout.
He said: "I didn't know the extent of how hardcore those things are. I was in over my head for sure.
"I'm really lucky. But I love wrestling and I will do it again. But I will never do another Death Match."
Christina had been "freaked out" at the idea of the fight and the 'Never Been Kissed' star is thankful he asked her not to be ringside.
He said: "Luckily I asked her not to come because I had a feeling it was going to be a scary situation."
In 2000, David began competing in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) bouts, primarily to promote his movie 'Ready To Rumble' but he thinks his championship win was a "disgrace" and he's spent the years since trying to "prove" himself in the wrestling world, which is why he accepted the Death Match.
He explained: "18 years ago, I won a WCW World Heavyweight Belt.
"But that win was a big disgrace to the belt and the wrestling community and ever since people have been criticising me.
"I really wanted to prove myself and stand up for myself. I was sick of being bullied and for people thinking I'm just some punk from Hollywood."
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