Brett Lauderdale knew bringing Drake Younger back into GCW was going to upset people. He did it anyway—and now he’s explained the deeply personal reason why.
Younger, real name Drake Wuertz, appeared during GCW Homecoming weekend and challenged Otis Cogar for the Ultraviolent Championship. His involvement immediately drew criticism from fans over the extreme views and rhetoric Wuertz had previously promoted.
Lauderdale isn’t pretending that history doesn’t exist. The GCW promoter took to Twitter and acknowledged that Wuertz had said things that were offensive and, in some cases, dangerous. But when it came to deciding whether he deserved another opportunity, Lauderdale couldn’t separate that decision from what Wuertz once did for him.
“In the past, Drake Wuertz shared some extreme views. He spread a rhetoric that was offensive to many and in some cases, dangerous.”
Then Lauderdale explained why this particular second chance had to come from him. Back in March 2012, Lauderdale says he was losing his battle with an opioid addiction during WrestleMania week in Miami and didn’t know where to turn. According to Lauderdale, only one person reached out to help him. It was Drake Younger.
“In March of 2012, I was on the losing end of a brutal addicition to opiates. I was at the end of the road in Miami for Mania Week and I needed help. I didn’t know what to do.”
“…only one person readched out his hand to help and that person was Drake Younger. On that day, 3/29/12, he took me to my first of many years of NA meetings that put me on my road to recovery.”
“Drake’s compassion changed (saved) my life, he gave me a second chance.”
Fourteen years later, Lauderdale believes it was finally his turn to return the favor.
“I’ve been waiting for years to return the favor and give him his 2nd chance… in my heart, I feel like now is the time.”
Lauderdale also knew that explanation wasn’t suddenly going to erase everything Wuertz had done or convince every GCW fan to forgive him. He even anticipated the obvious response.
“Cool story bro… but that doesn’t have anything to do with me and it doesn’t change the fact that he said and did some ****** up s***. Why should I care?”
His answer wasn’t that fans have to care—or forgive Wuertz at all. Lauderdale said anyone who doesn’t want to give Wuertz another chance has every right to feel that way. His own decision comes down to believing that people can change and should at least have an opportunity to prove it.
“You’re right, and some people don’t want to give him a second chance, and they don’t have to. That’s their choice and I can’t fault them for making that decision.”
“Personally, I am a believer that people can change. I’ve seen it happen and I think the most powerful thing we can do as humans is give people that opportunity to make amends and right their wrongs. How can we as a soceity move forward if we can’t be open to forgiveness?”
So Lauderdale isn’t asking everyone to suddenly forget Wuertz’s past. For him, this was about repaying something that happened long before GCW became what it is today. Drake Younger gave Lauderdale a hand when he says he desperately needed one, and 14 years later, Lauderdale decided to extend his own.
Do you think Brett Lauderdale made the right decision giving Drake Younger a second chance in GCW? Let us know in the comments below.
