By James Caldwell, PWTorch.com assistant editor

Brad Cain (known as Lodi in WCW) is best known for being part of the tag team of Lenny & Lodi during the late 1990s that led to TNT's censorship of the team. Lodi returned to WCW in 2000 under the "Standards and Practice" tag team name, but was released from the company due reported painkiller addiction.

Now, Lodi is working as a personal trainer in Charlotte, N.C. after trying to work regular jobs when his wrestling career ended.

Interviewed in the Charlotte Observer for his take on "The Wrestler" movie, Lodi says the movie defines his career and reminds him of the painful experiences in the wrestling business.

"He says his resume includes: two broken necks; two surgeries on his knee; two surgeries on his ankle; a little finger that refuses to work; a nose that's been broken four times; broken ribs," reports Tom Sorensen in the Observer.

Added to the list: "two hospital stints for an enlarged heart, the result of steroid use" and "rehab after wrestling for substance abuse."

Lodi adds, "I've had at least eight concussions. I was confronted with the sober reality of having to make a living. What do you say at the job interview? I jump off the top rope and hit people over the head with a chair?"

He says he watched "The Wrestler" twice alone, because he knew he would cry when it would remind him of his career and the tragic ending that he feels he lived. Lodi can't walk away from wrestling, though, and continues to pick up $150-500 paydays wrestling independent shows.

"Nothing makes me feel like that does," Lodi said about the rush of performing in the ring. "Walk through that curtain and everything hurts less."

Link: Charlotte Observer article.

Caldwell's Analysis: The other day, I watched an episode of the Legends of Wrestling roundtable discussion on WWE 24/7 featuring Michael Hayes grilling Eric Bischoff in a discussion of the Monday Night Wars. The entire discussion danced around the issue of performance-enhancing drug use during the era because no one wanted to go on record for directly or indirectly promoting its use in the spirit of competition, but the sad thing is that the bill is going to come due for many of the Monday Night Wars era stars who were caught up in the weekly beauty pageant of Monday night TV to compete for roster sports and guaranteed paychecks.

Within WWE and WCW offices, the era contained such a short-term mindset of week-to-week TV battles and no real focus on long-term issues in play. Bischoff was in too many corporate meetings with Turner executives and dealing with too many egos to stop and think about ten years from now how many of these wrestlers would be crippled, broke, or addicted to painkillers trying to compete in an unhealthy, cutthroat environment. It simply wasn't part of the mentality. Ten years later, the bill is coming due for the wrestlers who either wasted their money or ended up paying huge medical bills after living and dying competing in the weekly beauty pageant.

RELATED WHERE IS HE NOW at PWTorch.com: Chris Masters hosting seminar this month.

[Photo credit: otherarena.com]

We suggest these recent related articles...

WWNLIVE NEWS: NXT star Sami Zayn announced for EVOLVE Tour

NEWS: Daughter of Bill DeMott dies in weekend car crash

HAAS NEWS: Charlie Haas getting back in the ring - big reunion match at OVW, headliner for CWE year-end tour