10 times an injury actually helped a wrestler's career

#3 Hiroshi Tanahashi gets stabbed

The ace of New Japan survived a near life-threatening injury before his career could even take off

During the early 2000s, Hiroshi Tanahashi was one of several men that NJPW hoped would carry the promotion into the 21st century, especially after Antonio Inoki’s obsession with MMA caused the company significant problems.

In 2002, Tanahashi was teaming with another up-and-coming star Kenzo Suzuki, but that came to an end later that year following a real-life injury that Tanahashi suffered. He was stabbed twice by a woman he was dating at the time, and that woman later confessed that she wanted to kill Tanahashi and then would’ve committed suicide. The craziest part is that Tanahashi, who had a knife lodged in his body, took his scooter and drove himself to the hospital.

This incident was widely reported in Japan, as crimes like these are rare. That resulted in a widespread desire to see Tanahashi recover and return to the ring. And when he did, he wrestled in front of a sold-out crowd in Tokyo, which did wonders as NJPW was really struggling as a promotion at the time