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Being a WWE Superstar is not easy. Even though the performers are trained professionals, the risk of in-ring injury is never zero.
It is due to this that WWE is against having non-wrestlers try what they see at home. The risk of injury is greatly increased without proper knowledge of how to execute wrestling maneuvers safely.
Over the years, there have been some gruesome injuries in the squared circle, some of which have completely changed superstars while others have been left unable to wrestle ever again.
Here is a list of five of the worst injuries that have occurred in a WWE ring. Note that this list will not cover any deaths caused by in-ring accidents and so cases like Owen Hart’s will not be mentioned.
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#5. Joey Mercury breaks his nose and orbital bone
Joey Mercury was part of the stable MNM that also included Johnny Nitro (John Morrison) and Melina. Mercury made his return to WWE television following a six-month absence on the November 27, 2006 Raw. There, he and Nitro answered the Hardys’ tag title open challenge for the December to Dismember event.
While Mercury and Nitro did not capture the titles at the pay-per-view, they began a feud with the champions that culminated in a fatal four-way ladder match for the titles that Armageddon. The other two teams in the match were William Regal & Dave Taylor and Paul London & Brian Kendrick.
A spot was planned that had Jeff Hardy landing on a ladder that would see-saw onto Nitro and Mercury’s faces. However, Mercury did not put his hands up in time and absorbed the entire force of the ladder with his face.
Mercury was shown to be bleeding profusely in the direct aftermath of the botch. He was quickly taken to hospital while Nitro completed the match on his own.
It was later revealed that Mercury had four fractures on the inside of his nose, a broken orbital bone, and continuous internal bleeding in his nose and eye. His left eye was swollen shut as a result and it required more than 30 stitches to cover the wound.
#4. Shawn Michaels suffers a back injury at WWE Royal Rumble
Shawn Michaels faced The Undertaker in a casket match at 1998’s Royal Rumble. The two legends went at it as usual until the Deadman lifted Michaels up for a back body drop that saw him hit the casket with his lower back.
Michaels’ injury was certainly much more serious than it looked, as even though he barely hit the casket, he herniated two discs and completely crushed another on landing. Shawn wrestled one more match before retiring from in-ring competition due to the injury.
He would return to WWE in 2002, with his first match back being against Triple H at SummerSlam.
#3. Steve Austin’s injures his neck
In 1997, Stone Cold Steve Austin feuded with The Hart Family. This rivalry began with heel Austin constantly taunting and challenging Bret Hart a year prior. The pair had their matches and traded wins against each other. Their submission match at WrestleMania 13 remains one of the greatest bouts in WWE history.
Austin would then turn his focus to Owen, and the pair faced each other for Hart’s Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam 1997. A stipulation was added to the match by Owen, who said that Austin would have to kiss his buttocks if he lost.
During the bout, Hart botched a piledriver and dropped Austin on his head. The two had planned on doing a piledriver in the match, but there was confusion on which type would be done. Austin had told Hart earlier to hit him with a tombstone piledriver, but Hart did the sit-down version instead.
Austin had no room to protect his head and got spiked. For a short time, he could not move his limbs. However, he mustered the strength to roll Owen up and pin him to win the title.
It took three referees to hold Austin up and walk him to the back.
Although he did get surgery to fix some of his issues in 1999, the neck problems still lingered and Austin retired in 2003 just before he turned 40.
#2. Mick Foley at King of the Ring 1998
Mick Foley took on The Undertaker as Mankind at King of the Ring 1998, in one of WWE’s most iconic matches.
The pair faced each other in the third Hell in a Cell match ever. In an attempt to surpass the previous year's iteration, Mick Foley told The Deadman to throw him off the cell and onto the ringside announce table. The Undertaker was reluctant to agree but was persuaded by Foley.
As Taker walked into the match with a fractured ankle, Foley believed that the bout needed something that had never been done before to make the WWE Universe believe that it was great.
As planned, during the match, Foley was thrown off the cell and landed on the Spanish announce table 22 feet below.
WWE's medical personnel made their way out to check on Foley and attempted to stretcher him out of the arena. However, he fought them off and climbed back on top of the cell.
The Undertaker then chokeslammed him through the cell, and Foley landed in the ring below. He was hit by a steel chair that fell through with him, which knocked him briefly unconscious.
Foley has since admitted that he did not take the chokeslam properly due to exhaustion. If he had, he could have died if he landed properly.
Mick suffered a concussion, bruised ribs, internal bleeding, and a dislocated jaw and shoulder during the match. He also lost several teeth.
#1. Droz’s Paralysis
On October 5, 1999, Droz wrestled D’Lo Brown on SmackDown. Droz worked under the name Puke in WWE due to his ability to vomit on command. This was a nickname he earned while playing football.
During the match, Brown attempted his signature powerbomb. Droz was wearing a loose shirt and D’Lo was thus unable to firmly grip his opponent in anticipation of the move. Droz was also unable to properly gain the height required for the move to be executed.
As a result, he landed on his head and immediately fractured two vertebrae in his neck. He was left quadriplegic as a result of the injury, with no movement below the neck. As time went by, Droz managed to gain movement in his upper body and arms, but it remains one of the most horrific injuries ever suffered in a WWE ring.
What do you think of this list? Do you think there are better ways that WWE Superstars can take care of themselves in the ring? Let us know in the comments section below.
