6 WWE Superstars who came back from career-threatening injuries

#1 The Showstopper defies the odds

Michaels had his first match in over four years at SummerSlam 2002, where he defeated Triple H.

Few Superstars can boast about having a career better than Shawn Michaels, as The Showstopper is considered by many to have had the greatest career of all time. But for as good and as lengthy as his career was, Michaels' tenure is always defined by pre and post-retirement.

At the 1998 Royal Rumble Pay Per View, Michaels defeated The Undertaker in a casket match to retain the WWF Championship but suffered a horrendous back injury along the way. The injury would force HBK to be removed from the No Way Out in Texas event, but he was able to main-event WrestleMania 14 against 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin.

Losing to The Rattlesnake, Michaels would walk away from the ring seemingly for good, as both his injury and real-life problems would take a toll on the former Champion. Fortunately, Michaels was able to turn his life around, becoming a born again Christian along the way, and returned to the ring in 2002.

Capturing the World Heavyweight Championship at Survivor Series that year, Michaels proved himself to be one of the all time greats, with his second tenure in WWE arguably being better than his first.