No doubt, injuries are the worst part of wrestling. They are unavoidable and happen frequently, even if promotions like WWE adopt a safer style. Some are minor and often go unnoticed by fans, but others are often very disastrous for a wrestler's career. Injuries can sometimes take up to a few years to heal properly, and they could easily shorten someone's career or sometimes even end it prematurely.
Most injuries occur in the ring, but some have taken place outside the squared circle as well. And that too in some of the most ridiculous of ways. These following stars suffered injuries while doing simple tasks and were forced to be on the shelf for a while before they could return.
10 Samoa Joe Suffers A Concussion During A Commercial Shoot
In February 2020, it was reported that Samoa Joe had suffered a concussion during a WWE Raw commercial shoot. He had suffered a thumb injury just months before in December, and another concussion in January. A few days after suffering another concussion, he was suspended for a Wellness Policy Violation.
He worked as a color commentator for Raw until he was removed in April 2022. Soon he lost his job before Triple H brought him back a few months later and WWE fired him again.
9 Colt Cabana Almost Loses An Arm Because Of A Minor Cut
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In 2012, Colt Cabana almost lost an entire arm due to an injury gone wrong. One of his right-hand fingers had caught a small cut, which happened during his visit to Australia. Cabana thought the wound will heal with time, but it only grew worse.
After some time, it swole up so much that he had to visit the hospital. The doctor suggested immediate surgery or else he would risk the amputation of his right arm.
8 Sami Zayn Suffers A Shoulder Injury Before His Match
Sami Zayn made his WWE debut against John Cena in May 2015, while answering his US Title Open Challenge. During his entrance, Zayn got too excited and threw his arms up in full swing. He ended up suffering a rotator cuff tear in his shoulders and required surgery.
He missed around seven months of in-ring action and returned to NXT in December. Despite being in pain, Zayn still finished his match with Cena that night.
7 Hulk Hogan Suffers A Torn Meniscus While Getting Up From His Sofa
Just weeks before his SummerSlam 2006 match against Randy Orton, Hulk Hogan suffered a partially torn meniscus in his right knee while getting up from a sofa in his house. Knee injuries had been haunting Hogan for years by that time, and he had already gotten several surgeries to fix them.
This one required surgery as well, but Hogan chose to work through the pain with the help of painkillers and wrestle at SummerSlam. He still didn't job to Orton that night.
6 Goldberg Injures Himself While Smashing A Limo's Window
In 1999, Goldberg was feuding with New World Order. On an episode of WCW Thunder in December, he found nWo's limo outside the arena. Goldberg took the driver out and started smashing the windows with his hands.
He was supposed to use a sledgehammer, but he made a poor judgment call that night that almost cost him his arm. The smashed glass had cut an artery in his arm, and he required surgery to fix it. Goldberg returned after five months to WCW.
5 Goldberg Suffers A Concussion From Busting His Head On The Locker Room Door
The "dream match" between Goldberg and The Undertaker at Super ShowDown 2019 was a disaster. Before the match even began, Goldberg had already suffered a concussion due to his pre-match ritual of headbutting the locker room door.
Things got worse when he ran headfirst into the turnbuckle during the match, exacerbating the injury.
4 Andre The Giant Breaks His Ankle Due To His Weight
In 1981, Andre the Giant and Killer Kahn were supposed to have a match one night which didn't happen because Kahn broke Andre's foot before their bout.
This was true only in kayfabe. In reality, Andre broke his ankle while getting out of bed that morning before the match.
3 Ember Moon Injures Her Leg During A 24/7 Title Segment
In September 2019, Ember Moon suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during one of the 24/7 Title segments. This injury didn't seem bad at first, but it only got worse with time. At one point, Moon even feared that her wrestling career might be over.
Some months after her injury, Moon found out that she'd require a second surgery to fix her foot. But that would've probably ended her career, according to the wrestler. One day, Edge reached out to her and started helping her with the recovery process. The Rated R Superstar had previously suffered a ruptured Achilles in 2009.
2 Lita Breaks Her Neck During A Shoot
Most fans may not remember that Lita played a role in the Dark Angel television show in 2002. During the shoot, she was practicing the Hurricanrana with Jessica Alba's stunt double.
She botched the move and ended up hitting her neck and suffered three cracks in her vertebrae which almost paralyzed her. Lita recovered after a year and returned to WWE.
1 Brutus Beefcake Gets His Face Shattered During Parasailing
Brutus Beefcake made his wrestling comeback after being told he'd probably never be able to wrestle again. In 1990, he was parasailing with some friends in Florida when an accident took place which crushed his face.
This was a near-death experience for the WWE Hall of Famer, as he couldn't even breathe because his face had collapsed. Brutus had to open his mouth with the help of his thumb, just so he could breathe again. He recovered from this injury after multiple surgeries and returned the next year.