The results of professional wrestling might be pre-determined, but that doesn't take away from the incredible athleticism that takes place within the ring. There is a real danger about professional wrestling, just like any combat sport and that's what makes it so thrilling to watch.
Sure, those in the ring might know who is going to win, but that doesn't take away the risk factor. One wrong move or one mistimed kick can lead to devastating results, and as the sport evolves, so do the moves themselves.
Often they have become riskier, whether it be flying off the top rope or dropping people on their necks, there are many dangerous moves within the sport. Here are the 10 most dangerous moves in professional wrestling.
10 Muscle Buster
There's a reason that the Muscle Buster went away because it is incredibly dangerous. While Samoa Joe hit the move for years perfectly without any issues, just one incident proved how dangerous the move could be.
It was the Muscle Buster that unfortunately ended the career of Tyson Kidd, with the former WWE Superstar being lucky to even walk after the incident. He suffered a severe spinal cord injury, showing just how serious the situation was.
The move saw Samoa Joe lift people up, tucking their head and neck next to his before dropping them back down on it. The move looked devastating but it has been deemed too dangerous for WWE, and out of respect to Tyson Kidd, that was the right decision.
9 Canadian Destroyer
The Canadian Destroyer has actually started to make a bit of a comeback in wrestling lately, and sadly it isn't even being used as a finisher, which is ridiculous considering how crazy the move looks.
It's an amazing wrestling move, and is one that will always get a huge reaction from a crowd. However, there is a real element of danger about it, as a wrestler can very easily land awkwardly on their neck from this.
It requires an incredible amount of athleticism and communication between both men involved as the timing has to be spot on to nail this move.
8 Rack Attack
Sometimes a wrestling move can provide just as much danger to the person performing it then the wrestler taking it, and the Rack Attack is a prime example of that. This was Nikki Bella's finisher for a while during her lengthy Divas Championship reign, and it was a great one.
This move saw Nikki Bella get her opponent on top of her neck as she then dropped down which saw the opponent bounce off Nikki's neck and to the mat. It looked very devastating and it really worked as a top move.
However, the constant pressure on Nikki's neck led to a serious injury for her and cost her a lengthy period on the shelf, having to stop doing the move when she returned.
7 Chair Shot To The Head
This might not be a 'move' that wrestlers have in their arsenal to pull out on a regular basis, but it is something that many wrestlers have done. The chair is a popular weapon in wrestling, and for many years people happily rattled it off the skull of another human being.
While some were smart enough to put up their hands to try and protect themselves, many others didn't. These chair shots created unbelievable damage from concussions and bleeding to long-term health effects such as CTE.
Thankfully, many wrestling promotions such as WWE have now put a ban on these moves, not allowing their talents to take these attacks to the head.
6 Diving Headbutt
For similar reasons to why a chair shot to the head is an incredibly dangerous move, the diving headbutt is also something that can cause major issues. Leaping from the top rope and crashing down onto someone's head is always going to be open to big risks.
This was a move that Chris Benoit used frequently, and his brain was seriously affected by it. It's a move that can cause major damage and isn't safe to either of the people involved in the move.
There's a reason that you rarely see this move performed, either in WWE or on the independent scene. That is that, thankfully, medical research has proven this to be a dangerous move and wrestlers have actually listened and begun taking it away.
5 Tiger Driver
One of the dangerous moves in professional wrestling is the Tiger Driver, which is one that is very rarely bust out in WWE due to the risk factor. While it certainly looks cool and is very impactful, it's one that can cause a serious injury if it's hit wrong.
The move sees a wrestler wrap their opponent's arms up as if they were hitting a double underhook DDT. However, they then flip them into a forwards facing powerbomb to plant them down.
While the move is meant to see the victim land on their back, it can often lead to major neck injuries if it's hit wrong, which is why it becomes so dangerous.
4 Apron Brainbuster
Anytime that the ring apron is brought into the situation the risk factor automatically goes up. Commentators like to remind fans that it is the "hardest part of the ring," but there is truth behind that.
The lack of padding means that any bump on this area is severely more dangerous no matter what it is. However, when you make the move a Brainbuster then that danger level shoots up even further.
Doing it on the apron adds a lot more height to the move with a much harder landing, and it is one that is only ever done between wrestlers with huge trust for each other.
3 Burning Hammer
Another move that has a small margin for error is the Burning Hammer, which is one created by Kenta Kobashi, who is one of the most legendary Japanese wrestlers of all time.
He was well-known for wrestling a strong style and therefore it's no surprise that he used the Burning Hammer. However, even Kobashi only used the move seven times throughout his career, clearly knowing the risk of injury.
The move is an inverted Death Valley Driver, which lands the victim's neck and spine quite harshly, hence why the move can be dangerous unless done right.
2 Shooting Star Press
Just ask Brock Lesnar how potentially dangerous the Shooting Star Press can be. Anytime someone gets to the top rope it is always incredibly risky, just because of the height and impact meaning the risk factor increases.
There is a very small margin for error in a move such as the Shooting Star Press, not just to the person receiving the move but also the one hitting it. Overshooting the move can lead to people landing on their necks, which is a serious cause for concern.
However, not landing it perfectly can also lead to seriously hurting the person already on the mat. Smashing into someone's face is a major danger and that's why this move is called 'high risk.'
1 Piledriver
There is a reason that you don't see the Piledriver much in wrestling, in particular in WWE, because it is so dangerous. In WWE, the move is actually banned, with only The Undertaker hitting a version of it with his Tombstone Piledriver.
This is because the moves has the person taking it to be dropped directly on their head, and if it goes slightly wrong then there is a potential for an incredibly serious injury.
Stone Cold is a perfect example of how dangerous the move can be as he suffered a broken neck taking a Piledriver. There's such a small margin for error within this movie that it is insanely dangerous, and that's why it always gains a huge reaction whenever one gets busted out.