The safety of the opponent is one of the most important rules in professional wrestling, but that doesn't mean that all performers adhere to it. Back in the day, it was somewhat acceptable and encouraged for veterans to be stiff with younger wrestlers - which was seen as physically and mentally preparing them. That's why so many incidents occurred back then compared to now, as the locker room doesn't currently have many aggressive Superstars. But there are some who were certainly reckless with their actions to the point where their opponent was seriously injured.

And depending on the wrestler, some of the popular names as well as veterans tend to get a pass even if they cross the line - but not many are willing to turn a blind eye on a rookie. Considering the high risks that come with being a professional wrestler, there are always going to be some incidents inside the ring regardless of how safe the workers are. Some of the most devastating injuries have been as a result of a freak accident rather than a deliberate attack.

But this list highlights the latter as many Superstars have previously taken a liberty to unleash attacks on their opponents. Some of which were out of frustration related to the match or personal issues, while the rest were an act of retaliation. With today's look, we look at 15 times WWE stars snapped and hurt their opponent for real:

15 Bubba Ray Dudley Hazes Rene Dupree In The Ring

He may be one half of arguably the greatest tag team in WWE history, but Bubba Ray Dudley has lost many fans in recent years. Many shoot interviews from former colleagues have given Bubba Ray a bad reputation for having been reckless as a wrestler. It's no secret that he was overly aggressive behind the scenes, and considered to be one of the tough veterans - although recent stories indicate that he was simply a bully. Rene Dupree is one of the many Superstars who agree with that notion, claiming that Bubba Ray gave him a handful of concussions during his time in the WWE.

They worked together between 2003 and 2004 - leading to some rough times for young Dupree.

There isn't particular incident that stands out as Bubba Ray was always extra stiff when wrestling Dupree - delivering some brutal shots that really injured him. He wasn't the only one to bully Dupree at the time as many others did, including JBL and Hardcore Holly - both of whom also have a reputation as bullies. But the locker room environment was completely different back then compared to now with newer Superstars like Dupree always facing rough times behind the scenes.

14 Brock Lesnar With A Brutal Punch To Braun Strowman

Brock Lesnar is known as hot headed from time to time, as he has previously lost it on many Superstars in the past. He has reached the point where he can behave however he wants without any consequences. Despite the backstage scene changing significantly with all Superstars behing held accountable, the rules still don't apply to the more popular names such as Lesnar. A perfect example took place at the 2018 Royal Rumble when he defended the WWE Universal Title in a Triple Threat Match against Kane and Braun Strowman.

When Lesnar deemed the latter to be reckless with his moves, Lesnar (after being overheard by some fans saying 'slow down, kid') decided to teach him a lesson by delivering a brutal punch that Strowman likely felt for days. If it hadn't been any other Superstar in place of Strowman, it's very likely that the punch may have immediately knocked them out cold - so credit to him for displaying a strong chin. There are some fans who were angered (but not particularly surprised) by Lesnar's actions, but management didn't have much to say about it. And it seems like whatever issues Lesnar and Strowman had inside the ring didn't transpire to backstage.

13 APA Sends A Message To Public Enemy

The Public Enemy was a team that managed to dominate ECW's division for many years, although their stints in WWE and WCW didn't turn out to be remotely as good. From the moment they arrived in the WWE, they had some problems with fellow Superstars and couldn't get on the same page as everyone else.

As they were scheduled to lose to APA, The Public Enemy didn't want to lose the match and attempted to change the outcome but the company was persistent on having the finish that had been booked.

They were supposed to go through a table and had agreed on the finish with the APA, although they would end up informing Bradshaw about their wish to switch it up just as they were about to make their way to the ring. Bad idea. The sudden change angered both Bradshaw and Ron Simmons, who decided to give them one hell of a beating. It wasn't so much of a contest as much as it ended up being a squash match with APA completely wreaking havoc on their opponents with one brutal shot after another. As for The Public Enemy, they didn't stick around for too long following this incident.

12 John Cena Acts Reckless With Michael Tarver

Michael Tarver was one of the many Nexus members whose WWE career was short lived after having feuded with John Cena. He doesn't look too fondly at his former rival, accusing him of being reckless in the ring after Cena had delivered a hard hitting chair shot, which reportedly fractured Tarver's arm. And while he did clarify that he doesn't think Cena was out there trying to injure him, he did accuse him of being stiff and unsafe.

According to Tarver, he was frustrated with Cena's actions so he confronted him about it behind the scenes although he didn't exactly receive the kind of response he was expecting.

Cena supposedly just laughed at him and didn't even bother to justify his actions. Throughout his WWE career, Cena has been one of the safest workers in the company. But for some reason, he did seem to have heat with many members of The Nexus. If the roles had been reversed, it's very likely that Tarver would have faced serious consequences but as we have come to learn, the WWE always protects the top stars. And while Tarver was pretty specific about the incident, he didn't mention as to why Cena snapped on him.

11 Alberto Del Rio Teaches Sin Cara A Lesson

Vince McMahon believed that Alberto Del Rio and Sin Cara may be able to bring the best out of each other. Unfortunately, they didn't set the world on fire and disappointed all those who were hoping of seeing flashbacks of Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio. While working together, it seems like they didn't have the best of times either especially once Del Rio went out of his way to hurt Sin Cara. Thankfully, it didn't escalate any further between them as both are known for being quite tough behind the scenes.

And both have also had their fair share of problems with WWE Superstars. Del Rio and Sin Cara were friends towards the beginning and got along well. After all, they were both Latino stars that WWE had big plans for, and they probably felt they'd help grow the Mexican market for WWE together. It is unknown as to why they had a fall out sometime during their stint in WWE, but they would never get on great terms again. And this incident when Del Rio took liberties in the ring with some brutal hits probably didn't help matters either - especially once they made it backstage to discuss the match.

10 Daniel Puder Goes Into Business For Himself Against Kurt Angle

The winner of the 2004 WWE Tough Enough Challenge was expected to have a brilliant future in the company. But his stint barely lasted a year prior to his release from the WWE. He got into trouble with management while the tournament was still ongoing, although he did somehow manage to reach the end and win. There was an infamous segment where Kurt Angle called out the contestants, and handled them in quick contests as he trash talked to everyone. Some have suggested that he may have been extra stiff that day, which led to Puder teaching him a lesson that he would never forget.

Like the rest of his peers, Puder was supposed to go down easily without putting up much of a fight, and yet he embarrassed Angle on television and nearly broke his arm after placing him in a kimura lock. Some claim that Angle was seconds away from possibly breaking his arm, but the referee managed to save him some face with a quick count. Angle may not have recovered from the embarrassment if Puder had actually done it. The company was upset with his antics, which led to the now infamous beatdown on the hands of Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero and Hardcore Holly at the 2005 Royal Rumble.

9 Beth Phoenix Delivers Unsafe Finisher On Michelle McCool

The women's division struggled in the mid 2000s, especially once Trish Stratus and Lita left the company. But there were two female talents that stepped up to the challenge, as Beth Phoenix and Michelle McCool ruled women's wrestling for some time. And while they were certainly talented, they never clicked in the ring. Whether it be high tension or lack of chemistry, it led to many underwhelming matches that failed to live to the hype.

A few years ago, McCool brought up an incident that had gone under the radar when Phoenix injured her with her finisher move.

Watching the match initially, fans thought it was just an accident at the time, although McCool begs to differ - claiming that Phoenix deliberately didn't hook up her arms as she always does in order to hurt her. Phoenix has yet to reply to the claims, although some fans were quick to side with McCool on the account that Phoenix had been reckless in the past. Perhaps she was attempting to deliver a hard hitting message - although the outcome was more severe than anticipated. The two Superstars never truly made up afterwards, and there is likely still some boiling tension from the past.

8 Perry Saturn Unleashes Brutal Attack On Mike Bell

There was a time when the WWE wasn't a very welcoming environment to younger wrestlers as well as new talents. Mike Bell was one of the unlucky talents who landed a temporary gig with the WWE, appearing in some squash matches in the typical role of a jobber. But his career was cut short after the infamous match against Perry Saturn which has become one of the most known shoots in history. Saturn's side of the story is that Bell had messed up a couple of spots, and nearly injured him with one of his moves. That's why Saturn decided to take matters into his own hands, turning the contest into a beatdown.

It wasn't a pretty sight for the fans in attendance who realized during the match that Saturn was being extra stiff. At the time, Saturn was already struggling to find a position on the roster, so it's no surprise that the company decided to make an example out of him. That's when the Moppy gimmick came up, which practically put an end to all hopes of Saturn moving up the ladder. So at the end, one could say that Mike Bell had the last laugh after all.

7 Bubba Ray Dudley Punches Sylvain Grenier

Bubba Ray Dudley certainly earned his other ring name Bully throughout his wrestling career. Not only did he give Rene Dupree multiple concussions within a year, but he also took out his anger on his partner Sylvain Grenier. It has been confirmed by both members of La Resistance with Dupree claiming that Bubba was frustrated with Sylvain for botching a move during one of their matches - which led to a real devastating punch from Bubba. It was stiff enough to bloody Sylvain's nose, who decided to confront Bubba behind the scenes - but the latter didn't take kindly to his approach and delivered yet another punch after verbally abusing him.

Some of The Dudley Boys' fans may not want to believe Dupree's side of the story, but considering all the tales regarding Bubba's behavior behind the scenes - it makes it tough to doubt these Superstars. Thankfully, the culture in WWE has changed for the better and will likely continue to improve in the future. It's one thing to be a top star like Brock Lesnar who may snap every now and then, but Bubba was simply never great enough to justify the WWE's lack of punishment toward his reckless acts.

6 JBL Snaps On The Blue Meanie

JBL has always had a reputation as a bully behind the scenes, and was lucky to belong to an era in which his behavior was tolerated. He has issues with plenty of Superstars over the years, as he was known to pick on those who may not strike back. In 2005, he played a major role in the build up to the returning ECW, and was apart of the One Might Stand show.

JBL had been booked to make an easy work out of some wrestlers, but that wasn't enough for him as he launched a brutal attack on The Blue Meanie.

Considering the ongoing rivalry and JBL's heel antics, fans thought it was surely a part of the show. As it turned out, JBL had decided to improvise by brutalizing him in the ring as The Blue Meanie was left bleeding all over the place. There was severe tension between the two Superstars for some time, although they did end up being on friendly terms after some years. And while both have moved on from the incident since then, it remains one of the absolute worst beatdowns in WWE history. But the incident didn't go without some punishment.

5 Stevie Richards Avenges The Blue Meanie With Attack On JBL

When JBL decided to act up in the ring by beating on The Blue Meanie, many ECW stars took a great offense to his actions. And they probably realized that WWE was going to allow JBL to get away with his actions without any consequences, which is why Stevie Richards stepped up to retaliate. He was said to be really upset with JBL, so it was only fair that Richards gave him a taste of his very own medicine. Not only did Richards do it on television, but he also made sure to deliver a lesson that JBL would never forget by hitting him with one of the most devastating chair shots in WWE history.

Nothing followed afterwards as all issues were resolved behind closed doors. And when ECW One Night Stand returned the next year, JBL wasn't highly involved this time around. It is rumored that he didn't care much for the wrestlers coming from ECW, and his actions seem to confirm that. He has had confrontations with The Public Enemy, The Blue Meanie and Joey Styles - three names who are highly associated with the original ECW. Since he got knocked out by Styles while on a WWE tour, JBL has mostly been on his best behavior, especially compared to the early 2000s.

4 Ahmed Johnson Goes Off Script To Attack Goldust

These days, Ahmed Johnson speaks highly of Goldust by referring to him as one of the best workers in the industry. In 1996, he may have felt completely different especially during their match at King of the Ring when Goldust went off script for a spot. He was supposed to appear to be kissing Johnson, although Goldust had agreed to cover his opponent's mouth - but once he realized that the camera angle wouldn't allow that to happen, he went in for the kiss. Johnson's reaction wasn't particularly nice to say the least, as he got up quickly and was visibly upset.

He proceeded to throw some stiff shots to make Goldust regret having ever kissed him. During his time in the WWE, Johnson had gained a reputation as a stiff worker, and was still just a rookie in the company at the time, so you can only imagine how far he went when he actually tried to hurt Goldust in the ring. But as previously indicated, Goldust's improv didn't affect their relationship in the long term as Johnson eventually moved on. He claims that they became friends afterwards, so we will have to take his word for it.

3 CM Punk Accuses Ryback Of Intentionally Hurting Him

CM Punk and Ryback left the WWE around the same time, but despite both having similar problems with the company, they probably hate each other even more. That is mostly due to the time they worked together when John Cena was injured, and it resulted in some underwhelming matches to say the least. Ryback failed to establish himself as a main event player, while their overall chemistry was almost non-existent. According to Punk, RyBack attempted to hurt him on purpose during a tag team match when he kicked him as hard as possible and broke his ribs. Ryback has denied the allegations made on Punk, telling his side of the story.

While it is unknown who is telling the truth, we do know that there is some sour feelings between them.

After his departure from the company, CM Punk launched an attack on many figures in the WWE, but not many got it quite as bad as Ryback. Punk had also spoken about Ryback constantly botching, including a time when he was supposed to slam him on the table and completely missed - which once again left Punk injured although it wasn't deliberate that time. The two have never hesitated in taking shots at each other since.

2 Vader Nearly Knocks Out Ken Shamrock

Ken Shamrock was a huge signing for the WWE even if he didn't end up reaching the heights that had been expected from him. His debut match came in 1997 at In Your House with his opponent being selected by Vince McMahon to put on a good show. He felt that Vader was the perfect opponent to help Shamrock get going in the WWE, while also showing him the ropes. But things went wary in the match as Shamrock wasn't exactly ready yet to be in the ring, and ended up injuring Vader with some reckless shots.

But it was Vader who retaliated back at the end of the match by with a stiff move of his own to nearly lay out Shamrock. And while Vader was left with a broken nose after the match, the two Superstars resolved their issues behind the scenes and became friends afterwards. Backstage officials were probably relieved the conflict didn't escalate further. But it was a rough start to Shamrock's career that may have changed the WWE's mind regarding his potential. With so many unintentionally brutal shots delivered to Vader, some would argue that the latter had the right to defend himself inside the ring.

1 Brock Lesnar Delivers Devastating Elbow On Randy Orton

Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton came up together in OVW although they weren't exactly friends. Throughout their careers, they managed to remain apart with each being placed on a different brand. It was considered a dream match by many, which would become a reality at SummerSlam 2016. But things went weary rather fast as not only did Lesnar dominate the match from start to finish, but he also threw a brutal elbow that left Orton in a pool of blood. Fans were confused as they weren't sure whether the spot was scripted or not, but that was also the feeling among many Superstars behind the scenes.

And that's exactly why Brock Lesnar was confronted by Chris Jericho, a good friend of Orton's, as soon as he made it to the back, as matters escalated to the point where they had to be separated. It is unknown to this day as to why Lesnar decided to throw such a reckless elbow out of nowhere - and even more surprising that there were no consequences. When Mr. Kennedy barely dropped Orton on his head in 2009, the latter went on to complain to management - and got him fired as a result.