When it comes to the WWE and professional wrestling, despite the fact that matches are predetermined ahead of time, there is a large amount of danger that comes with competing in the industry. Between the bumps and falls that takes their toll on a body over the years, there are also numerous accidents that can end the career of a promising young WWE superstar a lot sooner than expected.

In the WWE, there are some big names that saw their once-promising careers cut short by injuries. There are others that stepped away from the ring for other reasons, including those who suffered from ailments that had nothing to do with the industry they loved so much. Not including those wrestlers who passed away while still working for the WWE, here is a look at 10 WWE superstars whose careers ended way too early.

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10 10. STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN

10 WWE Superstars Whose Careers Ended Way Too Early

It is hard to believe that Stone Cold Steve Austin was one of the biggest superstars in WWE history considering his time there as a wrestler was limited to eight years and only six of those was in the main event scene. There was no one bigger in the industry than Austin when he was on top but injuries ended what could have been an even more impressive career.

In 1997, Owen Hart accidentally broke Austin's neck using the piledriver and that was just the start. In 2003, Austin wrestled his final match in the WWE and then announced his retirement due to the injury suffered in the Hart match years back. Doctors revealed one bad fall could result in paralysis or death for Austin.

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9 9. EDGE

10 WWE Superstars Whose Careers Ended Way Too Early

Edge had a career that was full of so many high-risk maneuvers that it was no surprise that he had to retire from the sport while he was still at the top of his game. Edge debuted in the WWE in 1996 and became a huge star in a tag team with Christian before later becoming a multi-time world champion on his own.

Edge is known for ladder matches that he competed in throughout his career, where he took a lot of dangerous risks. At WrestleMania XXVII, Edge retained his world title in a match against Albert Del Rio and then came out the next night on Monday Night Raw and announced his retirement. He suffered from cervical spinal stenosis and doctors said he risked paralysis or death if he continued to wrestle.

8 8. MATT CAPPOTELLI

Matt Cappotelli

Fans are watching Roman Reigns battle with leukemia -- the second time in his life that he has to battle this form of cancer. Reigns has beaten it once but it came back and he is battling for his life once again. Another tragic example of real life giving a WWE superstar more to fight for than just his career came when Matt Cappotelli was diagnosed with cancer.

Cappotelli won a WWE contract when he and John Morrison won Tough Enough III. While Morrison became a huge star in the WWE, Lucha Underground and Impact Wrestling, Cappotelli ended up in a fight for his life -- a battle that ended his career at the age of 26. Cappotelli beat cancer at the time but it returned in 2017 and he passed away in 2018.

7 7. RAVISHING RICK RUDE

10 WWE Superstars Whose Careers Ended Way Too Early

Ravishing Rick Rude was a major wrestling star in the '80s and early '90s. He got his start in the NWA territories in Florida, World Class in Texas and Crockett Promotions in the Carolinas before he moved on to the WWE in 1987. He quickly became a very successful heel with his pre-match show and he won the Intercontinental title.

He left in 1990 to return to WCW where he continued to be a major star, winning the International World Championship. However, in 1994, Fukuoka hit Rude with a suicide dive and injured the former WWE star's back. Rude collected an insurance policy from Lloyd's of London and never wrestled again, although he returned and worked in non-wrestling roles.

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6 6. CHRISTOPHER NOWINSKI

Christopher Nowinski

Christopher Nowinski debuted in the WWE in 2002 after he was a finalist in the first season of Tough Enough. He worked as an arrogant heel who claimed he was smarter than all other wrestlers. This was true, as he was the first Harvard alumnus to wrestle in the WWE.

Nowinski suffered a number of concussions in his one year with the WWE, including taking some major blows in a match with the Dudley Boyz. Just over one year after he made his WWE debut, he wrestled his last match and retired after his post-concussion symptoms lasted for a year. He has since taken on a role in scientific studies involving post-concussion syndrome in athletes.

5 5. KERRY VON ERICH

10 WWE Superstars Whose Careers Ended Way Too Early

There were no stars in Texas bigger than the Von Erich family. Fritz Von Erich brought up his sons in the wrestling industry and most of them became huge stars. David Von Erich passed away at the age of 25, Mike Von Erich at the age of 23, and Chris Von Erich at the age of 21.

Kerry Von Erich was the only one who made it to the WWE. He worked there under the name the Texas Tornado from 1990 to 1992 and won the Intercontinental Championship. His WWE career came to an end due to a mounting drug addiction caused by continued pain following a motorcycle accident that caused Von Erich to have his foot amputated in 1986. One year after his career in the WWE ended, Von Erich took his own life at the age of 33.

4 4. CM PUNK

10 WWE Superstars Whose Careers Ended Way Too Early

Not every WWE superstar whose career ended way too early had anything to do with injuries. CM Punk was arguably the biggest star in the WWE for years. He worked his way up and soon proved to be more popular than even John Cena, one of the few wrestlers to beat Cena cleanly consistently. However, Punk was disgruntled much of the time and never seemed happy.

In 2014, CM Punk walked out on the WWE after he was dissatisfied with the direction of his career and the storylines presented to him. He was 36 and still on top in the WWE and chose to completely walk away, never wrestling another match again.

3 3. THE ROCK

10 WWE Superstars Whose Careers Ended Way Too Early

One could argue that The Rock never actually ended his professional wrestling career. However, he did end his full-time career in the WWE while he was still the most popular star on the planet and he could have remained the biggest main event star there for another decade at the least.

However, after winning multiple titles and being involved in some of the biggest angles in wrestling history, The Rock left the WWE in 2004 for Hollywood and that was the right decision for his career. The Rock was 32 and perfectly slid into the role of a successful movie star. He returned occasionally for matches since then, but there is no telling what he could have achieved if he had not left the WWE so young.

2 2. COREY GRAVES

10 WWE Superstars Whose Careers Ended Way Too Early

Since moving into the role of a color commentator, first on NXT and then on both Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live, Corey Graves has become possibly the best color man since Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan or Jesse 'The Body' Ventura. However, before he started working as the heel commentator on WWE television, he was a wrestler in NXT.

Graves got his start in the indies in 2000 and finally made it to the WWE first in 2006 and then finally getting a contract there in 2011. He worked in Florida, first in a tag team with Vader's son Jake Carter, and then as a singles wrestler. He feuded with both The Shield and Wyatt Family in NXT and won the tag titles with Neville. However, in 2014, he suffered a pair of concussions and was forced to retire as a wrestler at the age of 30.

1 1. PAIGE

10 WWE Superstars Whose Careers Ended Way Too Early

Paige was one of the top female stars when the women's revolution started, a former NXT women's champion who could put on great matches with just about anyone. This was even more impressive because the second-generation star was only 22 when she made it to the main roster and won her first title there.

However, four years later Paige was forced to retire from the WWE as a wrestler. She had suffered some injuries and had to undergo neck surgery in 2016. She finally made her return to the ring almost two years later but suffered another neck injury in a match against Sasha Banks and had to retire officially.

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