5 Pro Wrestling World Champions' Careers That Were Altered By Sudden Injuries
Harsh reality can strike quick...
1. Stone Cold Steve Austin (1997)
Who knows how differently the WWF (and the entire wrestling industry) would've been had Austin not been able to return at all? You probably know the story: Austin badly messes up his neck on Owen Hart's Sitout Piledriver at the 1997 SummerSlam, damage immediately evident.
Austin returned by November, limited at first, then more regularly once he became WWF champion. His style soon eschewed traditional wrestling in favour of more stand-up brawling (to cut down on bumps), but still, further degeneration did lead to his retirement at age 38, less than six years later.
Written by Justin Henry
In addition to writing lists and commentaries for Cultaholic, Justin is also a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine, and is co-author of the WWE-related book Titan Screwed: Lost Smiles, Stunners, and Screwjobs.
