In wrestling, few things can be as terrifying as injuries to the neck. One mistiming or bad landing can instantly finish a wrestler's career, as Bret Hart and a few others have experienced.

However, WWE fans have also witnessed quite a few wrestlers making impressive comebacks even after suffering almost-career-ending neck injuries. So, here are seven WWE stars whose neck injuries couldn't stop them from returning to the ring.

Seven WWE Stars who returned to the ring after gruesome neck Injuries

• Edge

During a pivotal moment with Adam Copeland, aka Edge, in 2002, Eddie Guerrero delivered his signature move, the “Frog Splash,” causing Copeland to suffer from a broken neck. This eventually led to his retirement in 2011, after which he had surgery to help the issue.

Devastated fans were in for a pleasant surprise when Edge made his comeback in the 2020 Royal Rumble, and he doesn’t show any signs of stopping yet.

• Nikki Bella

Nikka Bella suffered from a herniated disc in 2016 and became the talk of the town, as she almost suffered paralysis due to her finisher, the Rack Attack. The signature move built pressure on her neck over time, causing intense wear and tear.

However, the star returned to WWE action within months, with a surgically inserted titanium plate in her neck.

• Stone Cold

One of the most terrifying injuries in WWE, the SummerSlam 1997 saw Steve Austin, aka Stone Cold, suffering a neck injury following Owen Hart accidentally dropping him on his head with a piledriver.

Despite suffering temporary paralysis, Austin fought his way back, just to become one of the biggest stars during the Altitude Era in WWE.

• Paige

During a WWE live event in 2017, Mercedes Mone severely injured Saraya’s neck, for which she required spinal fusion surgery involving multiple vertebrae.

Fans may have thought he career to be over, but she proved everyone wrong, making a massive comeback in 2022 and capturing the AEW Women's World Championships.

• Sting

An injury to the neck that appeared to end his career, Sting made a major comeback in 2014, returning to AEW and competing in tag team and cinematic matches. The devastating neck injury was caused by a Buckle Bomb by Seth Rollins- fortunately, it wasn’t enough to stop him.

• Kurt Angle

Suffering a total of five catastrophic neck injuries throughout his WWE career, Kurt Angle proved his resilience by still taking home the Olympic gold medal in 1996.

• Hardcore Holly

A botched powerbomb from Brock Lesnar resulted in a severe neck injury for Hardcore Holly in 2002, resulting in a 13-month-long injury layoff. However, after intense therapy and rehabilitation, he returned to the ring to wrestle against Lesnar once again.

Do you know about any other WWE star who made a similarly unexpected comeback after a neck injury?

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Souvik Roy