10 extraordinary examples of wrestlers toughing it out
Injuries are fairly commonplace in professional wrestling. Although critics will shut sports entertainment down as "fake", what they fail to realize is that the wrestlers do get injured. Pro-wrestling requires quite a bit of strength, agility, and endurance, so when they push themselves to the brink night in and night out, things are bound to go awry once in a while. Sometimes, an opponent messes up, and other times, their body simply cracks under the pressure.
In many instances, wrestlers worked through nagging injuries and finished their matches as they were planned. However, in some rarer instances, wrestlers persevered despite having suffered catastrophic injuries. Here are ten examples of wrestlers who went beyond their limits to entertain the wrestling world.
However,I would like to give a couple of disclaimers before I begin - first, this list is in no particular order, and second, I am well aware that these are not the only instances of wrestlers working through serious injuries. Feel free to share other such stories in the comments below!
#10 Brock Lesnar (WrestleMania 19)
What was planned to be a "WrestleMania Moment for the ages" became a "WrestleMania Moment" for all the wrong reasons.
During his WWE Championship match with Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 19, Brock Lesnar ascended the top rope, something we had rarely (if ever) seen him do before. Angle was far away from the ropes, so no one could've anticipated what came next. The near-300 pound "Beast Incarnate" went for a Shooting Star Press, a move more commonly executed by men half his size.
Though he was able to perform the move successfully in dark matches, Lesnar's feet slipped and he landed almost directly on his head.
He was supposed to finish the match with the Shooting Star Press, though, so the two had to shuffle to come up with an ending. Angle quickly covered the severely-concussed Lesnar, who surprisingly kicked out. Despite not knowing where he was, Lesnar hoisted the 220 lb Angle over his head for the F5 and won the match as scripted.
Needless to say, Brock Lesnar better be thanking the good lord he isn't bearing any consequences of that injury right now.