4 WWE Superstars who are legitimately injured (Updated October 2024)
WWE stars put their bodies and lives on the line. A physically demanding job with a rigorous schedule and no off-season, the damage often affects the average wrestler's body.
However, the lines between fiction and reality are blurred in wrestling. Therefore, it is often difficult to distinguish legitimate injuries from storyline angles. The nine-month saga between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre in 2024 is a good example of real-life injuries being mixed with storytelling elements.
Unfortunately, the injury list has grown longer in October 2024 as these four superstars suffered legitimate injuries.
#4. Former WWE Champion AJ Styles may have suffered an ill-timed ankle injury
For the first time since losing to Cody Rhodes at Clash at the Castle, AJ Styles returned on SmackDown last week as a babyface. Styles faced Carmelo Hayes in a match that was abruptly caught short as the referee called off the match due to The Phenomenal One's injury scare.
The former WWE Champion seemingly injured his ankle and was helped backstage by a group of officials. There were conflicting reports about Styles' status, as some media outlets reported that the injury angle was scripted.
However, Fightful Select reported that the angle was originally scripted, but The Phenomenal One could have potentially suffered a legitimate ankle injury. The timing is unfortunate because Styles recently returned to TV, and the company could have done something major with the veteran.
#3. Braun Strowman
Last week on WWE RAW, Braun Strowman was The Last Monster Standing as Seth Rollins returned to stomp out Bronson Reed, allowing Strowman to gain a huge win over Reed. However, the former Universal Champion suffered a torn groin during the colossal clash.
The Monster of All Monsters' recent win was the boost he needed, a step towards a main-event push. Unfortunately, the injury may have put those plans on hold and derailed some of his momentum.
Limited information is available about the severity of his injury and recovery timeline. Fans will be hoping that Strowman could return soon to pick up where he left off from his massive win.
#2. WWE's Mad Dragon, Ilja Dragunov, could miss WrestleMania
Ilja Dragunov was called up to RAW following WrestleMania XL. His booking hasn't been perfect, and The Mad Dragon has yet to compete on PLE or for a major singles title. Nonetheless, Dragunov was regularly used on the red brand.
Unfortunately, during a WWE SuperShow live event, Dragunov suffered a torn ACL during his World Heavyweight Championship match against Gunther. The timeline for his recovery is six to nine months, which suggests that the former NXT UK Champion could miss WrestleMania 41.
The Mad Dragon was one of the top fan-favorites to face and defeat Gunther at WrestleMania next year to become World Heavyweight Champion. However, the recent injury has cast much uncertainty over the status of the rumored bout.
#1. Drew McIntyre required 16 staples after his Hell in a Cell match at Bad Blood
CM Punk and Drew McIntyre brutalized each other in their barbaric and gruesome Hell in a Cell match at Bad Blood. The level of violence was so extreme that McIntyre suffered a legitimate injury during the clash.
The Second City Saint directed much of his offense towards McIntyre's skull. Punk legitimately busted open The Scottish Warrior as he brutalized his arch-rival with a toolbox. McIntyre bled profusely, and 16 staples were needed to seal his wounds.
The Scottish Warrior didn't appear on RAW, and he could be taking some time off to heal from the injuries he suffered during his war with Punk at Bad Blood.