4 WWE Superstars whose careers never recovered after injury
For WWE Superstars bound for main-event pushes, injuries can prove to be more of a setback than questionable booking choices. Unfortunately, there is not a shortage of examples.
Over the years, the Stamford-based promotion has featured countless stars who had the WWE Universe convinced that they were the next big things, only for their momentum to come to a screeching halt due to being sidelined from the action.
While certain now-former WWE Superstars such as Batista and Edge, now known as Adam Copeland, did not get their careers derailed due to injuries, numerous stars did. What is more disappointing is the fact that many such stars were only out for a couple of months at most, yet this absence proved to be lengthy enough for them to lose their spots.
With that being said, let's take a look at four WWE Superstars whose careers never recovered after getting injured at the wrong time.
#4. Finn Balor (Inaugural Universal Champion; had to vacate it 24 hours after winning it)
The current WWE roster is packed to the rafters with outstanding wrestlers. So, it is understandable that not every fan-favorite will be a main-event mainstay.
Despite that, fans still yearn for Finn Balor to reach the heights that he did when he first arrived on the main roster. From defeating Roman Reigns on his first night as a full-time member of RAW to triumphing over Seth Rollins to become the first-ever Universal Champion, it was looking like The Prince was all set to become a bonafide main-event talent by the end of 2016.
Unfortunately, during his aforementioned bout with Rollins, Finn incurred a shoulder injury, requiring him to vacate his title right away and hop off the road for several months.
Balor returned in April 2017 and has been a part of numerous important matches and feuds since then. Despite that, it would not be right to claim that his career has fully recovered from the 2016 injury unless he gets a decent run with a world championship, something fans have been clamoring for years.
#3. Mr. Kennedy (lost his Money in the Bank briefcase due to a misdiagnosis)
A self-centered loudmouth who did not hesitate even once before playing dirty was an ideal foil for the top babyfaces at the time such as The Undertaker and Batista. Mr. Kennedy became a main-roster regular in 2005 and instantly became a must-see act at a time when both RAW and SmackDown rosters were stacked with franchise players.
Initially, all signs were pointing to WWE higher-ups having strong hopes for Kennedy. That led to him becoming Mr. Money in the Bank at WrestleMania 23. He expressed his intention to cash in his contract at the next WrestleMania and walk out of The Show of Shows as the World Champion.
However, barely a few weeks after winning the briefcase, it was assumed that Kennedy had torn his right triceps off the bone. Thus, assuming that he would be out for around half a year, WWE decided to let Edge win the briefcase from Kennedy in a carefully constructed match.
Soon, word got out that the 48-year-old's injury was not as severe as initially claimed. He was only supposed to be out for up to seven weeks. Unfortunately, though, the triceps injury scare was all it took for WWE to reclaim the rocket that they had strapped onto Mr. Kennedy's back.
#2. Wade Barrett (His credibility took a big hit following his 2014 injury)
Throughout Wade Barrett's WWE main roster run between 2010 and 2016, he endured multiple injuries that kept him from breaking out of the upper mid-card picture. However, it was not until after his return from his 2014 injury that it became clear that his upward mobility on the roster had been tremendously limited by the officials.
Following his return in a non-wrestling capacity to WWE TV in late 2013, he introduced fans to 'Bad News Barrett,' a gimmick that made crowds all over the country cheer for him despite him playing a heel. His newfound popularity would follow him through his in-ring return, and he ended up picking up wins against names such as Big E, Rey Mysterio, Sheamus, and Rob Van Dam.
Once the summer of 2014 arrived, Wade started preparing to win the Money in the Bank briefcase. However, he was taken off the match after injuring his shoulder during a brawl with Jack Swagger.
Shortly after his return in December 2014, he settled into a role where his talents were utilized to put over the established and up-and-coming stars, eliminating all chances of a promising run as the top guy.
#1. Dolph Ziggler (Injured shortly after one of the most memorable Money in the Bank cash-ins in WWE history)
The Dolph Ziggler, now known as Nic Nemeth, that WWE fans saw in the early 2010s would go down in wrestling history as a huge 'What If?' for sure.
From being one of Edge's final rivals before the latter's retirement in 2011 to proving week in and week out that he was ready to step up as a cornerstone of the Sports Entertainment giant, The Perfectionist had full faith in himself to grab the proverbial brass ring.
When he won one of the Money in the Bank ladder matches in 2012, fans rejoiced as it was all but guaranteed that Ziggler would win the World Heavyweight Championship. Fast forward to the RAW after WrestleMania 29, he cashed in his contract on a worn-out Alberto Del Rio to finally get his iconic crowning moment.
However, less than a month later, The Showoff suffered a concussion at the hands of Jack Swagger, which kept him out of action for a massive chunk of his title run. Within a few months after returning and losing the title, Ziggler slipped back into the mid-card scene and never reached the level that he did in the spring of 2013, except for a few short bursts of momentum.