4 Current/Former WWE Superstars who came back from career-threatening injuries
Almost every WWE Superstar has to deal with injuries during their career at some point or another. They are part and parcel of a sport known for being high risk.
With that being said, some injuries are much more severe than others. Certain superstars over the years have dealt with serious damage to their bodies that posed a threat to their in-ring careers.
Miraculously, though, they found a way to make it back to the squared circle and, in some cases, reached even greater heights once they returned.
On that note, here are four current/former WWE Superstars who have come back from career-threatening injuries.
#4 Kurt Angle came back from multiple neck injuries that could have ended his career
Kurt Angle suffered numerous neck issues throughout his career. He even won an Olympic gold medal with one in 1996.
The former WWE Champion broke his neck several times but continued to return to the ring once he'd recovered.
Having first broken his neck during his days as an amateur wrestler, Angle once again damaged it during a match against Brock Lesnar at No Way Out 2003. He didn't let the setback slow him down, though, wrestling The Beast Incarnate at WrestleMania XIX the very next month.
Angle broke his neck again just eight months later in another match against Lesnar before suffering a similar fate in a match against Eddie Guerrero the following year. The fact that The Olympian was able to continue putting on incredible matches over the next 15 years is a true testament to how good he was.
#3 Christian was kept on the shelf with concussion issues for seven years
7 years retired due to injury and tonight Christian Cage is a World Champion again! Let that sink In and understand how special and rare this is. Congrats #christiancage
Similar to his former partner Edge, Christian's WWE career was cut short due to injuries in 2014.
The former world champion suffered a series of concussions and stepped away for almost seven years. Unlike Edge, though, Christian didn't receive an emotional send-off, instead just fading away.
Captain Charisma returned in the 2021 Royal Rumble match, determined to end his career on his own terms, and has been in the spotlight ever since. Immediately jumping to AEW upon his return, Christian has taken on a mentorship role for rising star Jungle Boy and won the IMPACT World Championship.
Last September, the now 48-year-old also main evented one of AEW's biggest ever shows, All Out when he faced Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship. Not bad for a guy whose career looked to have quietly ended several years earlier.
#2 Bret Hart returned to the ring a decade after concussion issues forced him to retire
Bret Hart's career was brought to an abrupt end during his time in WCW. A stiff thrust kick from Goldberg in 1999 left The Hitman dealing with several concussions. He eventually decided to call it a day and leave wrestling behind.
It really did seem like Hart was done, remaining away from wrestling for over a decade.
The former WWE Champion shocked the world when he returned to WWE in 2010 after 13 years. He squared off against Vince McMahon at WrestleMania XXVI. The Hitman would also go on to beat The Miz for the United States Championship and wrestle in the Summerslam main event later that year against The Nexus.
Hart wrestled several more times during 2010, but all his matches were carefully constructed to avoid any serious damage. Most of his bouts were multi-man contests to protect the two-time Hall of Famer inside the ring. He eventually retired for the second time in September 2011.
#1 Edge returned to WWE almost a decade after neck injuries forced him to retire
He may not have won the #RoyalRumble but the fact that #Edge actually came back after the neck injury has me smiling from ear to ear I’m so happy to see #Edge back in a #WWE ring https://t.co/B2arQuOkrD
Edge's legendary WWE career seemed to have been cut short in 2011 when he was forced to retire after a series of neck injuries.
Initially breaking his neck in a match against Eddie Guerrero back in 2003, the Rated R Superstar would be plagued with neck problems for the next eight years before he eventually decided to call it quits.
The former world champion shocked the world when he returned during the 2020 Royal Rumble match. He has been tremendous following his return to the ring, winning the 2021 Royal Rumble match, main eventing WrestleMania 37, and even competing in an excellent Hell in a Cell match against Seth Rollins.
Now the leader of Judgment Day, Edge has had a tremendous second run with WWE. That's impressive, considering it looked like he was done for good for almost an entire decade.