6 Superstars who relinquished their title due to injury or illness
It is a well-documented fact that WWE Superstars have a hectic schedule, wrestling and travelling for a majority of the year, away from their families and home for a long period.
The in-ring wrestling can be brutal, and that coupled with the constant travelling, can take a toll on a Superstar's physical, and even mental health.
There have been numerous instances when injuries have ended careers, while some others, like we found out about Roman Reigns recently, have illnesses that force them to step away from the ring and what they love to do best - entertain the millions of fans worldwide.
Here, we take a look at 6 Superstars who relinquished their title due to injury or illness:
#1 Roman Reigns
On the 22nd October 2018 episode of RAW, when Roman Reigns made his way to the ring, something was amiss. He was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, and not his usual Shield gear. Reigns announced that he has leukaemia, and after fighting it off almost a decade ago, it had returned.
An emotional Reigns thanked the WWE fans and the WWE management who had given him a chance nearly a decade ago. The Big Dog promised fans that he would return once he "whooped leukaemia's ass" and that it wasn't a retirement speech.
Reigns relinquished the Universal title, which he had won at SummerSlam when he defeated Brock Lesnar, winning the Universal title for the first time. He was scheduled to defend his title at the Crown Jewel PPV against Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman, which would have also been his first meeting with Lesnar after The Big Dog defeated The Beast at SummerSlam.