10 Wrestlers Who Literally Destroyed The Ring

Nothing's safe in this sport, even the ring...

Big Show Braun Strowman Ring Collapse
WWE.com

Throughout the course of a wrestling show, the ring itself often takes a bigger beating than some of the competitors. From big slams and apron powerbombs to turnbuckle abuse and 400lb behemoths tumbling around the place, the ring takes an incredible amount of punishment, and must be strong enough to not only contain the action, but protect the performers' well-being.

Things don't always go to plan, however, and wrestling history is full of unfortunate mishaps where ropes have come loose, and others where they've snapped completely. Such accidents can derail a match, but they're incredibly rare, and almost never seen in mainstream companies like WWE.

Nobody wants to see an unplanned ring malfunction, but if executed correctly, scripted squared circle destruction always goes over well. From wrestlers bursting through the canvas to full-on collapses, the past few decades of wrestling history are full of such spots, and they often help take matches and rivalries to the next level.

There are few more impressive displays of brawn and might than a wrestler completely obliterating their working environment, and while such spots are usually reserved for the sport's biggest and meanest, many have used these moments to assert their dominance...

10. Kane

Big Show Braun Strowman Ring Collapse
WWE.com

As one of the most destructive wrestlers in WWE history, it comes as no surprise that Kane has been involved in some of the company’s most notable ring breakages over the years. Though he has occasionally been the victim of ring destruction, Kane has played the aggressor on numerous occasions, with the most notable example coming on an August 2000 episode of Raw.

With The Undertaker locked in Chris Benoit’s Crossface, Kane hit the ring, running Benoit and Shane McMahon off. Just when it looked like he’d saved the day, however, ‘The Big Red Machine’ flipped the script. He helped his brother to his feet, only to lock his throat in an iron grip, lift him up, and Chokeslam him right through the ring.

Kane returned to his ring destroying ways in 2012, when he burst through the canvas and attempted to drag Zack Ryder to hell. John Cena was fortunately on-hand to save the Long Island native, but Kane repeated the feat in 2015, when he came through the apron and successfully pulled Seth Rollins beneath. There was no indication as to what the conesquences of this action were, but the optics were starling.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.