10 Legit Wrestling Injuries That Were Made Into A Storyline

When Sabu squared off with Chris Benoit in ECW in 1995, many were expecting a physical contest from the two intense superstars. However, it's likely that nobody expected their match to be just as physical as it would become.

After less than a minute of action, Benoit hoisted the legendary extremist up for a flapjack; however, a miscommunication between the two proved to be almost deadly.

Sabu went to duck his head, as if he was taking a back body drop, and landed with all his weight squarely on the top of his head. The landing would cause Sabu to break his neck instantly and it was a medical miracle he wasn't paralysed as a result.

In the aftermath of the incident, Paul Heyman moulded the horrific situation into an entire gimmick for Benoit and the concept of 'The Crippler' - a man whose own hands were his weapons of choice - was born.

Benoit would use the name for the remainder of his ECW run, right through his time in WCW and into the WWF, until he eventually began using 'The Rabid Wolverine' moniker in 2001.