10 Legit Wrestling Injuries That Were Made Into A Storyline
4. Brock Lesnar Breaks Hardcore Holly's Neck
It's a very rare occurrence when a broken neck can lead to positive career progression. However, that was bizarrely just what happened when Hardcore Holly suffered the horrendous injury back in September 2002.
Squaring off with Brock Lesnar on SmackDown, a botched attempt at a powerbomb saw Lesnar dump his opponent right down on top of his head. The impact would break Holly's neck and require surgery, leaving him sidelined for over a year as a result.
'The Alabama Slamma' eventually made his return at Survivor Series 2003, opposing Brock Lesnar's team as part of Team Angle. Despite being disqualified immediately for attacking Lesnar before the bell, the valiant return from such a severe injury made Holly a total badass in the eyes of the fans and people were keen to see the two square off one-on-one.
The fans would get their wish at Royal Rumble 2004 when Hardcore Holly would challenge Brock Lesnar in a grudge match for the WWE Championship. His first PPV title shot, the bout was a huge milestone for Holly and was arguably the biggest match of his entire WWE career. It would be almost three years before he would get another World Title shot on PPV.