10 Worst Mid-Match Injuries Wrestlers Fought Through

Throughout his time in WWE, Steve Austin was often referred to as the “Toughest SOB in the WWF”. With feats like this next entry, it’s hard to argue that moniker.

Squaring off with Owen Hart, Austin had a tonne of momentum behind him going into the Intercontinental Championship match at SummerSlam '97. With growing notoriety as a rebellious badass, Austin was set for a career altering night; the match would prove to be just that, for all the wrong reasons.

With Austin held in a Tombstone Piledriver, Hart hit the sit-out variation of the move and landed with his legs out in front. The positioning left Austin's neck completely exposed, bringing all of Austin's weight down squarely on his head and neck.

Austin has since said that initially he couldn't feel his extremities at all and immediately thought he was paralysed. Luckily, he soon regained feeling and, despite being in excruciating pain and barely able to move, miraculously managed to crawl to his opponent and roll him up in a school boy pin for the three.

The injury would go on to massively affect 'The Bionic Redneck' in future years and the incident would ultimately shorten his career, leading wrestling's biggest draw to prematurely retire in 2003.