10 Wresting Title Reigns That Were Ruined By Injury

Professional wrestling might be a scripted sport, but there’s nothing fake about it. Yes, the outcomes are predetermined, and yes, the stories resemble a soap opera at times, but the toll it takes on a performer’s body is very real; injuries happen, and the ramifications are often severe.

Countless performers have had their careers shortened and pushes diminished as a result of injuries. There’s only so much punishment the human body can take before it starts breaking down, and with wrestlers performing up to five or six times a week, aches and pains are unavoidable. Though some can be shaken-off and worked through, nothing derails a wrestler’s career like a serious injury, particularly at the highest level.

There’ll always be a shuffling of the deck whenever a wrestler succumbs to malady. Storylines are re-written, pushes are scrapped, and plans are changed as the wrestler begins their rehabilitation. It’s never more crushing than when it happens to a champion, however, and wrestling history is littered with top notch athletes who’ve been rendered unable to compete, and forced to drop their belts as a result.

Wrestlers spend their lives working towards championship glory, and it’s devastating to see reigns end in such a manner. From the mid ‘90s right up to the modern day, here are 10 wrestling title reigns that were ruined by injury.

Whether working in WCW or WWE, Scott Hall is one of wrestling’s most notable performers of the past few decades, and a top level heel for the duration of his career. Charismatic, strong in the ring, and incredibly over with the crowd (particularly with the nWo), Hall’s personal issues sadly got the better of him throughout his career, and resulted in his inability to win a major World Title before his eventual retirement.

Demons weren’t his only problem in 1999, however. The former Razor Ramon had tremendously bad luck throughout the year, and it started in February. Having knocked-off Rowdy Roddy Piper to claim the WCW United States Championship, Hall was forced to vacate just a few days later thanks to a foot injury.

He was sidelined for close to eight months, but Hall wasted little time when he returned to the ring. The Bad Guy marched towards championship gold once again, as he and Kevin Nash captured the WCW Tag Team Championships shortly after his return. Hall recaptured the US Title that he’d never truly lost a few weeks later, but suffered a nasty knee injury that November and was once against forced to give-up the gold.

A rotten string of luck for Hall, who’d never win another major belt in his career.