10 Wrestlers Who Almost Died In The Ring

2. Steve Austin

Think of all the magical Steve Austin moments we would have missed out on had he not recovered post-SummerSlam 1997. No Austin vs. McMahon feud, no WWF Title win at WrestleMania XIV, and no legendary 'Mania matches with The Rock. It's unthinkable, but Austin was very nearly robbed of his life, never mind his career.

Trusting Owen Hart to perform a sitting Tombstone Piledriver safely, Austin landed on the top of his head and was temporarily paralysed. Somehow, he was able to regain enough movement to slowly roll Hart up for the win, then briefly raise the Intercontinental Title above his head. That shouldn't have been possible, because the man's body must have been painfully weak.

Austin was lucky to escape SummerSlam '97 alive. If that sounds like hyperbole, consider the fact his neck was broken instantly. Had Austin's head been a few inches further down, then the move could have been terminal. Thank God it wasn't.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.