10 Wrestlers Who Inflicted The Most Damage To Their Bodies

9. Kenny Omega

Mankind Thumb
AEW

Kenny Omega ended 2021 in frightening shape.

Torn labrum. An athletic hernia. A bad neck. Vertigo. Shot knees.

He still operated to an exceptional standard throughout the year, somehow. He elevated Jungle Boy by throwing himself violently hard on the mat before those 2.9 kick-outs, worked Fénix like it was 2018 because he knew how high the level of expectation was, and did an exceptional job of making sure the Hangman Page quest ended on such a euphoric note. He struggled at times - the man looked thrashed against Moose - but against Bryan Danielson, his unbelievable mentality to be the best no-sold his body, if only for 30 spellbinding minutes.

The eventual toll it took on his body however is a stark reminder of the dangers inherent to the modern style. Omega's explosive acceleration destroyed his knees, and since he was as game for a head-drop as any of the AJPW Four Pillars, his neck took a pounding too. The cumulative damage seemed to affect his posture, even.

He shaped wrestling in the modern as much as it physically shaped him.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!