10 Wrestling Matches That Inadvertently Became Infamous

As an industry, professional wrestling's fundamental driver is to convince audiences that a predetermined contest pitting rival performers against one another is worth investing money, time and emotional energy.

Each live event, television show and pay-per-view broadcast is (in theory) designed to be unmissable. WWE in particular have long attempted to fuse the urgency of a live sporting event with the theatrical chops of a broadway show. This presentation is more crucial now than ever before to ensure the safety of their television rights in vastly changing times for the way in which people digest content.

Of course, there is only ever so much juice in every fruit. Subsequently, the business follows a pattern of each encounter allegedly meaning even more than the last in order to re-energise fans for whatever storylines and angles they want to pursue next month. The wheels keep turning.

However some contests buck the trend, and become substantially more interesting after they've actually happened. Reviewed retrospectively, an entirely new subtext emerges around certain matches and their outcomes, with some unthinkable circumstances remaining unknown until detailed analysis in the aftermath.

Already attempting to manage pre-ordained expectations chasing fleeting glory, these performers had no idea just how infamous their matches would accidentally become.

There are few performers that get to exit the business as a victor in a WrestleMania title match, but Edge's World Heavyweight Title clash with Alberto Del Rio subsequently became an unexpected retirement match for 'The Rated-R Superstar'.

Mounting injuries forced him out of the industry in 2011 after repeated numbness in his arms and neck was ultimately diagnosed as cervical spinal stenosis. As he'd explain in a tearful abdication of the World Title, the condition was too serious to afford him any further action. Noting the scale of the gamble should he elect to continue wrestling, he revealed that doctors refused to clear him for fear of paralysis or even death should something go wrong.

Interestingly, though partially down to the years of abuse he'd put his body through as a professional wrestler, a spear to Brodus Clay shortly before the Del Rio match caused him visible discomfort and triggered the overall review of his status. Whilst unaware of the potential severity of his ailment during the WrestleMania 27 encounter, it's retrospectively frightening to consider what could have happened as the two clashed.

His eventual (and somewhat surprising) victory only makes his thankfully safe pursuit through the match that bit sweeter.