10 WWE Injuries That Came At The WORST Time
5. Brutus' Brutal Accident
While Ed Leslie's career undoubtedly owed a lot to his friendship with Hulk Hogan (RIP), it's only fair to note the one time he managed to get over on his own merits.
As Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, Leslie was a perfect fit for the cartoony atmosphere of 1980s WWF. After sending the WrestleMania III audience into raptures by shaving the head of the universally loathed Adrian Adonis, Brutus incorporated the stunt into his act and would routinely clip his unconscious opponents' locks after a successful match. Fans ate up the schtick, and Leslie steadily ascended the card until he was scheduled to face Mr Perfect for the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam 1990.
Sadly, fate was to intervene - and in spectacularly gruesome fashion. A horrific parasailing accident saw Brutus kneed in the face by a parasailer with such force that his skull essentially exploded. The operation to save Brutus' life took over 16 hours, involved over 100 feet of wire and 32 screws, and Brutus had to spend two and a half years away from the ring to recover afterwards.
Brutus never managed to reclaim the fame of his former heyday during a woeful run in WCW, but given the severity of his injuries (one of his eyes literally fell out of its socket) it's safe to assume the man feels fortunate just to be alive.