1. Steve Austin
Steve Austin was the biggest star of the Attitude Era. Yet, He was also almost didn't have the opportunity. Starting in 1996, Austin became the rattlesnake and the response was epic (similar to Daniel Bryan today). Austin's catch phrase Austin 3:16 took fire with the fans and in a double turn at WrestleMania 12, he succeeded in becoming a fan favorite on his way to the main event. Now back in 1997, the IC title was still useful. It hadn't been downgraded to nothing (see Curtis Axel). So it made perfect sense for Austin to win the IC title on the way to a potential world title reign. Cue Owen Hart. Hart was a good worker and a perennial upper mid card talent. In July 1997, he was to drop the IC to Austin. Fate stepped in the way and a botched sit-down pile driver later, Steve Austin's career almost ended before it ever started. Austin, in a moment of sheer will, "rolled" Owen Hart up for the victory and the title. But there was a problem. Neck injuries are some of the hardest injuries to recover from. The neck is the connection between the brain and the spine. Austin not only damaged his neck but he had the potential of never being able to wrestle again. This would have been catastrophic for the WWF as Austin was being transitioned and positioned in the organization. Now back in 1997, many wrestlers were still in old school mentality of fighting through injuries. But the WWF wanted to be smart. They did not want to permanently lose Austin. So something happened. Steve Austin was severely injured, but Steve Austin was on television. He just didn't wrestle. Austin did a slow burn character build. It was him versus the company. And slowly he would stun Sgt. Slaughter, Jim Ross and eventually Vince McMahon (in a shaky performance) as part of one of the greatest builds to a character in a generation. If Austin hadn't been injured, how would his matches actually gone. Would he have been thrust into the main event quicker (especially with Bret Hart leaving and Shawn Michaels being injured) Could Austin have had as big of a career without the injury? I don't believe so. His injury allowed him a type of character development which was 100% character and 0% wrestling. The WWF's entire focus was on making the audience love Stone Cold Steve Austin. It was a successful transition and a successful injury. In the history of wrestling injuries, many have flourished in spite or even because of them. What will happen with Sheamus or John Cena? Only time will tell. Check back soon for the 5 Superstars who floundered after injuries.