Horrifying Injuries That Changed Wrestlers FOREVER
5. Ric Flair
Ric Flair was lucky to survive a tragic 1975 plane crash that took the lives of others on board, but the dramatic incident left an impact on him that could be viewed in just about every match he had over the next 40 years.
Flair broke his back in three places, but was back in the ring six (!) months later. The big difference was in how he bumped, and it was a style that stuck. Rather than always going to his back, Flair instead pivoted to the side where he'd absorbed less damage from the crash. It's visible in just about every match, but especially during his favourite sequence where he's launched from the corner to the middle of the ring having ostensibly failed to hit a flying attack.
The Flair Flop (another 'Nature Boy' favourite) found him falling face-first onto the mat having tried and failed to shake off an attack, yet again avoiding ever having to land on the sore spot.