Heartbreaking Matches That Led To Career-Ending Injuries

Rick Rude is a memorable wrestler who managed to have a great career, but it's one that came to an end far sooner than it should have done due to a heartbreaking injury. Rude was competing against Sting in Japan when the injury occurred as Sting hit him with a suicide dive that sent Rude crashing into the small stage that had been elevating the ring.

Unfortunately, that collision ended up being a serious one, and the injury was so serious that he had to call time on his career, even though he was able to finish that match itself.

Droz Vs. D-Lo Brown (Sunday Night Heat, 10/5/99)

This Was A Dark Match For The European Title

Droz's injury is one of the most severe in wrestling history, which made his final match even more heartbreaking. The encounter wasn't televised because it was a dark match, but those in attendance during the taping of Sunday Night Heat in 1999 would've witnessed this upsetting moment.

He was competing against D-Lo Brown, who was a talented and trusted performer, when one spot went drastically wrong. Brown looked to hit a powerbomb, but Droz ended up landing on his head and neck, which broke two vertebrae and left him as a quadriplegic.

Tyson Kidd Vs. Samoa Joe (WWE Superstars, 6/1/15)

WWE Ended Up Retiring The Muscle Buster

Tyson Kidd was a gifted professional wrestler, with his technical skills among the best of his era. Kidd was often underrated as a performer, as WWE didn't always push him. Still, he's known for being one of the best minds in professional wrestling, which made his career-ending injury even more upsetting.

Much like Droz, this situation occurred in a dark match as Samoa Joe hit Kidd with his classic Muscle Buster finisher. While he used the move for years without a problem, on this night, Kidd landed on his neck, which broke it and ended his wrestling career.

Richie Steamboat Vs. Kassius Ohno (NXT, 10/25/12)

This Injury Ended A Promising Career For Ricky Steamboat's Son

Richie Steamboat was a wrestler that WWE had high hopes for due to his natural talent in the ring. He was getting over well with fans and progressing as an in-ring talent when his career suddenly ended after a match against Kassius Ohno at a WWE NXT live event.

The son of Ricky Steamboat hit a moonsault, but things didn't go right, and he was left with a career-ending injury after landing wrong. Steamboat lost all feeling at that moment, and while he fortunately regained that, it wasn't enough for him to carry on in the business.

Shawn Michaels Vs. The Undertaker (WWE Royal Rumble, 1998)

The Heartbreak Kid Spent Four Years Out Of The Ring

Shawn Michaels had an incredible wrestling career that was effectively split into two due to a lengthy four-year break in the middle that almost ended his entire career. That's because of a serious injury he suffered after a casket match against The Undertaker at the 1998 Royal Rumble, which ended up being a nightmare for him.

Michaels was thrown out of the ring, and his back caught the casket in the moment. While it seemed like a relatively forgettable spot, the situation ended up herniating two discs in his back that forced him to step away from the ring.

Sid Vicious Vs. Jeff Jarrett Vs. Scott Steiner (WCW Sin, 2001)

He Suffered One Of The Most Gruesome Injuries In Wrestling History

Many injuries that lead to retirement end up being ones that look brutal but are often internal; therefore, fans aren't always sure of what's happening at the moment. However, that wasn't the case with Sid Vicious when he broke his leg in the middle of the ring as his limb bent the wrong way.

It was a shocking moment in wrestling history and something that led to Sid suing the company for pushing him to do the spot where he jumped off the middle rope to try and hit a kick. While he had a few sporadic matches after this, he was never a full-time talent again and was severely impacted.

The New Day Vs. Ridge Holland & Sheamus (WWE SmackDown, 3/11/2022)

Big E Hasn't Been Able To Return Since Breaking His Neck

Big E is a beloved wrestler due to the charisma and in-ring talent he brings to the business. However, his career was brought to an end during an episode of WWE SmackDown after Ridge Holland hit him with a belly-to-belly suplex outside the ring, during which the New Day star spiked his head.

It was a brutal-looking spot that left audiences terrified as they watched on. The fact that this was a televised show meant that the entire world got to see this heartbreaking moment. Big E broke his neck, and while he's thankfully been able to walk again and enjoy life, he hasn't returned to the ring.