5 WWE Superstars who returned from career-ending injuries

WWE may be a sports entertainment company, but the risks and rewards involved are every bit as real as any other sport. Even though outcomes are predetermined and storylines are scripted, what transpires in the ring can leave lasting impacts.

Injuries can catch up to WWE Superstars no matter how safe they are. While some are not too serious, others are potentially career-ending.

Throughout wrestling history, many performers have been forced to retire due to persistent or serious injuries. However, there have also been some performers who defied all the odds and returned from the abyss.

Such people are simply inspirational. When their bodies and the world gave up on them, they simply worked harder than anyone else to make it back.

In keeping with comeback stories, this list will explore five prominent WWE Superstars who returned from career-ending injuries.

#5. Only the WWE stood in Daniel Bryan's way

Daniel Bryan made us all say "YES!" again

Nearly every wrestling fan shed a tear when it was announced that Daniel Bryan would be retiring from wrestling. If you didn’t do it when the announcement dropped, you most certainly did when he made his farewell speech.

The man who represented the people at WrestleMania XXX is someone who loves wrestling more than most. For this and many other reasons, it was heartbreaking to see Bryan leave the business that was his first and last love. No one - including Bryan himself - thought he would ever return to the ring again.

So when The American Dragon took the fight to Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at WrestleMania, fans savored every bit of it. It didn’t matter what he was doing, because the WWE Universe was happy to see the beloved superstar back and doing what he loved.

#4. Lita mends her broken bones

The Extreme Diva made an inspirational return after being written off

Lita is one of the most beloved superstars of all time. Her daredevil wrestling style and persona have endeared her to fans all over the world.

However, said wrestling style saw her pick up a freak injury that threatened to end her career. While practicing a Hurricanrana for an episode of the television drama "Dark Angel", Lita suffered cracks to multiple bones in her vertebral column.

She ended up missing nearly two years of her career, but her grit and determination saw her return to WWE and continue her Hall of Fame career.

#3. Ric Flair falls far and bounces back

Ric Flair’s career and resume are second to none. However, none of it may have existed if he had been forced to retire following a horrific plane crash many decades ago.

The tragic incident that took place in 1975 saw the pilot killed and passenger Johnny Valentine paralyzed. Flair himself survived with a broken back and a neck injury that threatened to take his dream away from him.

However, The Nature Boy refused to let it control him. He worked hard to return to the ring and establish himself as the greatest WWE Superstar of all time.

#2. The Heartbreak Kid evades a major heartbreak

Who knows what might have been has HBK not made his iconic 2002 comeback

Shawn Michaels’ saga is well-documented. In a casket match against the Undertaker at the 1998 Royal Rumble, HBK herniated two discs in his spine and crushed a third completely. It remains one of the most devastating injuries ever suffered by a wrestler and led to him taking a four-year break from the ring.

It’s not outlandish to suggest that had Michaels been forced to retire when it happened, he would have never come close to being the legend he eventually became. Incredibly, he made his return in 2002 and emerged better than ever.

#1. Edge reminds people that no one knows him

The WWE Universe was left in shock when Edge announced that he was retiring one day after competing in a world title match at WrestleMania 27. He revealed that he would be permanently disabled if he continued wrestling and bid the fans an emotional farewell.

After having triple-fusion neck surgery, no one envisioned that he would ever return to the ring. That was the case for nine years, with the 11-time World Champion staying retired and making only non-wrestling appearances.

Fast-forward to the 2020 Men’s Royal Rumble match, and fans were waiting to see who No. 21 would be. When the iconic “You think you know me” rang out, they roared as one in sheer euphoria and disbelief.

By the time The Rated-R Superstar emerged from the smoke, everyone watching was crying tears of joy and screaming their lungs out.