5 times WrestleMania was ruined by injuries

WWE’s WrestleMania thrives on world-class brawls and exhilarating moments. However, injuries sometimes plagued pro wrestling’s mega PLE. Whenever key superstars are sidelined with such predicaments, their highly anticipated matches get scrapped, resulting in a disheartened fandom.

With the promotion’s stacked schedules, rigorous training, and risky maneuvers its superstars perform in every match, injuries are a constant threat.

To that end, WWE’s Creative scrambles to make revisions to what was initially planned for the show. This could either elevate underutilized superstars or dilute The Show of Shows’ grandeur.

This goes to show that, despite WWE’s careful planning, its Showcase of the Immortals is not immune to the unpredictability of how fragile the human body is.

#5. Seth Rollins’ torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus

When Seth Rollins tore his ACL, MCL, and meniscus during a show in Dublin, Ireland, in 2015, this cost him what could have been an epic match at WrestleMania 32.

Prior to his nasty injury, he was scheduled to face off against Triple H during the aforementioned Mania installment. Instead, The Cerebral Assassin defended the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns, who successfully captured the title.

#4. Triple H’s torn quadriceps

Years before WrestleMania 32, Triple H suffered an injury that sidelined him from main eventing Mania’s 23rd installment.

The initial plan was for him to battle it out against then-WWE Champion John Cena for the title, with murmurings of Shawn Michaels being added into the mix. However, The Cerebral Assassin tore his quadriceps prior to the PLE, which resulted in Cena defending his title against Mr. WrestleMania.

The Invisible Man retained his title at the time, though some believed that it would have been a mega-match card if it weren’t for Triple H’s injury.

#3. John Cena’s shoulder injury

Just like Seth Rollins, John Cena also failed to grace WrestleMania 32 due to an injury. Because of what transpired, Shane McMahon, in a losing attempt, ended up facing The Deadman instead of Cena, who was said to have been scheduled to face The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell Match.

Now that Taker has already hung up his boots, the potential Hell in a Cell match between him and Cena stands as one of the biggest what-ifs in professional wrestling.

#2. Stone Cold’s neck injury

A scary neck injury was what caused Stone Cold Steve Austin to miss WrestleMania 2000, as this would require surgery.

The Hall of Famer was supposed to headline the PLE alongside The Rock but was replaced with a Fatal Four-Way Match featuring The Big Show, Mick Foley, Triple H, and The Rock.

The PLE received a mixed response because both fans and commentators anticipated it to be the year’s largest wrestling event, with a conclusion that left everyone perplexed.

#1. CM Punk’s torn triceps cost him WrestleMania XL

When CM Punk returned to the organization, things went well until he suffered an injury that prevented him from competing at WrestleMania 40.

It was disclosed following the 2024 Royal Rumble that Punk had torn his triceps, which would take some time to heal. The Second City Saint fans were frustrated when it broke out since it was rumored that he was slated to have a match against Seth Rollins at the PLE.

The Architect went on to team up with Cody Rhodes instead as they battled The Bloodline’s Roman Reigns and The Rock during Night One’s main event. Last year’s Mania was one of the biggest of its kind, but Punk’s fans were disappointed about his absence.

Fast-forward to the present, and Punk finally gets to be a part of this year’s Show of Shows, not to mention his dream of main eventing WrestleMania will finally happen.

About the author

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alt=”Erwin Cruz” height=”72″ width=”72″>

Erwin is a WWE writer at Sportskeeda. He previously worked as a Customer Care Representative for Teletech, APAC, and Steller Global Solutions, and as a writer and contributor at Blasting News, before his lifelong passion for pro wrestling led him to his current role at Sportskeeda in 2021.

Erwin has many favorite wrestlers due to their personalities; he likes Stone Cold Steve Austin because of his edginess; Brock Lesnar for his intimidating aura; Orange Cassidy because he doesn’t have a catchphrase; and Darby Allin due to his high-risk maneuvers.

If he could go back to the Attitude Era, Erwin would wish to manage Stone Cold Steve Austin, and to convince the Hall of Famer, he would say, “Now that you got rid of Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, it sure did put the entire locker room on notice, including boss Vince. You, my friend, just ushered in a new era in this company, and I’m here to give you a hand.”

Erwin ensures to thoroughly check information for accuracy before using it in his articles. Apart from watching pro wrestling, Cruz enjoys playing video games and cooking for his family.

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