5 WWE Superstars who got injured at the worst possible time

Injuries have been a constant risk that superstars face in WWE, but when they occur during a critical moment, such as an upcoming premium live event, the consequences can be significant.

Injuries, severe ones, can either put a WWE Superstar’s momentum to a screeching halt or, worse, end it abruptly. These setbacks test the resilience of these world-class in-ring talents, including the creative folks, often reshaping the trajectory of an entire storyline. This article features five of the most notable WWE Superstars who got injured at the worst possible time:

#5. Liv Morgan’s recent injury got several plans scrapped

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Liv Morgan faced off against Kairi Sane in a singles match on the June 16 episode of WWE RAW. However, the bout ended abruptly when Morgan rolled out of the ring and attended to her shoulder.

The referee stopped Sane from continuing as medical staff rushed to check on Morgan. Commentator Michael Cole confirmed that one-half of the Women’s Tag Team Champions suffered an injury to her right shoulder and later found out that it required surgery.

Morgan’s injury resulted in the promotion’s plans for her being scrapped, which included storylines involving IYO SKY, Nikki Bella, and even the upcoming Evolution PLE.

#4. Finn Balor’s World Title reign ended before it began

WWE Superstar Finn Balor reached a historic milestone in his career in 2016 by becoming the inaugural WWE Universal Champion. However, his championship reign ended before it even began.

It was revealed that during the match, Balor tore his labrum and dislocated his shoulder. On RAW following SummerSlam that year, he relinquished his championship, effectively ending his reign. It took six months for The Prince to finally make a comeback. Since his return, Balor has pretty much struggled to reclaim his top-tier status.

His injury was deemed as one of those what-if moments, as it staggered Balor from solidifying himself as one of WWE’s top stars.

#3. Mr. Kennedy’s misdiagnosis

Mr. Kennedy was all set for a major push in WWE back in 2007 after winning the Money in the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania 23, with the original plan of cashing it in for the World Heavyweight Championship. Unfortunately, this never happened.

It was during the MITB ladder match that he suffered what was initially diagnosed as a serious triceps injury that would take him out of action for around five to seven months. This resulted in him dropping the MITB contract to Edge, who in turn went on to successfully cash it in, winning the aforementioned title.

However, it was later revealed that Mr. Kennedy only suffered a minor injury that would sideline him for a few weeks. Despite the discovery, the damage has already been done.

#2. Daniel Bryan was forced to vacate the title weeks after WrestleMania 30

It was indeed a feel-good moment when Daniel Bryan (a.k.a. Bryan Danielson) captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 30 in 2014. Sadly, this too was cut short due to previous injuries that finally caught up with him.

It was the cumulative wear and tear on his neck that required surgery, which caused him to vacate the title in June that same year. He was supposed to have a major feud with Brock Lesnar at the time, and what a spectacle it could have been if it weren’t for his injury.

#1. John Cena was set to face The Undertaker at WrestleMania 32, but got struck with the curse alongside other WWE Superstars

John Cena was scheduled to go at it against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 32 in 2016. This was indeed a dream match, as this was one of those face-offs that were highly anticipated by the WWE Universe. Nonetheless, just like the entries here on this list, this never came to fruition due to an injury.

It happened during the latter part of 2015 when The G.O.A.T. suffered a torn rotator cuff that required surgery in January 2016. Cena was sidelined for 'Mania that year, not to mention that the promotion was left with no choice but to scrap the matchup and went on to book Shane McMahon to fight The Phenom. This injury has indeed scrapped the promotion’s plans for a high-profile match between two industry icons.

Edited by Gurjyot Singh Dadial