It is no secret how tough professional wrestlers are - they are on the road constantly while taking a beating on their bodies, and very rarely complain about the amount of punishment. However, even a WWE wrestler can only handle so much on their bodies, and even the strongest and toughest wrestlers need to bow out when an injury strikes.
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2022 was a year plagued with wrestling injuries. From wrestlers just starting their careers to those who finally reached the next level, all the way to established stars all suffered from injuries this year. Thankfully, many of them are on the road to recovery and are chomping at the bit to jump back into the ring and achieve glory once again.
12 Cody Rhodes - Torn Pectoral
When Cody Rhodes removed his ring jacket at Hell in the Cell 2022 to reveal his very bruised pectoral and arm, fans were instantly fearful for him. The injury added additional drama to the match and turned up the intensity for all viewers.
Unfortunately, Cody's return to WWE was cut short following the injury which he has spent healing and rehabbing since June 2022. Fans are eagerly anticipating his return so he can continue with more excellent performances like this one.
11 Logan Paul - Leg Injuries
Despite not having any prior wrestling experience, Logan Paul has exceeded expectations with his WWE career so far. With only two matches under his belt, he challenged for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Crown Jewel 2022 and surpassed expectations with that performance as well.
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However, Paul would not come out unscathed in his losing effort against Roman Reigns. During the acclaimed match, he injured his leg which was eventually diagnosed as a severe sprain of his ligaments, which may mean his return is imminent.
10 Randy Orton - Back Injury
Since his WWE debut in 2002, Randy Orton has become one of the most long-tenured wrestlers in WWE, and fans have watched him grow into a well-respected veteran. While he has always been labelled as an injury-prone wrestler, his latest injury could put him down for the count.
During his reign alongside Matt Riddle as Tag Team Champions, Orton suffered a back injury that has kept him out since May 2022. With plenty of bumps on his card, it is still unknown when (or if) Orton will return to the active roster.
9 Carmella - Concussion
Carmella has not been a big part of the WWE roster for some time and has faded into the background, but she still has the potential to be a big act. Due to many new faces joining the women's division in 2022, fans may have not even noticed Carmella is missing yet.
After receiving a concussion during a match with Bianca Belair on the house show circuit in August 2022, Carmella has not appeared on television. Thankfully, fans know she is fully capable of making a big splash when she returns.
8 Robert Roode - Neck Surgery
Toughing through ongoing injuries as a wrestler is unfortunately not uncommon, particularly for an like Robert Roode. Having joined WWE in 2016 while already an established name, Roode has finally found time to take time off to deal with nagging injuries.
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In 2022, it was reported that Roode was undergoing neck surgery in order to repair the damage done over many years of ring work. Neck injuries are no joke to athletes, and Roode is en route to getting the rehab he has earned.
7 R-Truth - Torn Quadriceps
As one of the longest-tenured members of the WWE roster, R-Truth has seen it all during his stints in WWE. Known mainly as a comedy wrestler, Truth is not creating five-star classics at this point in his career, but he adds charm anytime he makes an appearance.
During a rare appearance in NXT in November 2022, Truth tore his quadriceps muscle while performing a somersault dive outside of the ring. Now that he is undergoing surgery, he is currently in the midst of a painful rehab process.
6 Aliyah - Hurt Shoulder
In late 2022, the Women's Tag Team Championships were reintroduced, and the new champions were crowned as Aliyah and Racquel Rodriguez defeated Damage CNTRL. While initially confusing for fans, it was exciting to see new blood hold the titles.
However, their reign only lasted one week before Damage CNTRL was able to win the titles. Unfortunately, Aliyah suffered a hurt shoulder during that match and has been on the sidelines ever since, halting an important part of her career.
5 Tomasso Ciampa - Hip Injury
As one of the most successful wrestlers to be called up from NXT, fans were eagerly awaiting to see what kind of damage Tomasso Ciampa could do on the main roster. However, it seems that fans will have to wait until 2023 to see what comes of it.
Following a slow burn as a new member of the main roster, Ciampa was sidelined in September to undergo surgery on his hip labrum. With plenty of miles on his body over the years, taking time off before another big run is not a bad idea.
4 Big E - Broken Neck
Directly coming off of his first WWE Championship reign, Big E was sidelined with a broken neck in March 2022. Due to his large, muscled frame, Big E was able to protect himself more than the average person but still came out with a big injury.
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Having now undergone surgery, Big E is now rehabbing in preparation for his eventual return to the ring. Given the severity of the injury, a return date is not even written in pencil yet, but fans are hoping he returns back to the main event star they got a small taste of before the injury.
3 Rey Mysterio - Foot Injury
Over the years, Rey Mysterio has been labelled as one of the most injury-prone wrestlers in WWE, and 2022 was a continuation of that trend. At the crux of a big storyline involving his son Dominik, Mysterio is once again on the injured list.
Following an Intercontinental Championship match with Gunther, Mysterio has been absent from television nursing a foot injury. With an imminent match against his son on the books, fans are waiting to see that chapter of his book come to a close.
2 Rick Boogs - Torn Quadriceps
WWE just began to scratch the surface of Rick Boogs as a full-time wrestler when things came crashing down on the grandest stage of them all. Just as he was beginning to gain some steam, fans watched the big man crumble.
During a Tag Team Championship match at WrestleMania 38, Boogs suffered a torn quadriceps in the middle of the match. Boogs quickly went from making his WrestleMania debut to being attended to by medical personnel at ringside.
1 Shotzi - Hand Injury
When an injury becomes a part of a storyline, it is sometimes difficult to tell if its legitimate or not. When Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler attacked Shotzi and injured her hand, fans were unsure if it was real or not.
Unfortunately, Shotzi confirmed that she was suffering from a real hand injury and would now be out of action. Shotzi was put on the shelf after he first shot at a WWE Women's Championship, which she will be aiming to continue pursuing.
