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Just like pro athletes in the NFL, NBA, and other professional sports, WWE stars face injuries all the time. Some wrestlers have had more than others, like Rey Mysterio.
Pro wrestling is an extremely physical sport, so it's not a big surprise when a performer gets hurt. The severity, however, is often what makes a big deal in the star's direction since big injuries can completely derail an ongoing angle.
Getting hurt in pro wrestling is part of the game, and WWE has seen its fair share of unfortunate injuries to stars this year. The following ten performers suffered varying injuries in 2023.
#10 Braun Strowman and #9 Erik both had neck fusion surgery
The Monster of All Monsters has been out of action since May 1 due to neck fusion surgery. He has continued to do promotional tours for WWE, including a recent trip to India.
Erik, of the Viking Raiders, also underwent neck fusion surgery. The former RAW Tag Team Champion went under the knife on September 1. In his absence, Ivar has received a singles push alongside Valhalla.
#8 Rey Mysterio and #7 Luke Gallows both damaged their knees
Luke Gallows reportedly had his knee scoped sometime in the fall but no exact date was known. He was likely written off of TV during an attack from The Bloodline.
Rey Mysterio's injury is more recent. The WWE Hall-of-Famer was reportedly wrestling for months on a torn meniscus, but finally had surgery to correct it in November.
It's a bit strange that he would win the United States title while it was known that he was injured. Nonetheless, he dropped the belt to Logan Paul at Crown Jewel.
#6 Elton Prince miraculously recovered from shoulder troubles
Pretty Deadly burst onto the scene after being drafted by SmackDown in the spring. The duo was a welcome addition to the WWE tag team division.
Along with the New Day and Alpha Academy, Elton Prince and Kit Wilson were perfect at both serious and comedic wrestling.
While battling the Brawling Brutes, Prince's shoulder was damaged after a move from Ridge Holland. Pretty Deadly still appeared on screen, even as Prince rehabbed. The former NXT Tag Team Champs also made funny vignettes of Prince's road to recovery.
#5 Former WWE Champ Kofi Kingston suffered a knee injury in March
The New Day has been unable to escape injuries over the last few years. Big E has been out of action for nearly two years with a serious neck injury.
Kingston and Woods both suffered injuries last year, but the former WWE Champion couldn't escape another ailment this year.
A knee injury in March forced Kingston to miss some time in 2023, but he was back in action in the late summer.
#4 Dakota Kai suffered an ACL tear in May 2023
As Damage CTRL was hitting its stride as a group, Dakota Kai injured her knee in May. The result was a torn ACL, keeping her out of action for the rest of the year.
Despite the damage to her leg, Kai has been appearing in segments alongside her friends every week. The group's dynamics have grown and shifted, but Kai has acted as the mouthpiece/interpreter since 60% of the group speaks Japanese.
Depending on her recovery speed, she could return to action in time for a big match at WrestleMania 40.
#3 Liv Morgan and #2 Sonya Deville were injured in Women's Tag Team title action
The WWE Women's Tag Team titles certainly seemed cursed once Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler unified them. The MMA fighters had a short run, ceding the titles to Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez.
As champs, however, Morgan suffered a shoulder injury in July and has been out of action since that time. Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green captured the belts, but Deville tore her ACL in August.
Instead of forcing Green to relinquish the titles, Adam Pearce allowed Piper Niven to assume Deville's spot in the tag team.
#1 Charlotte Flair injured her knee on December 8
The biggest and most recent injury suffered by a WWE Superstar was Charlotte Flair. During a match with Asuka on the December 8th SmackDown, The Queen tore her ACL and possibly other ligaments.
A week later, it was disclosed that she would be out for at least nine months, causing her to miss both the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania. The injury is unfortunate, but it will allow some different stars to get opportunities and potentially a match at The Show of Shows.
When Flair returns, she will likely slot right back into the title picture since she was on her way to another shot at a championship when the damage was done.
