7 Wrestlers who have fought serious health issues.

In the zany, often surreal world of sports entertainment, there are two kinds of medical issues that occur.

The first, and thankfully most common, are 'kayfabe' in nature, which means that the athletes are in effect faking their various maladies. Cowboy Bob Orton once wore a cast for over two years after legit breaking his arm because it made such a great weapon, and Luke Gallows used to have a mental disorder that left him catatonic and drooling--until a ring bell turned him into a redneck smashing machine.

The other kind of medical issue is, most unfortunately, all too real. WCW fans remember when Diamond Dallas Page had his ribs taped for a long time because the constant wear and tear of wrestling wouldn't let them heal properly. And who can forget when Vince McMahon tore BOTH his quads just storming into the ring?

The world of professional wrestling is an unforgiving one where injuries make or break the careers of superstars. There are plenty of talent who are just waiting for the right moment to take the limited number of spots available at the top of the perch and injuries more or less make it impossible to rejoin the gautlet with the same rigour.

Sometimes the greatest foe a wrestler faces isn't their opponent, but a medical condition that takes every bit of their being to overcome. Here are seven wrestlers who have struggled with serious health issues.

#1 The Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar

The medical condition he has struggled with: Diverticulitis--A formation of abscesses within the large intestine that can cause painful swelling, and if left untreated can cause intestinal ruptures which can lead to death.

Brock Lesnar is perhaps the biggest crossover star in combat sports history. After spending years as a highly decorated amateur wrestler, Brock joined the WWE and went on to dominate it in a similar fashion. Eventually he grew tired of the long road schedule and switched to MMA--where he was more successful than anyone could have imagined, defeating veteran fighters with ease and capturing the UFC Heavyweight title.

However, Diverticulitis nearly ended not only his career, but his life. According to Brock Lesnar's surgery team, he likely had been suffering from the condition for years, including time he spent fighting in the Octagon. After a recurrence of the disease, one of his opponents, Alistair Overeem, cowardly attacked Brock's midsection, knowing it to be a weak point.

Lesnar was able to return to pro wrestling, and even the UFC, though anyone can tell that the monster has become a man--a formidable man, of course.

Lesner remains WWE's most feared superstar despite his shortcomings health-wise and continues to dominate opponents in the ring.

#2 Kyle O'Reilly of the Undisputed Era

The medical condition he has struggled with: Type 1 Diabetes--A chronic disease where the pancreas either produces very little insulin or no insulin at all. Without insulin, the body cannot process sugar correctly, and untreated diabetes can lead to stroke, organ damage, circulatory damage, and even death.

Kyle O'Reilly is best known for his brutal MMA-inspired ring style and the amazing tag team chemistry he enjoys with long-time partner Bobby Fish. The talented young man has excelled in Amateur Wrestling, Ice Hockey, Football, Lacrosse, Kickboxing, Jiu-Jitsu, Rugby, and Snowboarding in addition to Pro Wrestling, and through it all, he's battled an invisible opponent called Type 1 Diabetes.

Kyle O'Reilly's incredible condition is a product of his intense training regime that takes into account his medical condition, allowing him to compete in one of the most difficult forms of entertainment in the world.

Kyle is a three-time NXT tag team champion in his own right. He dominated the tag team division before proceeding to focus on being a singles competitor.

#3 Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

The medical condition he has struggled with: Depression--a mental disorder in which the victim suffers great despondency and feelings of helplessness, often in spite of doing well in their lives.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has conquered many foes in the ring. From Stone Cold Steve Austin to Triple H and the Big Show, The Rock laid the smack down on pretty much everyone of note from the Attitude Era.

His larger-than-life character soon earned him attention from the mainstream media. After appearing briefly in the Mummy Returns film alongside Brenden Fraser, The Rock was cast in his own starring role as The Scorpion King. From there he has gone on to become the most highly paid male movie star in the entire world.

Despite his success, The Rock has revealed that he has had to struggle against depression. Lingering trauma from his mother's failed suicide attempt and his divorce from a longtime school sweetheart were the impetus, but once depression takes hold it can be insidious and difficult to shake. Fortunately, The Rock is currently winning the fight against his mental demons.

#4 Vince McMahon

The Medical condition he has struggled with: Dyslexia--a mental condition in which the victim has great difficulty with written language, sometimes seeing words and letters reversed or being unable to read at all.

Vince McMahon, even in his seventies, presents a portrait of unmitigated power. A lifelong gym and fitness enthusiast, his body development is still impressive despite his advanced age. He has even appeared on the cover of Muscle and Fitness magazine, just to prove how amazing his physique really is.

He also seems to be an almost God-like figure in pro wrestling, utterly confident and having an answer for almost everything. However, not many people know that Vince has actually battled against a foe that no one saw coming; dyslexia.

Given that his job with the WWE for a long time was at the announce table--where he had to read transcripts and hawk upcoming events--it's quite astounding that he was able to perform so well, without a hitch, despite his condition. Not even dyslexia can stop The Boss!

#5: Nature Boy Ric Flair

The Medical condition he has struggled with: A severely broken back--Ric Flair was on a private plane with Johnny Valentine, Mr. Wrestling and promoter David Crockett. The plane crashed, paralyzing Valentine and breaking Flair's back in three places. He was advised to end his wrestling career.

Nature Boy Ric Flair is possibly the only wrestling legend who might be bigger than the sport itself. While WWE recognizes only 16 of his world title reigns, Ric Flair won over fifty championships in his long and storied career.

However, that career almost ended as soon as it began, thanks to the famous plane crash. Flair was told by doctors he would never be able to wrestle again, but an aggressive rehab program and a modification of his in-ring style allowed him to continue his career. Fans have always noted that Flair never lands flat on his back, but twists to take the impact somewhat on his side, much akin to how a Judo player lands.

Because Flair's back was weakened, he also dropped much of the power moves he had formerly utilized and adopted a more scientific style. While no one would ever say the plane crash was good for Flair, in many ways his broken back helped shape him into the Nature Boy.

#6: Mauro Ranallo

The Medical condition he has struggled with: Bipolar disorder--a condition in which the victim's brain is unable to easily regulate mood. The exact cause remains unknown but is believed to be a combination of brain chemistry and life experience trauma.

Mauro Ranallo is, simply put, the best announcer on any professional wrestling program in any company, period. Not since the days of Lord Alfred Hayes and Gordon Solie has an on-air personality dazzled with his wit, smooth delivery, and emotional resonance with the match and the fans, both in the arena and watching at home.

However, Ranallo has struggled with a serious condition for his entire career, which encompasses both pro wrestling and mixed martial arts; Bipolar depression. This condition actually led to him stepping away from his announce duties for a time. JBL--well known for 'hazing' other WWE employees, though some would call him more of a bully--had apparently been giving Ranallo a hard time from the get go, and things got worse when a jealous Layfield mouthed off to Ranallo about winning a 'best announcer' award from a pro wrestling magazine.

The backlash may have led to JBL's departure from the company, and has certainly led to closer scrutiny of what goes on backstage by WWE management. For example, 'wrestler's court' is now forbidden, as WWE believes it led in part to the bullying culture backstage.

Ranallo then moved to NXT before announcing in 2020 that he is leaving the WWE for a similar role with MMA organization Bellator.

#7: Alexa Bliss

The medical condition she has struggled with: Anorexia--a form of body dysmorphia where the victim believes themselves to be grossly overweight despite evidence to the contrary. Anorexics may hide food and pretend to have eaten it, or avoid eating altogether, and often become paranoid when their friends and family try to convince them that they are ill.

Alexa Bliss is one of the more successful call ups from NXT, having been both Smackdown and Raw Women's Champion. She has also displayed a propensity to manage multiple roles on WWE programming, and has acted as general manager and other non-wrestling niches.

Alexa Bliss was a fitness competitor and model before joining the WWE, but she nearly lost her life to anorexia. Like many young people, she developed the condition in her teens after being bombarded by the myriad images of perfectly sculpted bodies in mass media.

Fortunately, she has been able to manage her condition and gone on to great success.

There you have it; seven pro wrestlers who have struggled with medical conditions. Questions or comments? Please leave them below the article, and as always thanks for reading!