5 wrestling superstars who cheated death

Professional wrestling is often looked down upon by those, who believe that it isn’t a sport and that the performers don’t endure much pain. However, the truth is completely different, as the performers put their body and safety on the line every time they enter the ring. Their stories are just as fascinating outside the ring, as numerous performers past and present have made a name for themselves for their exploits off camera. However, their brash attitude and lifestyle have often landed them in trouble.

One must also understand that sometimes, it is difficult to separate the on-screen persona from their real-life one, and even if the superstars don’t go around looking for trouble, they often find themselves in situations where they have to fight for their lives. In this article, we take a look at five superstars that cheated death, whether it is inside a wrestling ring or outside of it.

#5 Scott Steiner

Scott Steiner was told he only had a few hours to live

Scott Steiner will go down in history as one of the most entertaining performers, although it is debatable if that would be good entertainment or car – crash esque entertainment. Scott was never shy, and his shenanigans in WCW and WWE made him one of the most followed performers in the industry. Steiner’s often incoherent ramblings and his not so articulate verbiage always made for great TV, and as a performer, Steiner underwent a transformation during his time with WCW, from being a more technical grappler to a powerhouse.

Steiner’s short temper and his love to get into scuffles might not go down well with others, but everyone from the wrestling fraternity was shocked when during a TNA house show, Steiner was kicked in the throat by his opponent, Apolo, and Steiner started coughing up blood. When taken to a hospital, the doctors gave Steiner just five hours to live, and he was diagnosed with a torn trachea. Steiner was then placed in an induced coma for two weeks, and true to his character, Steiner fought back defiantly and returned to active wrestling merely months later.

#4 New Jack

When you talk about some of the most feared performers in the business, The Gangstas were one tag team that the other teams hated to face. More importantly, New Jack, who was one of the most controversial figures in the history of professional wrestling, was someone who openly talked about hurting his opponents. New Jack epitomized the bad side of extreme wrestling and was loved for his brutality and the gore his matches involved.

New Jack became infamous for the beating he gave Mass Transit, a 17-year-old wrestling fan who took part in a wrestling match in ECW. However, he took things to a whole new level during his match with Vic Grimes in ECW, as both men battled it out in a scaffold match. It was reported that Vic Grimes, who agreed to take a bump from the scaffold onto the tables, tried to back out during the match. However, New Jack decided to fall along with Grimes, and while New Jack fell feet first onto the tables, hitting his head on the concrete floor, Grimes did a flip and fell on New Jack’s head. This resulted in Jack’s brain fluid coming out of all the orifices, and he lost vision in one of his eyes. The impact was so great, that New Jack had to spend several months in the hospital, and still has lingering effects from the fall.

New Jack got back at Grimes a couple of years later in XPW promotion, where Jack threw Grimes from a scaffold, as Grimes missed the tables beneath and landed on the ropes, breaking his knee in the process.

#3 Wade Barrett

Barrett was stabbed with a blade during his days as a bare-knuckle boxer

WWE boasts of possessing strong men, and quite a few of the performers are legitimate tough guys. From working hurt to finishing matches with broken bones, the WWE superstars are some of the toughest performers in the world today. Wade Barrett is one of such people, and his experiences in bare-knuckle boxing cemented his claim to be one of the toughest performers in the business today. However, very few know about Wade Barrett’s resilience, and how Barrett once escaped death.

During his days as a bare-knuckle boxer, he once competed in a tournament famously dubbed as “The battle of Buda”, and defeated a reputable opponent to win a cash reward. However, after the fight, Barrett was jumped in an alley and was stabbed by an unnamed assailant with an 8-inch blade. Barrett managed to inflict serious damage to the assailant, and walked away with the cash, but not before losing a lot of blood. Barrett has since sported a 12-inch scar, extending from his upper back to halfway down his right triceps.

#2 Perry Saturn

Perry Saturn nearly lost his life while saving a woman

Perry Saturn is mostly remembered for his short stint as a part of the Radicalz group, along with Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko in the WWE. A technically sound performer, Saturn never managed to reach his true potential, and his career was cut short due to injuries. Saturn worked for WCW and ECW before coming to the WWE, where he was one-half of the tag team champions (with John Kronus in ECW and Benoit/Raven in WCW), and was also a one-time WCW Television champion.

After his retirement in 2004, Saturn disappeared from the public view, and it was during an incident at this time that Saturn spotted two individuals trying to rape a woman. Saturn went in to save the woman and got into a scuffle with the two assailants. It was reported that Saturn was shot twice during the fight – one in the neck and the other in the right shoulder, and Saturn didn’t realize what happened until the fight ended. He later became addicted to methamphetamine, and became homeless for over two years!

#1 Ric Flair

Ric Flair – The 16-time world champion

At number one is none other than the iconic Ric Flair. The jet flyin’, limousine ridin’, kiss stealin’, wheelin’ dealin’ son of a gun is arguably the greatest professional wrestler of all time and is also a 16-time world champion. Ric Flair also became the only wrestler to have been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice, and during the 80s and early 90s, Flair was one of the most popular wrestlers in the entire world. However, none of that would have happened if Flair didn’t cheat death early in his career.

On October 4th, 1975, Flair, along with David Crockett, Johnny Valentine, Mr Wrestling and Bob Bruggers boarded a flight from Charlotte to Wilmington. However, as the flight approached the runway, the plane ran out of gas and cut across treetops and a utility pole before crashing. The pilot lost his life after fighting for his life for two days, and everyone else suffered serious injuries. Ric Flair’s back was broken in three places and was told that he might not walk again, forget about wrestling. Flair was 24 at that time, and with extensive physical therapy, he returned to action just three months later!

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