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Love him, hate him, cheer him, boo him. It doesn’t matter. Roman Reigns’ overwhelming revelation of his renewed battle against leukaemia would have softened even the most uncompromising of detractors (me included) of the Big Dog.
It just came out of nowhere like an RKO. And just like the victims of Randy Orton’s finisher, the fans were left nearly unconscious, but in this case, it was a heart-wrenching knockout fuelled by pure unfiltered emotion. In what may inarguably go down as Reigns’ best promo till date, the now former Universal Champion enlightened the fans about how he was diagnosed with blood cancer when he was 22 and that it had returned after being dormant for nearly 11 years.
During that period, this man headlined four WrestleManias in a row, won every title there is to win in WWE, and was a part of some solid matches and some not so solid promos while also being the most despised figure in all pro wrestling. It’s ironic when you think of it – the most hated man in the industry ended up being the one who united everyone at a time of misery.
So, was this meant to be the end of the Roman Empire?
“This is not a retirement speech,” a defiant Reigns proclaimed, however. “I will beat this and be back.” We believe the Big Dog on that one. A superman punch to leukemia and we’re sure the anointed poster boy of the Reality Era will back to reclaim his yard. He wouldn’t be the first one though, to have beaten cancer and to return to the ring again. Reigns himself has done it once before and the superstars on this list have achieved a similar feat in their careers.
#5 Jim Duggan
It was September 7th, 1998 and the company – WCW. On an episode of Nitro, ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan dropped the unexpected news that he was diagnosed with Kidney cancer and would be forced to leave for the treatment.
Thankfully for the WWE Hall of Famer, the cancer was detected at a premature stage and he was cured without the need for chemotherapy. It took Duggan hardly six months to get back to his former self and was into the squared circle with the iconic 2x4 piece of wood in his hand by April 1999.
It’s 2018; the American Patriot is 64 years old and still hasn’t retired! He continues to wrestle sporadically on the independent circuit with his most recent match having taken place on June 1st, 2018. Have a look at him in action and go HOOOOOOOO!
#4 Zach Gowen
The first one-legged wrestler in pro wrestling will not be remembered for being a pioneer, but more so for the beating he got at the hands of a raw and absolutely unhinged Brock Lesnar.
We’re sure you’ve watched the barbaric destruction back in the day. It was Ruthless Aggression era at its ruthless freaking best! Some of it is really hard to watch; yes, it was that good….
Gowen, however, is a success story irrespective of how his WWE stint ended. Having been diagnosed with cancer when he was a kid, Gowen didn’t let his physical shortcomings hinder him from following his dreams of becoming a pro wrestler.
So what if he lost his leg due to amputation, the Michigan native adapted to a unique style incredibly well and toiled hard in the indie circuit and TNA before getting a lucrative WWE contract. Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan, Brock Lesnar, Stephanie McMahon, Vince McMahon, John Cena – Gowen has a star-studded resume to boast about.
He was released from the WWE in 2004 and has since been dabbling in the indies and other non-wrestling ventures.
#3 Kris Travis
It’s tragic when a wrestler dies young. Heck, it’s depressing when anyone dies young and more so when they are talented. Kris Travis was one of them. If you are wondering whether he counts as a superstar or not; he was in his own right.
The English wrestler was a top name in the British wrestling scene and was a favorite amongst bookers in Europe and UK. Everything was going smoothly until 2014, Travis was diagnosed with stomach cancer. CM Punk, Chris Jericho and William Regal were just some of the big names who voiced their support for the wrestler, who made it a point to spread awareness and raise funds during his hiatus.
He overcame cancer and triumphantly returned to wrestling in 2015 and but his journey was abruptly cut short when the disease returned to spell the end of his career. He announced his retirement and eventually breathed his last on 31st March 2016. His untimely demise triggered many reactions from the wrestling community. Paige, Kevin Owens, and Drew McIntyre were some of the most popular names who sent out their condolences.
Finn Balor paid tribute to Travis by painting a heart and 3 stars on his hand during his NXT Takeover: Dallas match against Samoa Joe. Interestingly, the finish of that match was taken from Travis’ match against Chris Masters from Preston Championship Wrestling.
Travis, popularly known as ‘The Shooting Star’, was 32 years old when he passed away.
#2 Michelle McCool
Now, I know Mrs. Undertaker returned only for a one-off Royal Rumble match but that does count because she looked absolutely phenomenal.
Back in 2016, Michelle McCool was off to the doctor to get some routine moles taken off. Little did she know that one of them had indeed turned out to be cancerous and upon further diagnosis, she was confirmed to have skin cancer. The 2-time Women’s Champion went under treatment and was deemed cancer free at the end of it all.
She has made her presence felt every time her illustrious husband returns to take a soul or two back to death valley. She had an impressive showing in the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble earlier this year, which was her first wrestling appearance in almost 7 years.
Talking about firsts, McCool will be making an appearance in the Women’s Battle Royal at WWE’s first-ever Women’s PPV, Evolution on 28th October.
#1 Zack Ryder
Zack Ryder has been with the WWE for almost 13 years now. Drink that in. Long Island Ice-Z has been one of WWE’s most faithful servants and many would argue he has always been underrated and equally underutilized by WWE over the years.
Ryder, though, is a fighter and continues to fight for a spot on a stacked roster. What makes his story even more inspiring is that he has been fighting since day one.
Ryder was diagnosed with cancer in his foot when he was in high school. The cancer spread to his lungs, forcing Ryder to take a year’s break from school to focus on various surgeries and chemotherapy.
He battled hard and won, achieved his dream of wrestling in the WWE and has won all the major undercard titles – Intercontinental, US, Tag Team titles. However, the biggest prize in the company has eluded him for many years and it’s highly unlikely he may ever win it in his career. Woo Woo Woo, You Know It!
One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE
