5 times pro wrestling champions had to vacate their title.

It's always a sad day in pro wrestling when a champion has to surrender his title for non-storyline causes.

The suspension of disbelief, the 'acknowledged fakery' of pro wrestling, relies upon the fact that in many ways the wrestlers are actually more than just performers. For example, if you shake hands with Chris Evans, you're shaking hands with Chris Evans, a Hollywood actor, not Captain America.

But when you shake hands with Ric Flair, you're shaking hands with the sixteen time heavyweight champion of the world. For good or ill, pro wrestlers transcend being mere performers and become something different than actors or musicians, a gray area that can't quite be explained.

It is in this gray area that we find Roman Reigns, forced to relinquish his beloved WWE Universal title because of a recurrence of Leukemia. Reigns has defeated the Big L once before, and the hopes and prayers of wrestling fans, critics, and journalists are with him as he faces this daunting foe.

Unfortunately, he has vacated the Universal title. This is not the first time a wrestling champion has been forced to give up their title due to real world issues. Here are five times it has happened.

#1.Edge

The story of Adam "Edge" Copeland is pretty much like a Hollywood movie--complete with a tragic, bittersweet ending.

When it comes to pro wrestling, there's a concept called 'paying your dues.' Edge certainly did that. He sat in the crowd at Wrestlemania VI, watching in awe as Ultimate Warrior did the unthinkable and cleanly pinned Hulk Hogan. At that moment, Edge decided he wanted to become a pro wrestler.

After toiling away on the independent circuit, Edge earned a WWE contract and made his big debut during the Attitude Era. Unfortunately, right out of the gate he botched a tope rope somersault and injured Jose Estrada.

He would be bundled into the Brood along with his 'brother' Christian. The Brood fizzled, but Edge and Christian won fame as a cocky heel tag team. Their five-second poses are still the stuff of legend.

Eventually, they split up, with Christian being sent firmly to the midcard, while Edge was allowed to become a main eventer. The Rated R Superstar established himself as a thorn in the side of man Ruthless Aggression era heroes such as John Cena and Big Show.

Unfortunately, Edge's ascension to world champion would ultimately be a short one. In April of 2011 he would be forced to surrender his title due to spinal issues. He is one of the rare men who retired while still world champion.

#2. John Cena

He's the face that runs the place, the measuring stick, the Doctor of Thuganomics and the (former) champ. He's John Cena, and while his reputation in the ring was something akin to superhuman, he once displayed an all too mortal frailty.

Cena had become the no questions asked 'top guy' in WWE by 2007, having superseded fellow journeymen talents Randy Orton and Batista. He was enjoying a face run and had largely discarded his 'rapper' gimmick that earned so much enmity in the early days of his career.

Much attention is paid to the huge, splashy bumps that cause injury to stars, such as New Jack throwing Vic Grimes off the roof of an arena or Mankind plunging through the cage at Hell in a Cell. However, more mundane moves can be just as dangerous, and so it was that John Cena tore a pectoral muscle attempting to hip toss Mr. Kennedy.

Cena was stripped of his title by Vince McMahon, and spent months in recovery only to return well in advance at the Royal Rumble.

#3. Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan's life plays out like a real-life "Rocky" screenplay.

An undersized but scrappy kid from a working-class family vows to be a wrestling star. To this end he trains in martial arts and wrestling, becoming a world-class athlete.

Working his way up through the indies, Bryan ended up in the Ring of Honor promotion and was one of that company's early stars. Bryan also wrestled in Japan and PWG, winning titles everywhere he went but always people would ask him when he would sign with WWE.

Daniel Bryan was put into NXT, when it was still a pseudo-reality show, refusing to acknowledge his past deeds in other promotions. Bryan would join the Nexus faction only to be fired for choking the ring announcer with his own tie.

Bryan was reinstated shortly after due partially to the efforts of John Cena. But still Bryan was pushed toward the midcard, but the WWE Universe grew wrestles. The Yes movement demanded that Bryan be taken seriously as a star, ruining Roman Reigns' ultimate moment of Royal Rumble triumph.

Eventually WWE accepted the inevitable and put the title on Bryan. All seemed to be going well, but nagging injuries piled up into something serious and Bryan was forced to relinquish his title and faced an uncertain future.

#4. Batista

Dave Bautista started his career in OVW, where he used the ring name Leviathan. More than just a bodybuilder, Batista utilized his martial arts training to bolster his athleticism and explosive ring style.

He was quickly bundled into Triple H's Four Horsemen-esque "Evolution" stable as the obvious muscle and enforcer. Batista often tagged with Ric Flair and the tandem even held the tag team championships for a time.

Batista was picked out to be a star by Vince McMahon and Dean Malenko, who believed that the big man had great charisma and presence. He split from Evolution and even beat his former mentor Triple H.

His train seemed to be gathering steam, not showing a sign of slowing down--until he tore a triceps during a match with Mark Henry at a house show. Batista managed to hang on long enough to break Triple H's record reign before vacating the title on Smackdown to seek medical treatment.

#5. Bret Hart

The name Bret Hart conjures many memories in wrestling fans around the world. To some of those fans, he's the Excellence of Execution, a former all star tag team champion and triple crown WWE champion. Perhaps the best example of a technical wrestler in the post-Hulk Hogan era, Bret was a hero to many fans growing up.

To other fans, Bret is the man involved in the biggest controversy in wrestling, the Montreal Screwjob. His bitterness and inability to let go seemed to define him for some time, and there are fans who know him mainly from this incident.

And finally, to WCW fans he was the man who tried and failed to save the promotion, the big gun, the cure to regain ratings dominance over WWE. There was a chance Hart could have done so, too. He turned heel and founded NWO 2000, an attempt at refreshing the renegade band's status as top villain faction. During this time he captured the WCW world heavyweight championship.

It was during a title defense that Goldberg botched a superkick and gave Bret a severe concussion. Hart finished the match, but would later have to not only surrender his title, but announce his retirement as well--and any hopes of WCW winning the Monday Night War left with him.

#6. Stone Cold Steve Austin

Stone Cold Steve Austin was the anomaly, the heel that would be babyface, during the beginning and height of the Attitude Era.

Everything about Austin's demeanor screamed that he was a bad guy. He wore black trunks, cursed, cheated to win, and gave the middle finger at those he felt deserved it, which was pretty much everybody.

However, the fans have the right to cheer for whoever they want, and WWE suddenly had to deal with a babyface Austin. He was booked into a program with Owen Hart, which included an old school piledriver reversal spot.

As the live crowd looked on in shock, Austin was dropped directly onto his head. The impact gave him partial paralysis, and he needed the assistance of several referees to stand.

Hart and Austin mistimed their move, and Austin ended up with a broken neck. He would win the IC title as planned, but was forced to vacate the title almost immediately after.

#7. Naomi

Naomi's story is one of hard work and perseverance in the face of many naysayers.

When she started, many thought she wasn't 'classically pretty' enough to be a Diva. Her athletic ability and wrestling skills were top notch, but Vince McMahon thought she should be paired with the more photogenic Cameron as the Funkadactyls, a women's tag team in a promotion with no women's tag team titles.

Naomi's participation in Total Divas, a reality show, helped garner her new fans. As she continued to polish her skills, she slowly worked her way from being a valet to a singles wrestling star. When she defeated Alexa Bliss for the Smackdown women's championship, it felt like her career had finally reached its full potential.

Unfortunately, injury would force her to relinquish the belt to Daniel Bryan less than a week later. A sad speed bump on the road to superstardom for the reality show and pro wrestling star.

#8. Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins mainly stood out in the Shield for his oddly colored hair, until he devised the Architect persona.

Still, he was second banana to Ambrose's intense personality and Roman's muscular physique. So it was actually pretty good planning on WWE's part when Seth betrayed the Shield to strike out on his own, gaining the WWE title in the process.

At one time, CM Punk had handpicked Seth Rollins to be a future main event star, and it seemed as if that prophecy had come to pass.

Seth gained instant heel heat, and his character blossomed into a more realized form than was possible while in the Shield stable. Now assured of his own main event Status, it seemed nothing could stop Seth Rollins's momentum.

Until he suffered a terrible leg injury and was forced to vacate his title. Seth missed many months of action and dropped down the card during the interim.

#9. Finn Balor

In their never-ending efforts to evolve, the WWE spent much of the past several years acquiring wrestling talent on an international scale. One such talent was Bullet Club member Prince DeWitt, who would become Finn Balor in NXT.

In the NXT promotion, whether as the Demon or just Finn Balor, he carved out a niche as one of the most dynamic, exciting, and innovative stars working the canvas today. His feuds with Samoa Joe and Neville drove new interest into the fledgling brand.

When Finn made the jump to the main roster, his Demon King persona seemed poised to join the ranks of Undertaker and Papa Shango. Balor even captured the Universal championship, being the first man in history to hold the new Raw branded big belt.

However, a botched powerbomb by Seth Rollins resulted in a shoulder injury that forced Balor to surrender the Universal title without actually being beaten for it.

#10. Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns has been the subject of a great deal of controversy in the wrestling world from almost the moment the Shield broke up.

A great many questioned whether he were a better choice for 'the guy' in WWE than Dean Ambrose or Seth Rollins. After all, of the three he was the least experienced, either on the microphone or in the ring.

However, he had a great look and undeniable charisma. As part of the Shield he was the often silent enforcer, just one snarl and superman punch away from being your worst nightmare. Much like Cena before him, Roman became a polarizing figure.

Roughly half the fans--mostly young children and women--cheer for Roman, while a very vocal half boo him relentlessly. Despite this, he has been pushed as the top babyface in WWE for several years, mirroring John Cena's path in that as well.

However, no one was booing Roman when he was forced to relinquish the WWE Universal title on Raw due to a recurrence of Leukemia. One thing is for certain, once Roman recovers from his illness he will be getting a very interesting reaction from the fans.

There you have it; Ten wrestling champions forced to relinquish their titles due to real life problems. If you have comments leave them at the end of the article and thanks for reading!