'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Last night's episode of Monday Night Raw was an emotional one since Roman Reigns revealed that he had been battling Leukemia quietly for the past eleven years. The Big Dog then relinquished the Universal Championship and stated that he would be making his return to the ring as soon as he had defeated one of his hardest adversaries.
Reigns isn't the only superstar to have fallen victim to this terrible disease over the past few years, but whilst there are stories about cancer that have touched every fan, wrestler, announcer, commentator and even crew member all over the world, there are many stories of hope from WWE, of superstars who have been able to overcome the disease and lived to fight another day.
The Big Dog is not alone in his battle and he will return to the ring again in the future, but whilst he wakes up this morning ahead of the only fight in his life that can't be settled with his fists, there are many superstars who's battles with cancer can give him the hope he requires to push himself though.
#5 Michelle McCool
Michelle McCool is a former Women's Champion and is set to make her return to WWE as part of Evolution on Sunday night, after more than seven years away from the ring (aside from her historic Royal Rumble appearance earlier this year).
Whilst McCool has been on the sidelines raising her family alongside The Undertaker, she revealed that she was diagnosed with skin cancer back in 2016. McCool was able to get the appropriate treatment at the time and revealed that she was cancer-free a few months later.
McCool has since been spotted on WWE TV a number of times alongside her husband, which makes her story all the more inspiring.
#4 Bret Hart
WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart is one of the biggest legends in the wrestling business, but cancer isn't choosy about the people that it decides to strike down and The Hitman was one of its victims back in 2016, when he revealed through a heartbreaking message on Facebook that he was struggling with Prostate Cancer.
Just a few days after he made his struggle public, Hart underwent surgery and because the disease had been contained within his prostate, he was able to reveal that he was free of the illness but would still need to attend regular checkups.
He has since been able to use this as a way to promote regular checkups with doctors since he himself confirmed that it was a regular checkup that led to his early diagnosis, which is usually the catalyst to beating cancer.
#3 Zack Ryder
Zack Ryder is a former Intercontinental Champion and even though he isn't given the opportunities that he deserves on WWE TV at present, he is already an inspiration to members of the WWE Universe, because he overcame his battle with cancer when he was still at high school.
Ryder revealed that he had a growth in his foot that was cancerous and this later traveled to his lungs and forced him to undergo chemotherapy and a number of different surgeries before the doctors revealed that all of the disease had been removed.
Ryder has spoken out about his fight with cancer publically a number of times and it's given him the fighting spirit that he required to make it in WWE and continue to push for the opportunities that he deserves, despite not being given them for most of his career.
#2 Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Jake Roberts is largely considered to be one of the greatest talkers in WWE history, but Roberts' life both inside and outside of the ring has been handed a number of setbacks and body blows over the years, to the point where Roberts revealed publicly that he had been diagnosed with cancer back in 2014.
The WWE Hall of Famer underwent surgery to remove the tumor from behind his knee and after a few months of recovery, he once again declared that he was cancer free.
Roberts has had a number of struggles with his health over the years, but in recent times he has been able to manage this much easier and even popped up on WWE TV a few years ago to show the WWE Universe that he still knows how to step up if the company ever calls upon him.
#1 Roman Reigns
As heartbreaking as Roman Reigns' announcement was last night on Monday Night Raw, the one thing that fans can hold onto from his speech is hope. Reigns stated that he had been struggling with the condition for eleven years, which means that he has overcome this battle before and there is hope that he can do it once again.
In many cases, cancer does return for a second time but Reigns is obviously much more prepared for it now and is ready to take the fight to the disease. The former World Champion has proved throughout his WWE career that he isn't someone who walks away from a fight, there is no quit in The Big Dog and he now has a reason to make his return and claim that Universal Championship that he never lost.
Whilst it was a heartbreaking episode of Raw and it was hard for many fans all over the world to see a star that they have watched everyday battle something of this magnitude, there is hope and every wrestling fan's best wishes are with Roman Reigns as he looks to overcome leukemia one more time.
