5 WWE Superstars who returned after having their careers cut short

There have been many Superstars who have had to hang up their boots too early. Rick Rude was forced to call it a day after taking a suicide dive, Bret Hart received multiple concussions so had to wind down his in-ring action, even Christian had to retire after amassing a list of injuries.

But, every now and then, there's that rare moment that someone who was previously forced to retire can return. Either through sheer hard work to get their body physically repaired and ready for wrestling again, or through advances in medical practises and technology.

Let's take a look at some of the WWE Superstars who have defied the odds.

#5. Edge

What a pop Edge's return at WWE Royal Rumble 2020 received. It was nothing short of monumental and one of the best and emotional moments in all of professional wrestling. It was such a great moment, that it's hard to remember exactly how unlikely it was.

Edge retired from in-ring competition in 2011 after receiving a neck injury and cervical vertebral fusion. He explained during his retirement speech that he felt numbness in his arms, but passed basic strength tests. However further testing and an MRI revealed Cervical Spinal Stenosis which forced Edge to retire.

For those of you who don't know, cervical spinal stenosis is a bone disease involving the narrowing of the spinal canal at the level of the neck. It is frequently due to chronic degeneration, but may also be congenital. Essentially if Edge took a bump badly or fell too hard he risked being paralysed from the neck down or even killed.

However Edge hit a spear on Elias at SummerSlam 2019 and then rumors started from there. It was reported a few months later that he had been cleared to return to the ring after visiting WWE doctors, which Edge publicly denied several times. But here we now are with the 'Rated R Superstar' back!

#4. Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan was forced out of the ring due to receiving multiple concussions. The day after retiring he told ESPN that he suffered ten documented concussions while wrestling, but more might have been undocumented or misdiagnosed.

He added that a recent EEG reflex test revealed slowing and a small subacute or chronic lesion in his brain's temporoparietal region, which explained Bryan's post-concussion seizures, and led to his retirement decision. Basically, it wasn't good news at all!

However it was clear that Bryan wanted to continue wrestling, but couldn't while under contract for WWE, so even though he maintain onscreen roles for the company, he spent his time seeking out as many medical experts as he could find to help get him cleared and keeping his body in shape and maintained.

Eventually Bryan returned, not with a huge out of the blue appearance like Edge, but with a slow-burn 'will he/won't he' storyline where Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were antagonising him as the SmackDown General Manager. Since then it's been a pleasure to have Bryan back.

#3. Sheamus

Sheamus is one of WWE's unsung Superstars having been with the company for years now, but it seemed like his time with WWE may have been drawing to an end in the middle of last year, with the former World Champion picking up an injury.

Sheamus suffered a concussion during a six-man tag-team match between himself, Cesaro and Drew McIntyre against The New Day. The injury did seem to be a concussion and Sheamus was reportedly cleared to return to the ring around half a year later.

However, in that time speculation began mounting surrounding whether or not Sheamus would even return. This was because on top of the concussion Sheamus was also suffering from Spinal Stenosis which he had been managing up until that point.

In fact, Sheamus himself seemed to have doubts about his future as a wrestler as he spoke to Edge and Christian on their Podcast in September and revealed he hadn't been cleared by WWE doctors and didn't know if he ever would.

Sheamus has in fact returned since then and looks better than ever after crushing Shorty G in the Royal Rumble pre-show. However he had noticeably changed his in-ring style to incorporate joint manipulation and rest holds, perhaps in an attempt to prolong his career.

#2. Paige

Paige is currently not wrestling after suffering from a stinger during a house show that caused her to be unable to stand during the match. This was somewhat of a tragedy, as she had only just returned from a lengthy time out recovering from surgery and looked set to be a big deal in the WWE women's division.

The surgery that Paige received beforehand was to repair her neck and afterwards she revealed that she had been diagnosed with the same issue that had put Edge out of action and almost ended Sheamus' career - Spinal Stenosis

Unfortunately it isn’t that easy. I have 3 screws from the prior surgery and after the accident I had in the ring after I got spinal stenosis. I wish though, I miss it everyday. https://t.co/sYFaxMzt2K
— PAIGE (@RealPaigeWWE) July 27, 2019

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But she was able to overcome this (and two drug violation suspensions) to return to the ring in September 2017 and she was able to compete for two months before the aforementioned house show injury occurred, and the day after WrestleMania she announced her retirement.

However Paige is actively looking to return to the ring and has asked to see the same doctors Daniel Bryan went to in order to get cleared. She also recently said that Edge's return from the same injury 'gives people hope'. With that in mind there's every chance Paige could defeat the odds and return for a second time!

#1. Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns' shocking in-ring revelation that he had Leukaemia remains one of the most stunning moments I've ever seen in professional wrestling. Reigns introduced himself with his real name, explained he was relinquishing the Universal Title and was going to battle cancer.

From that moment it was unclear how severe Reigns' leukaemia was, and how long he would be gone for, or if he would even be back at all. Leukaemia certainly affects different people in different ways and there are different types, so as a result it was possible that Reigns would never return to the ring.

But just five months later, Reigns made a miraculous return to Monday Night RAW to reveal his leukaemia was in remission and he was back earning a huge ovation from the crowd in what was one of the best feel-good moments in professional wrestling history.

Since then, Reigns has stayed out of the main event picture getting in feuds with Daniel Bryan and Erick Rowan after they attempted to kill him and King Corbin after Corbin mocked him with dog food.