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As far as WWE matches are concerned, risk and entertainment often go hand in hand. The best names in the business have also had their fair share of battles against career-ending injuries. Amidst the echoing chants and blinding spotlights, there are moments when these talented stars are forced into solitary battles against serious injuries that can potentially derail their careers.
WWE Superstars witness these tragedies unfold from a close distance. Thus, they always aim towards being as safe as they can get inside the ring. While they pour their blood and sweat into delivering memorable matches, they are always concerned about keeping their opponents safe. There have been several instances when WWE Superstars narrowly escaped unfortunate incidents inside the ring.
Quick thinking and immediate action have helped save several superstars from sustaining serious injuries inside the ring. From rearranging the props to changing maneuvers mid-air, there’s a lot that these superstars have done to protect others inside the ring.
In this article, we will look at five instances when WWE Superstars saved their opponents from a serious injury during a match.
#1 Roman Reigns saves Seth Rollins (WWE Money in the Bank 2016)
Roman Reigns is one of the most highly rated WWE Superstars. He is often deemed one of the biggest names backstage, and he uses his impeccable work ethic to cultivate that reputation. Reigns works hard in his matches and once he prevented Seth Rollins from sustaining a serious injury after the latter had just returned to in-ring action.
Seth Rollins once injured his knees when he tried to go over Kane and landed awkwardly near the ring post. This forced The Architect to remain on the sidelines for several months. After returning, Rollins faced Roman Reigns in a match at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. The two superstars ended up recreating the spot, and Reigns could sense Rollins’ hesitance.
Thus, he immediately grabbed Seth Rollins’ legs during the move and helped the latter in landing softly. Rollins can’t be blamed for being conscious about the spot that previously caused him a severe injury. Reigns deserves a lot of credit for making the right decision in the blink of an eye to protect his fellow WWE Superstar.
Both Reigns and Rollins share a long history in WWE, dating back to their time together as a part of The Shield. Since then, they have crossed paths several times both as a friend and as a foe. Despite pursuing their respective runs as singles superstars, it is great to see that these former Shield brothers still look out for each other.
#2 The Undertaker saves The Big Show (WWE SmackDown)
The Undertaker is widely regarded as one of the most iconic WWE legends of all time. He has successfully entertained pro wrestling fans for over three decades. The Undertaker’s dedication towards the craft and his loyalty to Vince McMahon made him synonymous with the company over time. He was considered the locker-room leader, and he certainly deserves every bit of respect that he gets from his peers.
The Undertaker’s in-ring intelligence was unmatched in WWE. Despite being the scary, towering man, The Phenom also took responsibility for ensuring that everything went smoothly inside the ring. One such instance witnessed The Undertaker saving The Big Show from hitting his head on a steel chair. Both superstars were a part of a brawl on SmackDown.
After everyone, including The Undertaker, went down to the mat, The Big Show and Kurt Angle were the only two WWE Superstars standing. The Olympic Gold Medalist then prepared to deliver an Angle Slam on The Big Show. But when the latter was on Angle’s shoulders, The Undertaker noticed that a chair was kept right where Show’s head would hit the mat.
The Deadman then swiftly removed the chair using his leg seconds before The Big Show hit the ground. The impact of that move would have caused bigger problems for The Big Show if his head had hit the chair. Thanks to The Undertaker, things never got out of hand.
The Undertaker recently celebrated his 56th birthday, having retired from WWE after an illustrious career. Today, he also confirmed that Kane will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021. On the other hand, The Big Show recently signed with AEW and is exploring new options for himself in that company.
He reportedly wanted to do more in the final stages of his career and his equation is still the same with the McMahon family. But once upon a time, when they met in the ring, The Undertaker secretly ended up adding several years to The Big Show’s pro wrestling career.
#3 Edge saves AJ Styles (WWE Royal Rumble 2020)
Edge made a dream return to WWE last year and is now headed towards a title match at WrestleMania 37. His arrival at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view last year took everyone by surprise. The Rated-R Superstar was finally back inside the ring after almost a decade. Despite spending so much time away from the squared circle, there wasn’t even a dent in Edge’s in-ring awareness. Edge ended up saving AJ Styles from sustaining serious injuries in his first match back in almost nine years.
During the Royal Rumble match, Edge started delivering consecutive Spears on the WWE Superstars who were there inside the ting. Styles also took the Spear, but when Edge's shoulders connected with his mid-body, The Phenomenal One twisted in the air before crashing down on the mat. Unfortunately, the awkward landing led to Styles dislocating his shoulder while the match was still going on.
Edge immediately saw that something was wrong, and he pushed Styles to the corner of the ring. Shortly afterward, Edge realized that it wasn't safe for Styles to continue, and he pushed the latter over the top rope, eliminating him from the Royal Rumble match. Styles was initially scheduled to stay in the match for much longer but eliminating him early was the only way to protect the WWE Superstar.
#4 AJ Styles saves James Ellsworth (WWE SmackDown)
WWE Superstar AJ Styles is one of the best pro wrestlers to have ever laced the boot. The Phenomenal One is a master of this craft. While Styles is known for delivering some of the best WWE matches in recent history, he is also one of the safest people inside the ring.
Over the years, he has used Styles Clash to seal the victory in his WWE matches. The move's only rule requires Styles' opponents to keep their head back when he is hitting the mat with his knees. Unfortunately, James Ellsworth missed the memo before their match on SmackDown and he tucked his chin in front when he was on the receiving end of the Styles Clash.
The former WWE Superstar was moments away from breaking his neck inside the ring until AJ Styles noticed and improvised in the final seconds. He changed the placement of his foot while going down that made up for Ellsworth’s horrendous error. Styles put his knees wide apart and put both his hands on the mat to lessen the impact. Thankfully, Styles' quick decision saved Ellsworth from falling prey to a career-ending injury during their match.
#5 Asuka saves Sasha Banks (WWE RAW)
WWE Superstars Asuka and Sasha Banks are two of the best in the business right now. Asuka and Banks currently hold the Women’s Championships on RAW and SmackDown, respectively. They were involved in a title feud in 2020 and delivered several incredible matches. Asuka and Banks were engaged in an equally heated rivalry back in 2018.
The two superstars faced each other in a memorable match on RAW right after the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. During their grueling encounter, Banks attempted a dive over the top rope onto Asuka. Unfortunately for the WWE Superstar, her feet got tangled with the ropes, and she was about to hit neck-first into the floor.
Asuka realized that and quickly kicked Banks in the stomach to change the course of her fall and soften the overall impact of hitting the floor. Things could have been worse for Banks if she landed on her neck. Asuka smoothly changed Banks’ direction, allowing the latter to take a few minutes to recover from her fall. Even WWE legend Mick Foley addressed the topic and suggested that Banks shouldn’t use such a risky move in her matches.
#6 Baron Corbin saves Dolph Ziggler (WWE Money in the Bank 2017)
Baron Corbin is one of the few WWE Superstars who can manage to get under anyone’s skin. Corbin excels at fetching organic heat from fans and works very hard to keep his heel persona intact even when he appears in WWE events. Very few people know that Corbin is one of the most respected superstars backstage in the promotion.
He is widely regarded as one of the safest workers in WWE today and is often trusted to protect his opponents inside the ring. He once did the same for Dolph Ziggler when competing in a Money in the Bank match. Ziggler tried to run on the steel steps to gain elevation for his jump. Unfortunately, Ziggler tripped on the stairs and was about to land on his head.
Corbin saw this and immediately ran to Ziggler’s rescue. He caught the latter mid-air and stopped him from falling dangerously. Corbin then flung Ziggler in the air and smoothly transitioned into a Deep Six to put his opponent gently on the floor. This is one of the most impressive things that Corbin has ever done in WWE, and the subtlety of the entire event left the viewers in awe of the King.
