5 wrestlers who got seriously injured in ladder matches

Ladder matches can be a really dangerous. Every time wrestlers step into ladder matches, they know that they are about to put their bodies on the line for the entertainment of the fans. Till the advent of the ladder match, wrestlers had considered the cage matchs as the most dangerous type of match possible.

The ladder match changed that.

Many wrestlers have suffered from long term consequences for what they put their bodies through during ladder matches.

Along with the dangers although, come one of the most exciting types of matches in WWE history.

Ladder matches have provided many memorable moments over the years from the triple threat between the Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz and Edge & Christian to the Money In The Bank Ladder matches to the classic between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon at Wrestlemania X.

Today we look at the other side of ladder matches, the inherent dangers.

Here are 5 wrestlers who got seriously injured during ladder matches.

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#5 Sheamus

2013’s Money In The Bank ladder match was brutal for the superstars who took part in it. Sheamus wasn’t the only wrestler who got injured that night, Rob Van Dam had a terrible cut in his head that needed staples to keep the wound shut.

CM Punk also suffered a nasty gash to his head during this match.

For his part, Sheamus suffered from a torn labrum in his shoulder who put him on the injury shelf for a few months. The injury occurred when RVD carelessly knocked over the ladder when Shamus was on top of it.

#4 Bubba Ray Dudley

Bubba Ray Dudley’s injury showed the danger of concussions during ladder matches

Eveytime the Dudley Boyz were in a ladder match, a tables match or a TLC match, they gave it everything they had. The took some terrible risks for the enjoyment of the fans and sometimes, the risks were too much.

During the 4th ever TLC match during an episode of Monday Night Raw in 2002, Bubba Ray Dudley took a bulldog of the ladder from Chris Jericho and suffered a severe concussion. In the footage it can clearly be seen that Bubba lands on his face.

Bubba Ray later said in an interview that he didn’t remember anything that happened during the match and prided himself on being a performer who can perform on autopilot in a situation like that.

#3 Chris Benoit

Chris Benoit needed to get neck fusion surgery

What Chris Benoit did on that summer day in June 2007, can certainly be attributed to some of the risks he took in the ring; from his diving headbutt finisher to the numerous headshots he took.

At the third ever TLC match during an episode of SmackDown in 2001, Jericho and Benoit were defending their tag-team titles against the Dudleys, the Hardys and E & C. During the match Benoit severly injured his neck and needed neck fusion surgery.

Although Benoit was kept out of action for many months due to this injury, in hindsight what’s more concerning is what long term affects such injuries had on Benoit.

#2 Joey Mercury

This one is the most gruesome looking injury on the list. And it did end up having long term ramifications on Joey Mercury’s in-ring career.

Armageddon 2006 had a 4 way ladder match for the tag team titles featuring MNM, the Hardy Boyz, William Regal & Dave Taylor and Brian Kendrick & Paul London. During the match, Mercury took and errant ladder to the face which shattered his nose.

Blood immediately gushed out of his nose and and the sight of his face covered in blood was graphic to say the least.

The injury marked the downturn in Mercury’s in-ring career. Even though he returned to in-ring action as a wrestler, he just wasn’t the same performer he used to be and transitioned into and eventual role as a road agent for WWE.

#1 Edge

For Edge it was the accumulation of punishment that he had taken during ladder matches that ended his career

The risks Edge took and the punishment his body took during his WWE career eventually caught up to him when he shockingly had to retire at the age of 37 after being diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis which causes the spinal canal to narrow.

Edge has been in more ladder matches than anyone else in WWE history even though ladders were the specialty of the Hardy Boyz. Although Edge didn’t suffer from any specific devastating injury’s it was more like all the bumps he had taken finally caught up with him and forced him into retirement.