The Most Dangerous Wrestling Moves – Past And Present

Wrestling may be scripted, but people can get seriously hurt by some of the wrestling moves. Just look at WWE’s Paige, Edge and Daniel Bryan, who all suffered career-ending injuries. Luckily some of them have healed enough to return, but take a look at these killer moves.

Samoa Joe’s Muscle Buster

Samoa Joe had one of the most dangerous wrestling moves back in NXT. The Muscle Buster involved lifting another wrestler, tucking in the neck and the head, and then dropping them down.

While Joe had been doing this move for many years without any problems, it is the move that had serious repercussions for Tyson Kidd, and pretty much ended his career. While neither man was to blame for it, the move has been banned from television.

Making A Return In The WWE – The Canadian Destroyer

The Canadian Destroyer was first done by a wrestler called Petey Williams. While Williams is mainly known for his appearances in Impact Wrestling, his move has traveled the world.

One of the wrestlers who uses this move in the WWE is none other than Rey Mysterio. Rey is known for his high-flying and bold moves, so it is not unusual that Rey Mysterio has this move in his arsenal.

Even though The Canadian Destroyer is not banned from the WWE, it is a move that do serious harm if done wrong. If the move is done incorrectly, the wrestler in question could land wrong on his neck. It is also important to know that the move was on the banned moves list at one time.

The Fear Of The WWE Women’s Division – The Rack Attack

You may wonder why this particular move has made it to our list of most dangerous wrestling moves. While it may not look as spectacular as the Muscle Buster or the Canadian Destroyer, this move is surprisingly dangerous.

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Nikki Bella’s Rack Attack is not as dangerous for the wrestler who takes it, but it is extremely dangerous for the wrestler executing it. The Rack Attack was Nikki’s finisher for the longest time, but she eventually had to stop using it. The sheer pressure on Nikki’s neck saw her suffer multiple and serious neck injuries. She would even perform a dance about the injury during her stint at Dancing with the Stars, where she met her current fiancé and future father of her baby Artem.

Chair Shot To The Head

You will be relieved to know that a full-blown chair shot to the head is actually banned in the WWE. And, there is good reason for it. This particular move has been responsible for concussions, brain bleeds, and even long-term health problems such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. It is scary to think that this move has been used by most wrestlers before it was banned.

While the chair shot to the head is on the banned moves list, you will see many variants of this move in wrestling. Needless to say, it can still go horribly wrong!

The Diving Headbutt – A Move Being Phased Out Of The WWE

Some of the most dangerous wrestling moves in this overview were created entirely by accident. The diving headbutt is one such move. Of course, this does not make the move any less dangerous.

Many wrestlers have used this move including Chris Benoit and Daniel Bryan. It involves jumping off the top rope and heading straight toward the other person’s head, which poses substantial danger for both parties involved.

It is no surprise that this move is being phased out, especially when you consider the backstory of Chris Benoit. Long story short, he basically ended up killing his family and then himself. It was later believed that serious brain damage was the cause of his horrendous actions. Despite his behavior, many fans are still calling for a Hall of Fame induction for the deceased wrestler.

Rarely Used Tiger Driver

Even though the Tiger Driver looks incredibly impressive, you will not see it a lot in WWE wrestling. Once again, the reason is because of the danger it poses.

To execute the Tiger Driver, a wrestler needs to wrap the opponent’s arms up, then flip them to do a forwards facing powerbomb. The danger about this move? You’ve guessed it! The neck.

For this move to be harmless, the wrestler in question needs to land on their back. However, if the force is just a little off, the opponent could land on their neck with disastrous consequences.

The Strong-Style Burning Hammer

The Burning Hammer was invented by one of the most legendary Japanese wrestlers of all time, Kenta Kobashi. Interestingly, he only used this move seven times over the entirety of his career. This shows just how dangerous it really is.

To execute a Burning Hammer, a wrestler has to execute an inverted Death Valley Driver. It means that the opponent can land on the neck and spine, which in turn could cause serious injury. Only a handful of wrestlers use this move to this day. Most of them don’t even attempt it, and for good reason.

The Piledriver

One variant of the Piledriver may be very familiar to you. The Tombstone Piledriver is used often by The Undertaker and Kane. However, the original Piledriver is more dangerous.

The Piledriver causes the opponent to almost land on their head, so even a slight mistake can cause serious injury. One wrestler who suffered a serious injury because of this move is Stone Cold Steve Austin. He suffered a broken neck after being dropped on his head. In other words, there is absolutely no room for error with this move. Nevertheless, the move is still being used on a regular basis.

Should All Dangerous Moves Be Banned?

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Short answer to that question is no, because wrestlers train to execute these moves. Nevertheless, there are some moves where the risk is simply too high and this should be considered by wrestling promoters. Wrestlers put their bodies on the line every time they enter a match, but it should be within reason.