Daniel Bryan was forced to hand over the WWE Heavyweight Championship and World Heavyweight Championship due to injury.
Injuries in wrestling happen nightly, but it’s rare that a wrestler is forced to give up the gold because he physically can’t go. Daniel Bryan is one of several superstars to lose his gold without every losing a match.
Here are five other instances where wrestlers had to hand over a world title because their body couldn’t compete.
The one-armed Viper
Batista was forced to vacate the World Heavyweight Championship title due to a bicep injury at the hands of Sexy Fudge Mark Henry. For the first time in WWE history, a championship vacancy was filled on the same day the title became vacant because someone planned ahead. Kurt Angle won a battle royal to win the vacant title. Batista’s first World Heavyweight Championship reign lasted just nine months, or as Daniel Bryan calls it, “forever.”
Cena’s torn tits
Champ John Cena suffered a torn right pectoral tendon on an episode of Raw in 2007 and the championship was declared vacant. Cena was scheduled to defend the WWE Championship against Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing Match at No Mercy. Orton was crowned champion by Vince McMahon at the start of the pay per view and wound up both losing and regaining the title from Triple H that night and thank God I’ve forgotten most of this crap.
Punk punting
At Unforgiven 2008, the World Heavyweight Championship was up for grabs in a scramble match but a few minutes before the match, Randy Orton punted champion CM Punk in the head. Punk was forced to miss the match and he was replaced by Chris Jericho. Jericho won the vacant title in the scramble match beating Batista, Rey Mysterio, Kane, and JBL.
Orton strikes again, again
Another title stripping thanks to the Viper. In 2009, Batista won the WWE Championship from Randy Orton in a steel cage match at Extreme Rules. The following night, Orton attacked Batista and his trick bicep started acting up. Batista was forced him to vacate the title. On the next episode of Raw, Orton won the title by beating Triple H, John Cena, and the Big Show in a Fatal 4-Way Match. Batista’s title reign lasted only a day, or as Daniel Bryan calls it, “forever.”
On the Edge of permanent disability
Edge took a precautionary MRI one day after successfully defending his World Heavyweight Championship against Alberto Del Rio at WrestleMania XXVII. A week later, he was forced to announce his retirement due to a neck condition. Doctor’s refusing to ever medically clear him to wrestle again. A Ladder Match between Christian and Alberto Del Rio was held at Extreme Rules to crown a new champion. Christian won the title thanks to the help of Edge and the Rated-R superstar became Rated Retired.