3-Time WWE Champion May Never Wrestle Again

3-time WWE Champion Piper Niven has been out of action for four months.

Niven suffered a serious neck injury during her Friday Night SmackDown match against Charlotte Flair on August 22, 2025, at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.

The injury stemmed from cumulative wear and tear exacerbated by a specific bump in the bout, which she won but has kept her sidelined since.

WWE Star Piper Niven’s Injury Might Be Career-Ending

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez commented on Niven’s neck injury. The topic came up while discussing the risks of neck injuries in modern professional wrestling.

Alvarez revealed that Niven’s injury is being described internally as potentially career-threatening in WWE.

I mean, there’s been a lot of talk that this one’s a career ender. It is her neck, and it’s the same deal, you know, it was wear and tear, and took a bump, and that was it.

As of late December 2025, Niven remains out indefinitely with no return timeline.

There are several WWE and pro wrestling superstars who saw their in-ring careers end prematurely due to severe neck injuries.

For instance, WWE legend Edge (aka Cope) retired in 2011 after a cervical stenosis diagnosis from multiple neck surgeries.

AEW star Bryan Danielson was forced out in 2016 due to repeated concussions and neck issues.

William Regal had multiple neck surgeries, which led to a full-time coaching role in the 2000s.

Saraya also had to retire due to a severe neck injury she sustained on October 7, 2017, during a WWE live event.

Many superstars who suffered neck injuries later returned to the ring, coming out of retirement years later.

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H/T F4WOnline.com