Braun Strowman is one of the biggest fan favorites in WWE today, but an injury he suffered almost three years ago nearly ended his career.

Strowman got his start with The Wyatt Family after getting called up from NXT. He joined the faction for several months before branching out on his own and slowly beginning a rise into the main event scene as a singles competitor.

He has now since evolved into one of the WWE Universe's most favorite characters and has challenged for the Universal Title on several occasions.

Strowman also has had a few different run ins with Brock Lesnar at events such as No Mercy and the Royal Rumble. Plans for Strowman are currently up in the air as we head into WrestleMania, but there's no doubting he will hold the Universal or WWE Championship down the road.

He recently joined Busted Open Radio to talk about his rise in WWE. During that conversation he revealed how an injury he suffered three years ago nearly ended his professional wrestling career (quotes via NoDQ.com):

“The one thing, if I could go back and do it all over, just at the beginning, being a little bit smarter with protecting myself and my brand, you know being a big man and not letting people talk me into dumb things that I shouldn’t be doing.

"Injuries happen, and one injury in particular was really close to ending my career, I ruptured a disc and it cut into my side nerve and it paralyzed my left leg.

"The folks with WWE, they take such great care of us with injuries, and making sure we’re running at peak performance.

"I went to Pittsburgh with one of the head neurosurgeons in the country, and they got in there and I had to be pushed through the airport to the plane and into the hospital in a wheelchair.

"My leg was 100% paralyzed, I couldn’t use it. I went in and had surgery, and an hour and a half after I came out of anesthesia I got up and walked to my recovery room.

"The man upstairs has looked out for me throughout these times with stuff like that, and with veterans like Mark [Henry] and Big Show and the big men that have paved the road for where I’m going now.

"Taking me under their wing and teaching me a lot of the things to do, and the things not to do; I couldn’t have been put in a better position with everything.

"I’ve just… I feel like I’ve hit the wrestling lottery.”

What are your thoughts on Strowman saying that he almost had his career ended several years ago due to an injury? How much different do you think the professional wrestling landscape would be without Braun Strowman today? And how big of a fan of "The Monster Among Men" are you? Have YOUR say in the comments section below, and the fourth episode of GiveMeSport’s WWE podcast is here!

Check it out via this link: https://soundcloud.com/user-818579649/gms-wwe-podcast-money-in-the-bank-fallout

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