Down Again: Current WWE Champion “Banged Up”, Out Of Action

He’s out for a bit. There are all kinds of ways a wrestler can get hurt and you never know how long someone is going to be out of action. They can take place either all at once or build up over time but either of them are going to leave someone on the shelf. WWE has been having some injury issues in recent weeks and now they have another name on the injury list.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: All Cleared Up: Monday Night Raw Star Returns From Suspension, Set For Royal Rumble
According to PWInsider.com, NXT Tag Team Champion Xavier Woods is currently not medically cleared to compete due to an undisclosed injury. Woods is described as being “banged up”, though he is expected to be back in the ring by the Royal Rumble or perhaps even sooner. Woods’ most recent match was a six man tag during a WWE live event on December 27.
Woods is quite good when he is around. Check out what he can do when he is healthy:
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Injury Update on Johnny Gargano; Out of Action Temporarily

You hate to see it. Tonight on RAW, Candice LaRae mentioned in a backstage interview that her husband, Johnny Gargano, suffered an injury at a recent WWE event.
Gargano took to Twitter to confirm the report, saying the following:
I injured my shoulder at a live event in Toronto (ironic?), and the medical team is going to protect me from myself for a bit.. but you better believe I’m going to do EVERYTHING I can to get back in that ring so I can be that guy you all know I can be. Just let me in that Rumble!
I injured my shoulder at a live event in Toronto (ironic?), and the medical team is going to protect me from myself for a bit.. but you better believe I'm going to do EVERYTHING I can to get back in that ring so I can be that guy you all know I can be. Just let me in that Rumble!
— Johnny Gargano (@JohnnyGargano) January 10, 2023
It is unknown how long he will be out of action.
Gargano made his return to WWE on the August 22, 2022 episode of RAW, after not renewing his NXT ..

Monday Night Raw Results – January 9, 2023

Monday Night Raw
Date: January 9, 2023
Location: Legacy Arena, Birmingham, Alabama
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves
We’re back to the red show and closing in on the Royal Rumble. There are only three names announced for the Royal Rumbles so far and that means some spots need to be filled. Odds are some of that is done tonight but there is the chance that they’re leaving some surprises this year. Let’s get to it.
Opening sequence.
Here is Kevin Owens to get things going and the fans seem to like him. Before he can say much though, here is JBL to interrupt. After insulting the crowd, JBL says no one is buying Owens having a chance against Roman Reigns. JBL brings out Baron Corbin to insult the fans even more, including some University of Alabama insults. Owens buries his face in the turnbuckle as Corbin gets in every standard insult you can imagine. He says he was in a “JBL and Baron Corbin were talking for three minutes but didn’t say anything” coma but for now he’s willing ..

All Cleared Up: Monday Night Raw Star Returns From Suspension, Set For Royal Rumble

Welcome back. There are so many wrestlers on the WWE roster that it is almost impossible to keep all of them on television at the same time. At some point some of them have to go and that makes for some timely absences. It also sets up some nice returns down the line though, as you can get see someone come back, often in a surprise. That was the situation again this week in a big way.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: He’s Special: Eric Bischoff Claims Brock Lesnar Has This Special Privilege In WWE
Bobby Lashley made a surprise return this week on Monday Night Raw, announcing that his suspension was over and that he would be entering the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match. Later in the show, MVP tried to convince Lashley to rejoin the Hurt Business but was turned down. This was Lashley’s first appearance on television since the December 12, 2022 Monday Night Raw, when he was suspended for attacking WWE officials.
Lashley is a force. Check out what is back on Monday Night Raw:
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Ouch: New AEW Star Injured At Big Independent Show Over The Weekend

That could be bad. Injuries are one of the worst things that can happen in wrestling. Not only do they put a wrestler on the shelf for an undetermined period of time, but they also can happen out of nowhere. Some injuries are built up over time and then flare up during a match, which appears to have been the case with a national star who was appearing for a major independent show.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The More You Know: AEW’s Kyle O’Reilly Opens Up About His Absence, Dealing With Health Issues
Over the weekend, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla presented its annual Battle Of Los Angeles tournament. According to Wrestling Observer Radio, Bandido was injured during the two night event, though he was still able to wrestle both of his matches. Bandido is said to have injured his neck in a match with Black Taurus and El Hijo de Vikingo and was slowed down during his match the following night with Kommander. The injury is described as something that has “flared up” multiple times over the last few..

He’s Special: Eric Bischoff Claims Brock Lesnar Has This Special Privilege In WWE

That’s a special status. There are all kinds of wrestlers in WWE but only a handful of them reach the top level. Those are the names who can get away with quite a bit more than the rest and are given a good bit of leeway. You can see them in various special situations which feel very different from anything else. Now we have another legend suggesting that a current star has such a different status.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: VIDEO: Sami Zayn Tries To Be Roman Reigns In Huge Main Event
WWE Hall Of Famer appeared on the Strictly Business podcast where he discussed the idea of wrestlers having creative control in their contracts. Bischoff alleged that Brock Lesnar has such control in his WWE contract and “exercises the hell out of it”. Lesnar wrestles a limited schedule for WWE and reportedly gets to hand pick his opponents. There is no word on when he will be wrestling next.
Lesnar has been a force in WWE. Check out some of his recent exploits:
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The More You Know: AEW’s Kyle O’Reilly Opens Up About His Absence, Dealing With Health Issues

That’s a lot going on. Wrestlers have a lot of difficulties throughout their careers and many of them can be rather complicated to deal with on a regular basis. In some cases that is even more difficult than others, as you will occasionally find a wrestler who has more issues than their colleagues. One suck wrestler is having that kind of a problem and has a good deal to say about it.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Try Him: AEW Reportedly Planning Push For Popular Star
AEW’s Kyle O’Reilly has not wrestled a match since June 8, 2022 on Dynamite. Since then, O’Reilly has been dealing with an unspecified health issue that has kept him out of action for over seven months. O’Reilly made a post to Instagram over the weekend, talking about how he has to come back better than he left. He also discusses working with a specialist to deal with his Type-1 diabetes and a transmitter to monitor his blood sugar. There is no word on when O’Reilly will be returning to the ring.
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VIDEO: Sami Zayn Tries To Be Roman Reigns In Huge Main Event

The sincerest form of flattery. There are several stories taking place in WWE at the moment, but almost all of them pale in comparison to the Bloodline. The biggest story in the company, the Bloodline saga has seen people come and go, with everything revolving around Roman Reigns. This includes Sami Zayn, who showed what kind of a fan he was over the weekend.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Thinking Behind It: Here Is WWE’s Reasoning Behind Taking Money In The Bank To London
On Saturday night, WWE ran a live even in Jackson, Mississippi, featuring a main event of the Bloodline facing Braun Strowman/the Brawling Brutes. During the match, Zayn used Roman Reigns’ Superman Punch on Strowman and tried a spear, though Strowman countered the latter. Zayn used Reigns’ traditional poses before both moves. This is something Zayn has done occasionally since joining the team.
This is something that Reigns has earned. Check out Zayn’s imitation and the two on better terms:
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The Thinking Behind It: Here Is WWE’s Reasoning Behind Taking Money In The Bank To London

The big time. We are in a new year and that means it is time to start doing new things in WWE. That can include all kinds of new concepts, or perhaps doing something in a different way. WWE has a lot of options open to it and some of those can be rather interesting. One such change has already been announced and now we know a good bit more about how the plan came into being.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: They’re Up? Former NXT Champions Make Main Roster Debuts
Last week, WWE announced that it would be holding its annual Money In The Bank event this year at the 02 Arena in London, England, marking the first time the event has been held outside of North America. According to Fightful Select, WWE could have held the show in a stadium and sold it out, but they felt that the 02 is the “Madison Square Garden of England” and wanted to run the venue. In addition, running Money In The Bank in England makes the event feel like one of the biggest of the year.
There have been some big ones. Check out ..

They’re Up? Former NXT Champions Make Main Roster Debuts

They might be next. NXT is in a unique situation in the wrestling world as its purpose is to repopulate the WWE main roster. Therefore, despite being a wrestling show on national television, NXT exists for its wrestlers to move up to the next level. You can occasionally see a sign that a wrestler is moving up and that might be taking place again with a pair of NXT stars.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: Kurt Angle Kisses Undertaker At WWE Live Event, Undertaker Isn’t Happy
According to PWInsider.com, Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson/Elton Prince) will be working this weekend’s WWE live events. This will be the team’s main roster debut, though there is no word on if they will be called up anytime soon. Pretty Deadly are currently feuding with New Day over the NXT Tag Team Titles, having lost the titles to New Day last month at Deadline.
The team is rather unique. Check out the two of them at their best:
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