4 WWE Superstars who got injured just before Royal Rumble 2025

WWE Superstar JD McDonagh suffered a horrific injury on RAW before Royal Rumble 2025 (image via WWE.com)
The Royal Rumble is just a few days away. [Images via Finn Balor's X & WWE.com]

We are inching closer to Royal Rumble 2025, with top WWE Superstars from RAW and SmackDown fighting tooth and nail to gain momentum. However, there are a few who have unfortunately suffered injuries.

One name on this list may be ruled out of action as part of a storyline injury, but others suffered a cruel fate that would see them miss out on the coveted premium live event this weekend.

Here, we look at four WWE Superstars who have suffered an injury right before Royal Rumble 2025. So, without further ado, let's begin:


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#4. JD McDonagh suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung on WWE RAW before the Royal Rumble

The final episode of WWE RAW before the Royal Rumble saw JD McDonagh suffer a horrific injury during a title match. He competed alongside Dominik Mysterio, who stepped up in the absence of Finn Balor, as The Judgment Day members challenged The War Raiders for the World Tag Team Championship. However, a scary spot in the match saw McDonagh perform a Moonsault off-the-top rope. This led to his head bouncing off the commentary desk.

The 34-year-old went on to complete the match, after which he reportedly collapsed backstage. Reports after the show stated that he was rushed to the hospital immediately. Later, McDonagh took to his X (FKA Twitter) account to share his gratitude for fans' concern and support.

The RAW Superstar further revealed that he has suffered a couple of broken ribs and a punctured lung and will be taking a couple of months off for recovery. This effectively rules JD out of the Men's Royal Rumble, but he may just be back in time for WrestleMania 41.


#3. Dakota Kai reportedly suffered a concussion recently

Backstage reports recently suggested WWE pulled Dakota Kai from upcoming events after she suffered an injury during her match on last week's RAW. The Damage CTRL member seemingly took a rough bump when subjected to a Missile Dropkick in her tag team match against Pure Fusion Collective's Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler.

Additional reports have claimed that the Auckland-born star suffered a concussion during the spot and has been pulled from the upcoming events. This means King Kota will not compete in the Women's Royal Rumble Match this weekend. As of this writing, there is no clear update on when she will be back in action. This leaves IYO SKY as the only member of Damage CTRL who will enter the ring in the highly anticipated 30-woman bout.


#2. Sami Zayn was caught bleeding on WWE RAW this week

Sami Zayn is at the center of an interesting plot heading into the Royal Rumble, with many considering him a dark horse in the 30-man over-the-top-rope elimination match. He was in action on WWE RAW's final episode before the Royal Rumble, competing in a singles match against Drew McIntyre. However, a scary spot during the match has raised concerns over his potential injury.

The Underdog from The Underground was seen bleeding profusely during a spot in the match after he performed a DDT. The worrying sight hinted at Zayn possibly having suffered a broken nose, raising questions over his availability in the upcoming Men's Royal Rumble Match.


#1. Jacob Fatu destroys Braun Strowman a week before the Royal Rumble

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Braun Strowman and Jacob Fatu locked horns in a singles match at Saturday Night's Main Event last week. The Tribal Wolf snapped during the match and sent the referee flying outside the ring, leading to the match official calling for the bell.

What followed was a series of unhinged attacks from Fatu that left Strowman helpless in the middle of the ring. The former Universal Champion was left bruised and bloodied inside the ring, while The Samoan Werewolf took out the security team with a steel chair before hitting Strowman with multiple Moonsaults.

The segment raised concerns over the creative team's potential plans to write The Monster of All Monsters off television right before the Royal Rumble.

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Edited by Yash Mittal
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