JD McDonagh Shares Update on Recovery and Targets WWE Return Within a Month

JD McDonagh recently appeared on Insight With Chris Van Vliet, where he opened up about a range of topics, including his current injury status and recovery process.

Back in January, McDonagh sustained significant injuries during a match on WWE Raw while competing alongside Dominik Mysterio for the World Tag Team Titles against The War Raiders. The incident left him with broken ribs and a punctured lung, landing him in the hospital immediately after the bout. Although he initially took a hard bump where his neck struck the announce table, the injuries were localized to his torso. He is now sidelined for several months as he recovers.

On His Current Condition: McDonagh shared that he is gradually healing, stating, "Time heals all. I was not like this the first week or two after, but I am feeling a lot better now. My lungs are good. My ribs are good. I am just waiting for the bones to knit back together before they clear me."

On the Announce Table Spot: Reflecting on the moment that contributed to his injuries, he explained, "I needed to be on that side of the ring for something later on, so I decided to do it on the announce table side. I have done it before, but I was maybe a foot too far forward or back, and I wiped out."

On His Immediate Thoughts Post-Accident: McDonagh recalled the terrifying moment right after the impact: "In that moment, I was just thinking, when is the next breath going to come? I knew I had not hit my head that hard because I realized I had missed a spot in the match and knew what was coming up next. It was like an out-of-body experience, hearing Michael Cole's concern. I have heard him call for medics for others over the years, and suddenly, I was the one he was talking about."

On Continuing the Match: Despite the pain, McDonagh pushed forward: "Everything slows down in moments like that. I was not thinking about getting through the match; it was more like, 'Okay, what is next? Can I do that? Let’s do it.' I wiggled my fingers and toes and realized I could still move. I got a breath back and thought I could probably stand up. So I did."

On Assessing His Injury Mid-Match: Initially, he believed the damage was less severe than it turned out to be. "I thought it was maybe cracked ribs. I could feel my ribs on this side were like Rice Krispies under my skin—they were definitely messed up. I could not get a full lung of air, but I assumed it was just because I was winded from hitting the table. Then the adrenaline kicked in, and I was like, 'Okay, I can do this. I can get back in and do my part in the match.' I did not want to leave the guys hanging, especially because it was one of our first few weeks on Netflix. It was a huge audience, War Raiders’ first title defense—I did not want to quit. If I could stand up and keep going, then I was going to."

On Not Wanting to Stop: "The thought of stopping did not even enter my mind. The referee asked me what city we were in and what date it was. I told him I was okay, where we were, and what we were doing. I even told him to tell Dom I was fine and just needed a minute. He relayed the message, but he actually got heat for it online. WWE's doctor checked me over during the ad break, but I knew if she touched my ribs, she would not let me continue. Fortunately, she asked about my head and neck instead. A big moment was coming up in the match, so I knew I had to go."

On Adjusting His Final Move in the Match: One of McDonagh’s planned finishing sequences had to be altered due to his injuries. "Dom is going to kill me for telling this story, but we had a cool finish planned—619, I tag in, hit a 450, then bounce off, tag him back in, and he hits a Frog Splash. Late in the match, I had no energy and tried to tell him, 'I cannot do the 450,' but he did not hear me. He tagged me in anyway, and I realized I had to modify it. I opted for a moonsault instead because I have done that thousands of times and knew how to protect myself. Ivar is a big guy—good landing pad. I figured it would be my last big move of the match, so I made it count."

On His Condition Post-Match: The pain intensified after the match ended. "We did not even make it to the curtain before I had my arms over Dom and Carlito, and it was really hurting me. But I could not take my hands off them, or I would have collapsed. I did not want to fall in Gorilla in front of everyone, so I just lay down on the other side of the curtain to catch my breath. Fans saw my feet sticking out and thought I had collapsed backstage, but I just needed a moment."

On If He Considered That It Could Be His Last Match: "No, I do not think about that. I have been wrestling for 22 years—23 in September. I understand the risks, and I have seen careers end in an instant. But if you think about it too much, you psych yourself out."

On His Recovery Process: McDonagh has been taking careful steps in his rehabilitation. "I have been in the gym, doing low-impact cardio like skipping. Now, I have moved on to Pilates and other non-impactful exercises. I have not taken a bump yet, but that is the next step—getting back in the ring, hitting the ropes, and seeing how my body reacts."

On When He Plans to Return: Eager to be back in action, McDonagh set a hopeful timeline for his comeback. "I would love to be back yesterday. Watching the guys travel around makes me so jealous. They are going to Europe this week, they are doing Madison Square Garden on Monday—so if I could be back now, I would. But realistically, I am aiming for within a month. Whether that aligns with WWE’s medical clearance, we will see."