When they say wrestling isn’t ballet, JD McDonagh might just laugh—if only his ribs weren’t shattered. Following a daredevil springboard moonsault on the January 27 episode of WWE Raw, McDonagh found himself in the hospital instead of the winner’s circle, earning him a couple of broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a new nickname: The (Accidentally) High-Flying Irishman.
The Judgment Day’s quest to reclaim the WWE World Tag Team Championships from The War Raiders didn’t just come up short—it came at a literal cost to McDonagh’s insides. After what looked like a neck-snapping landing, initial fears were allayed when WWE confirmed it was his ribs, not his head, that took the brunt of the impact. Because, you know, that’s so much better.
McDonagh himself took to X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) to assure fans he’s alive and relatively okay. “First off, thanks to everyone for the messages and the concern. I’m good. I’ve got a couple of broken ribs and a punctured lung, so I’m going to be out for a couple months. All things considered, it could have been a lot worse, so I’m grateful for that. See ya in a bit.”
“Could have been worse” is a mood for a guy who not only finished the match but also made it backstage before collapsing. Now that’s Irish grit—or maybe a medically inadvisable adrenaline rush.
McDonagh’s 2024 saw him rule the tag division alongside Finn Balor after dethroning The Miz and R-Truth in June. Together, they took on all comers, from The New Day to The War Raiders, before ultimately dropping the belts back to the Raiders in December. Unfortunately, McDonagh’s current injury means no Royal Rumble return, no WrestleMania moment, and potentially no ribs left to break.
Get well soon, JD—and maybe consider toning down the aerial stunts. Or at least get some padded ribs for your return.