JD McDonagh has provided an update on his return timeline following the serious injury he suffered during the January 27 edition of WWE RAW.
The Judgment Day member sustained broken ribs and a punctured lung from a horrific landing during the broadcast. McDonagh shared details about his current condition during a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet.
McDonagh confirmed his lungs and ribs are healing well, though he is still waiting for his bones to fully heal before receiving medical clearance to return to the ring.
His rehabilitation process has progressed from low-impact cardio to more substantial training activities. McDonagh stated he began with skipping exercises and light cardio before advancing to Pilates and other non-impact workouts.
McDonagh addressed his current lung capacity during the conversation with Van Vliet.
I’m feeling a lot better now—my lungs are good, my ribs are good. I’m just waiting for the bones to knit back together before they clear me. I punctured my lung with my seventh rib. It didn’t feel great.
The WWE star explained his gradual return to physical conditioning while noting he has not yet taken any bumps in the ring.
I’m back in the gym. I was doing skipping and really low-impact cardio for a couple of weeks, and now I’ve progressed to Pilates and other non-impactful stuff. I haven’t taken a bump yet—that would be the next step.
McDonagh expressed his eagerness to return to action during the interview.
Yes, I got full capacity in my lungs back, thank God. I’d love to be back yesterday. I’m so bored watching the boys travel around—I’m so jealous. If I could be back, I’d be back right now.
McDonagh provided a specific timeframe for his potential return to WWE television.
Hopefully, I’m going to put a timeframe on it and say within a month, I’ll be back. That’s what I’m working towards, and whether the WWE doctors align with that, we’ll see.
If McDonagh returns within his projected timeline, he could potentially be back in action just before WrestleMania 41.
WWE has not issued an official statement regarding McDonagh’s recovery status or return date.