Several WWE Superstars have spoken out in defense of Nia Jax following a wave of online criticism that accused her of deliberately injuring Jade Cargill during a match on the September 26 episode of SmackDown. The backlash stemmed from an incident in the show’s main event that left Cargill with a legitimate injury.
The peer support began when former WWE star Bishop Dyer, also known as Baron Corbin, directly confronted a Twitter user’s allegation that Jax had acted with intent to harm.
“Dude shut the f–k up! You have no idea what you are talking about,” Dyer wrote.
SmackDown’s Chelsea Green later amplified Dyer’s message with her own statement of support for Jax. Green praised her colleague’s professionalism and her role within the company.
“The internet not knowing that Nia is one of the best is the biggest travesty. We’re lucky to have her as a locker room leader,” Green stated in a reply.
The controversy originated from the triple threat main event for the WWE Women’s Championship at the Kia Center in Orlando. During the contest between champion Tiffany Stratton, Jax, and Cargill, Jax threw Cargill toward the ringside steel steps, resulting in Cargill suffering a cut around her eye.
Despite the injury, the match concluded with Stratton pinning Jax to retain her title. The victory sets up a future champion vs. champion encounter, as Stratton will now face Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer for the newly announced WWE Crown Jewel Championship.
According to a report from TC WrestleVotes, Cargill’s injury necessitated a significant change to the match’s planned finish, with producer Tyson Kidd reportedly restructuring the closing sequence on the fly. This incident has revived past fan criticism regarding Jax’s in-ring safety, with some drawing comparisons to a previous match involving Kairi Sane.