A series of significant injury updates surfaced on Wrestling Observer Live, as Bryan Alvarez discussed the status of Jey Uso, Tiffany Stratton, and Piper Niven.
Jey Uso was placed in concussion protocol after taking a brutal chair shot to the face during Saturday’s tag match against Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. While Jey later posted on social media that he was “good,” Alvarez shared WWE’s latest stance: “As of this morning, WWE claims that he’s fine, which sounds to me like he’s been cleared.”
The situation with Tiffany Stratton is more complicated. A Triple Threat match between Stratton, Jade Cargill, and Nia Jax is scheduled for this Friday’s SmackDown, yet WWE now claims Stratton was never actually injured. “Now they’re claiming she was never hurt,” Alvarez said.
This contradicts recent events. Stratton appeared hurt during her September 12 SmackDown match with Cargill, leading NXT General Manager Ava to announce she was not cleared for NXT Homecoming. Lyra Valkyria was named as her replacement. Alvarez disputed WWE’s explanation, suggesting the planned match was rescheduled for a different reason:
“The three-way scheduled for next week’s SmackDown was supposed to be on this ESPN show… I think Nick Khan claimed that it was pulled because they ran out of time. Listen everybody, Tiffany was hurt. I presume she’s going to wrestle on Friday. It was not pulled because they ran out of time. It was pulled because she was not cleared. So color me skeptical whenever they talk about anyone’s injury status or anything like that.”
Finally, Alvarez shared the most troubling news regarding Piper Niven. Out since the August 22 SmackDown taping in Dublin, Ireland, Niven was previously reported injured by Fightful Select. Alvarez elaborated: “There’s concern that it could be career ending, so whatever it is, I mean, it’s serious. Hopefully she can come back but she is out due to injury.”