A match between Ilja Dragunov and Ridge Holland ended in a No Contest following what appeared to be an injury sustained by the NXT Champion.
This led to Dragunov being stretchered out by medical staff to close the 12/19 edition of NXT.
The moment has led to a lot of speculation amongst fans as to whether Dragunov was legitimately injured, considering Holland’s connection to an injury sustained by Big E in 2022.
Reports have confirmed that the “injury” is actually an angle, and Fightful Select recently noted that some people in the company thought the angle was too controversial, but ultimately went through with it.
The report goes on to reveal that, per their source, “everyone seemed happy with the performance and camera work of the segment,” with producers notably pleased with the audience reaction.
It was also noted that those in attendance were aware of the angle, as the next set of tapings began immediately following the moment in question.