WWE Rumors on Injuries to Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, Shayna Baszler After SummerSlam
August 11, 2023
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
Lesnar Reportedly Suffered Injury vs. Rhodes at SummerSlam
Brock Lesnar reportedly got injured during the early stages of his loss to Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam last weekend.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), Lesnar suffered an undisclosed injury, but was able to work through it and put on one of the best performances of the night.
Meltzer noted that while Lesnar was initially advertised for other shows this year, the current plan is for him to not return until the build toward Royal Rumble in January.
Lesnar took the fight to Rhodes at SummerSlam, but The American Nightmare kept battling and ultimately scored a pinfall victory after hitting The Beast Incarnate with three consecutive Cross Rhodes.
Shockingly, Lesnar shook Rhodes' hand and embraced him after the match, which is something Brock hasn't done often over the course of his career.
That seemed like the ideal way to write Lesnar off television for the time being, as it sets the stage for him to potentially return as a babyface when he re-enters the fold.
Meltzer speculated that things could change and Lesnar could return sooner than anticipated, such as at a show in Saudi Arabia in November, but for now, it is possible fans have seen the last of Lesnar in 2023.
Reigns Reportedly Dealing with Hip or Back Injury
Undisputed WWE universal champion Roman Reigns reportedly got injured early in his SummerSlam match against Jey Uso while absorbing a dive to the outside of the ring.
According to Meltzer (h/t Upton), the move either injured Reigns' hip or back, and it happened at about the five-minute mark of a match that lasted for over a half hour.
Reigns appeared hobbled after taking the move, but most fans likely assumed that he was merely selling the impact rather than nursing a legitimate injury.
The match between Reigns and Uso at SummerSlam was Tribal Combat, meaning there were no holds barred. Because of that, the combatants used plenty of weaponry and spent a significant amount of time brawling outside the ring.
Jey seemed poised to beat Reigns for the title and the role of Tribal Chief, but his twin brother Jimmy Uso returned and shockingly turned on Jey.
That allowed Reigns to score the victory and continue a world title run that has now lasted well beyond 1,000 days.
SummerSlam marked Reigns' first televised title defense since WrestleMania 39 in April, so even if Reigns has an injury that will keep him out of the ring for a while, WWE can work around it if need be.
No indication has been given regarding how significant Reigns' injury is, but he impressed by working through it at SummerSlam and delivering another quality match, which has been a hallmark of his championship reign.
Baszler Reportedly Suffered Thumb Injury vs. Rousey at SummerSlam
Shayna Baszler scored arguably the biggest win of her career at SummerSlam, but it didn't come without a price.
According to Meltzer (h/t Upton), Baszler broke her right thumb and suffered a black eye during her MMA Rules victory over Ronda Rousey last weekend.
In what may have been Rousey's final match in WWE for a significant amount of time or perhaps ever, Baszler took the fight to her and caused her to pass out in the Kirifuda Clutch.
Baszler and Rousey, who have long been close friends in real dating back to their time together in UFC, engaged in a hard-hitting and physical affair that came across as more real than a typical pro wrestling match.
When Baszler showed up two nights later on Raw, it was evident that she had been in a fight, as her eye was nearly swollen shut, and she had a cast on one of her arms.
Even so, Baszler confronted Zoey Stark and beat her in a match before also having a run-in with Becky Lynch later in the night.
Baszler was once a dominant force in NXT, and while she has had her moments on the WWE main roster, she has not reached the same level she achieved in NXT.
A clean win over Rousey could be the catalyst she needed to reach the next level, and working through injuries could earn her even more respect from the fans as well.
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