WWE Superstar JD McDonagh opened up about his recent rib injury and the consequences faced after it during a recent guest appearance on the “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” podcast. He also spoke about his adventurous moment of taking an RKO from Randy Orton at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2023, among other things.
A few excerpts from the podcast are stated as under:
Discussing his rib injury: “Upon exiting the ring, failing to even reach the curtain, I was supported by Dom and Carlito while striding up the aisle. The pain was excruciating. I had no choice but to rest my hand on them, or I would have collapsed. I absolutely did not want to collapse in Gorilla as there were people awaiting for their chance to join the next match. It would have been wrong to showcase my pain to office folks. Hence, I decided to lay down at the other side of the curtain, not in sight of the audience. This led to speculations that I had collapsed backstage, courtesy of a photo showing my feet sticking out into the entrance way. However, I was simply resting and trying to catch my breath.”
Sharing about the WarGames RKO being his brainchild: “Absolutely, that was my idea. I initially thought of executing a moonsault off the cage. However, as Charlotte was already doing it, I thought of a comparatively dangerous alternative – super RKO. They were skeptical and asked if it can be done safely. I told them I would need to examine it thoroughly, check the height and then decide, but I was almost certain that it can be done.”
Reminiscing a childhood game: “We used to dare each other to jump from ascending heights with our hands behind the back and land on the crash mat. As we progressed, we gradually moved to jumping off a ladder in the ring onto the crash mat on the floor, our hands gently hooked behind our back.”
Recollecting his thoughts prior to the dangerous move: “Just when I was about to execute the move and Randy was approaching, I was reminded of my childhood stunts. The plan was simple: put your hands behind your back and let your head be there for him to grab and execute the RKO. Thank God, it all went well in the end.”
In a recently added video on his YouTube channel, WWE Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley shares his experiences as a producer in WWE, why he had to leave the role, and more.
Some snippets from the video are mentioned hereunder:
Discussing on why he left his producer role in WWE: “My departure from WWE as a producer had nothing to do with me. I had received a phone call stating that my services as a producer were not required anymore. Hence, they deemed it necessary to release me from the role.”
Expressing his disappointment: “I was really upset and affected by the news. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the talent behind the scenes. The transition from hating being a producer to loving it was surprising yet beautiful. The sad part was having to leave a job I loved. I never ruled out the possibility of future association with them. The future can be unpredictable, so I keep the doors open.”
Emphasizing on the producers’ significance in WWE: “Producers do not get the credit they most definitely deserve. Balancing between a sore big boss and upset talent is a tough ride. As a producer, you need to act as a buffer to keep the peace. Hence, it’s crucial to play fair to both sides and figure out how to make things work.”
Elaborating on a producer’s responsibilities: “The responsibilities of a WWE producer can’t be overlooked. I hope to work with them again in the future, helping the younger talent reach our level. While I miss wrestling and performing in front of the camera, I also found pleasure in working behind the scenes.”
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