A match on WWE SmackDown was brought to a sudden end over injury scares.
On the January 12th episode of SmackDown, Austin Theory faced off against Carmelo Hayes. Theory attempted a top rope flatliner on Hayes and both men landed badly, knocking heads in the process. Referee Ryan Tran immediately called an end to the match over safety concerns. The YouTube highlights show a brief section of the match but do not show the spot that caused the match to be stopped prematurely.
In a positive update from WWE on social media, it was confirmed that both Superstars will be okay:
UPDATE: Following their match tonight on #SmackDown @_Theory1 and @Carmelo_WWE were evaluated for injuries. They both suffered face contusions, and will both be okay.
Another WWE Match Also Recently Stopped
This is the second time in 2024 that a referee has used their quick thinking and awareness to stop a match out of safety concerns. On the January 1st episode of Raw, Giovanni Vinci landed badly after being hit with a dropkick by Kofi Kingston. The match was stopped with the crowd being very understanding of what took place. In a further update, it was announced that the Raw star would be out for “a number of weeks.”
Featured image: WWE
