WWE Rumors: Top NXT Star’s Injury Was ‘Made Out To Be Worse Than It Is,’ Per Dave Meltzer

On Sunday, Finn Balor suffered a broken jaw during his successful NXT Championship defense against Kyle O’Reilly at the TakeOver: 31 pay-per-view. However, the latest update on his status suggests that his injury might not be that severe after all.

As quoted by WrestlingNews.co, Dave Meltzer explained on Thursday’s edition of Wrestling Observer Radio that he was informed by a WWE source that Balor’s injury is legitimate and not part of a storyline. However, he noted that company officials appear to have made it appear more serious than it actually is.

“I was told…it’s not inaccurate, but I was told that it was made out to be worse than it is, whatever that means from somebody there. I mean he’s got a broken jaw, but that’s what I was told.”

Although it’s still unclear how much time Balor might have to miss, Ringside News noted that it normally takes about six to eight weeks to recover from the injury he suffered.

According to Meltzer’s co-host Bryan Alvarez, WWE is apparently monitoring Balor’s situation and waiting for the inflammation to subside before determining the extent of his medical issue. He did, however, suggest that the promotion already has a full grasp of the situation, hence its decision not to strip him of the NXT Championship. This could mean officials aren’t anticipating any setbacks that would force the Irish wrestler to miss more than a few months of action.

Per Comic Book, Balor and O’Reilly’s match reportedly had to be cut short once the defending champion realized he was seriously hurt.

Balor took to Twitter on Wednesday afternoon to confirm that he broke his jaw “in two places” and that he is “still the CHAMPION.” He also shared a pair of photos with his post, including one of an X-ray showing where he was injured, as well as a snap that featured him and O’Reilly following their match at TakeOver: 31. You can view the post here.

This isn’t the first time that Balor has gotten injured while holding one of WWE’s top titles. As recalled by Comic Book, he became the first person to hold the Universal Championship after it was launched in the summer of 2016, but he had to relinquish the title just one day later due to a torn labrum he suffered during his title match against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. As a result, he was sidelined for close to nine months, and he was mostly used in a mid-card role on the main roster following his return.