Browsing: Botched

The November 24, episode of WWE RAW went down at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The main event match saw a tag team contest that would go on to change WarGames.

The Menâ€s WarGames match at WWE Survivor Series 2025 will feature Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, and Jimmy Uso against Brock Lesnar, Drew McIntyre, Logan Paul, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed. We need to know which team will have the advantage in that match, and that went down this week on RAW.

The Usos represented the babyface team during the WarGames advantage match tonight. They were taking on Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul, even though The Maverick wasnâ€t thrilled about getting booked for that match.

This match had fans going the whole time, and it stretched through a commercial break. Jimmy Uso nailed a spear and an Uso Splash on Logan Paul, but Drew McIntyre was able to break it up. Then things kept going as everyone ended up taking damage.

Bron Breakker arrived at ringside with Bronson Reed by his side. They woke Logan Paul up, but then Cody Rhodes and CM Punk ran down to get involved. The babyfaces took the heels to the woodshed around the ring as the match carried on. Then Jey Uso nailed a splash on everyone as Logan Paul rolled Jimmy Uso up for a quick pinfall to win the match.

The heels have the advantage at WarGames, but the night wasnâ€t over. The babyface team started beating up the heels, and then Roman Reigns came down to really help out. Finally, Brock Lesnar came out, and he fell as he did his typical entrance. That didnâ€t stop him, as he invaded the ring to take on the babyfaces. The show ended with chaos in the ring, but few will forget about Lesnarâ€s slip and fall.

Whatâ€s your take on the WarGames match this year? Which team will end up winning? Will you be watching live on Saturday night? Let us know what you think in the comments section!

November 24, 2025 10:36 pm

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Jinder Mahalâ€s time in WWE was marred by a lot of untimely injuries, especially during his second run. In light of that, Mahal has now revealed how WWE actually botched an injury and made him miss even more time.

While speaking on Inside the Ropes, Jinder Mahal told a crazy story about how he got hurt. He said injuries often seem to happen in threes, like deaths or accidents. First, Mickie James tore her ACL. The next week, Lars Sullivan did the same. Then, the third week, during a live show in Denver, Jinder was wrestling Mustafa Ali in their first singles match.

“Man, you want to hear a crazy story? So, how I got injured — itâ€s wild. They say things come in threes, right? Injuries, deaths… even knee injuries.

So first, Mickie James tears her ACL. The next week, Lars Sullivan tears his ACL. Then, the third week, weâ€re in Denver for a live event. Iâ€m wrestling Mustafa Ali — weâ€re about to have this awesome match, our first singles together. Some of the boys are talking about Lars, saying heâ€d only been back two weeks and already tore his ACL.â€

Before the match, some wrestlers were talking about how Lars had just come back and already got hurt again. Jinder had been in WWE for almost ten years and had never been injured.

Joking around, he said he had tried to get hurt but never could. Then he realized what he said and tried to knock on wood, but the only thing near him was a plastic table. He knocked on it, and that same night, he tore his patella tendon. He said it felt like the universe was teaching him a lesson for being too confident and thinking he couldnâ€t get injured.

“At that time, Iâ€d never been injured. Iâ€d been in WWE maybe ten years without a single major injury. So, I jokingly said, ‘Man, Iâ€ve been trying to get hurt and I donâ€t get hurt!†Then I realized what I said and thought, ‘Oh, I need to knock on wood.†But there was no wood — just a plastic table. So I knocked on that. And that night, I ruptured my patella tendon. True story. Isnâ€t that crazy? I basically put it out in the universe, and the universe humbled me — like it always does. You get too cocky, and you get humbled.

I think this is the first time Iâ€ve even shared that, but yeah, I brought it on myself. I got too confident, thinking I was untouchable. I used to believe I could never get hurt — ten years of matches, every live event, no issues. I said, ‘Iâ€m trying to get hurt, and I canâ€t get hurt.†Knock on wood. Man, if only that table had been wooden.â€

Toward the end of his rehab, his knee started filling up with fluid, which made it sore. When he came back to the Performance Center, he wrestled Akira Tozawa and did a promo where he acted like a good guy. Some people online said he was turning face, but he said that wasnâ€t true, the story was that he would think he was a good guy but still be booed.

The next week, his knee was swollen again, so he asked the doctor to drain it. After the doctor did, Jinder stood up and found his knee completely stuck. The doctor figured out that a piece of torn cartilage had been floating inside, and once the fluid was gone, it jammed in the joint. An MRI confirmed the cartilage tear.

“During the last few weeks of my rehab, my knee started swelling up with fluid. It bothered me a bit, but I came back and wrestled at the Performance Center — I had a match with Akira Tozawa and even did a babyface promo. Because there was no crowd, the so-called ‘dirt sheets†started saying I was turning face, but the real story was I was supposed to think I was a babyface while still being booed — kind of a self-righteous heel.

Anyway, the next week, I go to TV and tell the doctor, ‘Hey doc, my kneeâ€s really full of fluid, can you drain it?†Itâ€s a normal thing — happens all the time. So he drains it and says, ‘Okay, stand up, you should be good as new.†I stand up, and my knee locks completely. I look at him like, ‘What did you do?†I tell him, ‘Bro, my kneeâ€s locked, it doesnâ€t move!†Turns out, I had a torn piece of cartilage in there I didnâ€t know about. The fluid had been keeping it loose, but once he drained it, that piece jammed into my knee joint. So, I couldnâ€t move it. We were doing multiple tapings in a row at the time, and then had two-week isolation breaks. The next day, the doctor sends me for an MRI. He watches the images as they come up and immediately says, ‘Youâ€ve got a torn cartilage in your knee.â€â€

Jinder said he had already been out for about nine or ten months, came back for only two weeks, and then got hurt again, which put him out for almost another year.

“So after being out for nine or ten months, Iâ€d just come back for two weeks — and then I was out again for another nine or ten months.â€

Jinder Mahalâ€s story shows that no matter how experienced or careful an athlete is, injuries can happen at any time and even healing from them can bring new problems. So, fans just feel itâ€s a shame WWE ended up botching his injury in such a way.

What are your thoughts on how WWE handled Jinder Mahalâ€s injury situation?
Do you think the companyâ€s medical team could have done more to prevent his setback? Sound off in the comments.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.

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Tiffany Stratton defeated challengers Nia Jax and Jade Cargill to extent her WWE Women’s Championship reign on “WWE SmackDown, but that match didn’t end without controversy, as it ended on a major botch that saw the referee fail to make the three count despite Jax failing to kick out of a Stratton pinfall. Following the controversy, Bully Ray explained who he believes is at fault.

“In wrestling it’s better to be early than to be late,” Bully said during an episode of “Busted Open Radio,” noting that the botched sequence began when Stratton was late breaking up a Cargill pinfall on Jax with a dropkick. This led to Jax kicking out, but Stratton hit the dropkick anyway and covered, with Jax then failing to kick out of Stratton’s pin. The ref, however, swiped her hand away on the third count rather than count the three and end the match.

“The ref swiped on three because she clearly does not think that this is the finish,” Bully said. “What I think was supposed to happen was that Tiffany Stratton was supposed to steal the victory from Jade Cargill. Jade hits the Black Hole Slam, one, two — Tiffany hits the [dropkick], and then covers and gets the 1-2-3 … You can’t be a 100% positive of who makes the mistake; whether it’s the ref or Nia not kicking out … If Tiffany is supposed to steal the win, why did the ref swipe on three?”

After co-host Dave LaGreca expressed that he believed the mistake lies with the referee and not with Jax, Bully agreed — for the most part.

‘There’s obviously miscommunication there’

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“Nia didn’t kick,” Bully continued. “In that situation, the referee’s responsibility is to count to three. Now, we go past that. This is what the most puzzling part of the match is. I can deal with mistakes … it’s gonna happen, it can happen to anybody. What I don’t understand is why Nia decides to have a conversation with the referee.”

Bully was referring to what happened after the ref swiped her hand, when Jax could be seen raising her head to communicate with the ref before performing an exaggerated kick-out long after it made any sense.

“There’s obviously miscommunication there,” Bully said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen blatant [mis]communication like I saw there … You have to be a little bit more aware, especially in 2025 with high definition-cameras and cameras all over the place, that that conversation is being picked up.”

Bully reiterated his belief that “the planned finish was for Tiffany Stratton to steal the victory from Jade, because that would be good heat. If it’s just the moonsault, what’s the big deal?” He then suggested that he would have made the spot simpler, having Stratton toss Cargill out of the ring before making the cover, rather than relying on someone with Stratton’s relative lack of experience to get the timing exactly right on the dropkick.

“I don’t know if I would rely on Tiffany to have that split-second timing to hit that [dropkick] just as the three-count is starting,” he said.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “Busted Open Radio” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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WWE referee Daphanie LaShaunn has broken her silence following the backlash she received for botching the main event finish during SmackDown. The incident occurred during a high-stakes triple threat match between Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill, and Nia Jax—and it didnâ€t take long for fans to notice something went wrong.

The moment unfolded when Jade Cargill planted Nia Jax with her Eye of the Storm slam and went for the pin. LaShaunn began the three-count, but abruptly stopped before the third slap despite Jax not kicking out. Tiffany Stratton was late delivering a dropkick to break the pin, leaving an awkward pause that drew immediate boos from the crowd. Jax then lifted her shoulder a few seconds later, and the match continued—but the damage was already done.

The spot was so jarring that WWE quietly edited it out of the official replay uploaded to YouTube. Social media, however, didnâ€t let it go so easily, with fans flooding LaShaunnâ€s mentions and criticizing the botch. After several days of silence, LaShaunn responded with class.

She took to her Instagram story to share a heartfelt message, making it clear sheâ€s taking the criticism in stride and remains focused on improving.

“I see all the love. Iâ€m just human, but I can promise that I strive to always be better. Which will forever be my goal as long as Iâ€m on this journey. I love this just like yâ€all. That I can swear to you.â€

Botches are part of the game, and how someone handles them says a lot more than the mistake itself. Mistakes happen in live performance, and LaShaunnâ€s willingness to own it shows a level of professionalism that fans should respect.

Do you think WWE should lean into referee mistakes in storylines—or keep editing them out? Drop your thoughts below and tell us how you feel about LaShaunnâ€s response.

September 28, 2025 10:56 am

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

This was a bizarre episode of Smackdown, full of unintended surprises, great wrestling, and a Crimson Mask! Smackdownâ€s inconsistency, though, shows again, and I wonder if each episode is written and structured by completely different teams. Compared to Raw, Smackdown feels formulaic and tired, with infrequent flashes of energy and excitement. Letâ€s get to it, friends! As always, Iâ€m Chris Adams, and you can reach me at cadamsowj@gmail.com if you think Iâ€ve Missed!

PAUL HEYMAN, CODY RHODES, AND THE BRONS: HIT

My initial reaction to this promo and the whole segment was one of admiration and praise. In particular, it was Cody Rhodes calling out Paul Heyman that made this segment a hit. Running down Heymanâ€s history of going into business for himself cast doubt in the minds of Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker, both of whom came out looking less than menacing. Randy Ortonâ€s run-in created an opportunity for him to eye the prize that is the WWE Championship. All in all, a fine yet fun way to open the show.

STREET PROFITS VS. MELO DONâ€T MIZ: HIT

This match was decent, not outstanding. Nothing was outright bad, but nothing really stood out as a truly memorable sequence. What will be remembered is the face of Carmelo Hayes†face as he watched the Miz take a pinfall. Like a cold-hearted killer, he watched his partner get pinned and suffer defeat without a hint of emotion. I was initially critical of the pairing of Hayes and the Miz, but the tension they’ve been playing with has been surprisingly rich. Unfortunately, Iâ€ve come around to liking their pairing just as it seems they’re about to split. If they split before the Street Profits, then their partnership simply wonâ€t get the recognition it deserves. Regarding the Profits, Iâ€m excited to see singles runs from both, but hope it happens without an actual breakup. Let Angelo Dawkins be the corner man for Montez Ford, and vice versa. Teammates donâ€t have to hate each other to move beyond the tag division. A little positivity, please!

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of “The Nicky’s Club” with Nick Barbati, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

GIULIA, JAMES, B-FAB, AND MICHIN: HIT

All four of these performers deserved more crowd reaction. At least there was more than crickets by the end of the match. Itâ€s Michin I feel the worst for, as I really enjoy her work, but I must admit that she has yet to establish a strong connection with the crowd. She has it all though: skill, attitude, and natural charisma. There is much to develop in B-Fab, yet she is promising in every aspect. She needs to prove her mettle quickly though, as she could fall to the bottom of the card faster than Hit Row imploded. Giulia and Kiana James seem like odd bedfellows, and if the purpose of pairing them was to give Giulia a mouthpiece, theyâ€re failing. Neither of them has commanded the mic. Props to Kiana James for her selling, though, appearing as if she was unconscious like a true rag doll. This match was a hit, but just barely.

DREW MCINTYRE PROMO: HIT

Seeing Drew McIntyre in an orthopedic boot was worth the price of admission alone. His dour face walking down the aisle gave way to a sullen, self-pitying promo, his specialty of late. He is great in this role, as his own worst enemy. A new feud was thrown into focus with the arrival of Jacob Fatu in the ring, which bodes well for Friday nights. Their chemistry, especially the aggressive back-and-forth exchange of the microphone, was comedy gold. Babyface Fatu FTW!

SAMI ZAYN AND JEâ€VON EVANS: HIT

The match of the night. Sami Zaynâ€s Open Challenge for the United States Championship has delivered some incredible matches, but this one reigns supreme. Jeâ€Von Evans shined in the spotlight, and Sami was as generous as anyone could be. He sold Evans†moves, allowed him literally fly, and showed him respect in the end. In fact, this match felt like it could have gone the other way, with Evans taking the title. When you can inject that kind of tension into the conflict, making it feel natural and organic, youâ€ve succeeded in making professional wrestling more than just pantomimed fighting. They made it real. Amazing!

NIA JAX, JADE CARGILL, AND TIFFANY STRATTON: MISS

What an unfortunate series of events! The match had a fairly good flow, although it often felt like a typical one-on-one with alternating opponents. It fell apart badly after Jade Cargill was busted open and joined the club of the Crimson Mask. Reviewing the footage, it seems both Stratton and Jax were waiting for Cargill to break open the pin. She didn’t, and we got a botched finish that made the referee seem responsible when it was a trainwreck all around with no one person to blame.

Nia Jaxâ€s attitude, including flipping off the referee, was good heel behavior but strange for SmackDown. She likely knows her bloodline keeps her safer than others. Overall, something good turned into something bad, but thatâ€s okay. All three wrestlers made sacrifices for us, and I appreciate it. I just canâ€t call it a hit.

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