Summary

JD McDonagh says the line between putting on a better match and staying healthy is never far from his mind after the injury that sidelined him last year.

Speaking in a new interview with Adrian Hernandez, McDonagh looked back on the punctured lung and broken ribs he suffered in late January 2025. He said he immediately realized the setback would cost him a spot at WrestleMania 41, and that was the hardest part of the situation.

McDonagh returned on the Raw after WrestleMania last year, but he made it clear that the experience did not change how he sees the risks that come with his in-ring style.

Quote from JD McDonagh

"Well, it was disappointing because it happened late January, and the second it happened, I went, ‘there goes Mania’ last year, you know? Yeah, I knew I was going to be out for a little while on the bench. Injuries happen in wrestling all the time. Nobody gets out unscathed, and the more risk you take, the more likely you are to crash and burn sometimes. But I think the more risk you take, the better match you have. So it’s kind of a balancing act."

What it means for JD McDonagh in WWE

JD McDonagh framing the issue this way matters because it shows he is not planning to completely pull back on the style that helped define him in NXT and on the main roster. Missing WrestleMania 41 was a real consequence, but his comments suggest he still believes that edge is part of what makes him stand out.

For WWE, that keeps McDonagh in the same lane fans already associate with him, a wrestler willing to absorb punishment and take chances if it raises the quality of the match. It does not guarantee anything about his next push, but it does explain why his performances continue to draw attention even when the risks are obvious.

Sources

JD McDonagh while speaking with Adrian Hernandez