Xavier Woods is reportedly dealing with a neck injury following his match against PENTA on the August 18 episode of WWE RAW. According to a report from Fightful, Woods informed individuals backstage that his neck had been “messed up” during the contest.
One source noted that Woods was later seen wearing a neck brace. However, the same report indicated he was also seen moving around and socializing later that evening, suggesting the situation may not be critical.
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Despite the apparent injury, there is speculation backstage that the entire situation could be a work. This is fueled by Woods’ history of staging injury angles ahead of his annual appearance at DragonCon. The report confirmed that Woods continued to sell the injury throughout the night, even after leaving the arena.
In a video posted to his social media, Woods, wearing a neck brace, addressed the incident. He claimed to have suffered a “debilitating injury” and “searing neck pain” from the Mexican Destroyer, a move he noted was a variation of the banned Piledriver. He directed criticism at RAW General Manager Adam Pearce for “irresponsibility” and “neglect,” accusing him of using PENTA as a “masked mercenary” to prevent The New Day from receiving a World Tag Team Championship rematch.
The next development in this angle is expected on the upcoming episode of WWE RAW, where Woods’ tag team partner, Kofi Kingston, is scheduled to face PENTA in a singles match.
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