Watch: Austin Theory and Carmelo Hayes injured after botched move on WWE SmackDown

Austin Theory has been a member of WWE since August 2019 when he joined the NXT brand. The 26-year-old wrestler has been the winner of the 2022 Men’s Money in the Bank ladder match as well as the two-time United States Champion.

In his five-year career, Theory has rarely ever suffered any accidents in the main roster. However, that changed recently when he and Carmelo Hayes faced off in SmackDown Live. During their match, a no-win or no-loss situation unfolded after the referee canceled the match following their injuries.

How did Austin Theory and Carmelo Hayes get injured?

On the January 12th episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Austin Theory and Carmelo Hayes faced each other, to decide Hayes’s future spot in the Royal Rumble match. In the course of the match, a mishap occurred which forced the referee to cancel the match mid-way after both men took off the top rope and injured themselves.

While their match was underway, Hayes was in a seated position atop the corner of the ring when Austin Theory charged him, catching him with one arm and attempting to execute a Spanish fly-type move.

However, in a split second, Theory jumped with Hayes in a half-seated position, and both men awkwardly slammed into the mat. This led to the referee interfering and abruptly stopping the match.

Fans at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, were shocked by the incident. Although the accident seemed mild, WWE medical personnel appeared to spend more time checking on Hayes, who fell with his bare back exposed. In contrast, Austin fell with the side of his neck fully exposed onto the mat.

Austin Theory and Carmelo Hayes injury update

WWE officials on Twitter shared the injury update of Austin Theory and Carmelo Hayes. According to doctors, both suffered face contusions and will recover soon. The caption of the post read, “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.”

During the SmackDown Live event, Hayes approached the General Manager of the blue brand, Nick Aldis, addressing him about his Royal Rumble status on January 27, 2024. Just before getting his question answered, Austin Theory and Grayson Waller interrupted the promo segment, leading to a match between Hayes and Theory.

Although there was no clear winner of the match, WWE had other contingencies for both wrestlers. Carmelo Hayes is still in the NXT brand, The 29-year-old wrestler is set for his upcoming match, the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic along with his tag team partner the former NXT North American Champion Trick Williams.

Fans are sharing their best wishes to both athletes and hope to see them recover soon. As the Royal Rumble is only 2 weeks away, any big incident involving any wrestler’s health might hinder the superstar’s participation in the legendary match.