“Damn Nature You Scary”-WWE Universe concerned after 36-year-old star nearly suffers life-threatening botch on SmackDown

Johnny Gargano almost landed on his head while executing the Asai DDT on the ring apron.

“Damn Nature You Scary”-WWE Universe concerned after 36-year-old star nearly suffers life-threatening botch on SmackDown

Johnny Gargano almost lands on his head (via WWE and @AlexTopsAll2/X)

On the latest episode of SmackDown, Johnny Gargano squared off against Grayson Waller. The two teams continued their ongoing rivalry on the blue brand after their respective tag team partners clashed last week. During the match, however, the former NXT Champion almost suffered a life-threatening injury.

Gargano and Waller fought outside of the ring when the former attempted the Asai DDT on the apron. Evidently, he failed to connect, as he had to re-adjust at the last second. The 36-year-old star almost landed on his head but had done well to ensure that he landed on his shoulder instead. 

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As luck would have it, both men were able to finish the match without any hiccups. Grayson Waller picked up the win by sacrificing his partner, Austin Theory. The Aussie used the latter as a shield after Johnny Gargano attempted a suicide dive outside. Theory was not at all pleased at what happened, looking on furiously while his friend celebrated the win.

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Last week on SmackDown, dissension between the pair emerged after Waller claimed that he “saved” the former United States Champion’s career. In fact, this distracted Theory, who ended up losing his match against Tommaso Ciampa. Having said that, A-Town Down Under and #DIY are gearing for a Tag Team Championship showdown in the near future. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see how things play out between the arrogant heels.

Fans concerned after Johnny Gargano almost lands on his neck on SmackDown

As expected, fans expressed their concern after Johnny Gargano almost botched the move. Most users online pointed out how close the 36-year-old star was to possibly paralyzing himself. On the other hand, a fan praised Gargano for using his veteran instincts by landing on his shoulder.

Johnny Gargano and Grayson Waller on SmackDown
Johnny Gargano and Grayson Waller on SmackDown (via WWE)

Moreover, another user blamed Grayson Waller for not lifting his opponent accordingly. A few fans criticized the former NXT Champion, calling him a ‘boring’ wrestler. Users also took a shot at the botch, sarcastically saying that WWE needed a Performance Center to avoid such dangerous spots.

A fan argued that if this happened on an AEW show, the wrestling community would’ve been more harsh towards the sequence. Overall, many were just glad that Gargano and Waller pushed through and finished the match.

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