JD McDonagh Recalls Broken Ribs, Punctured Lung From 2025 Injury

JD McDonagh is opening up about the frightening injury that sidelined him for months, revealing that a botched landing left him with broken ribs and a punctured lung.

The injury dates back to January 2025, when McDonagh and Judgment Day stablemate Dominik Mysterio challenged for the WWE World Tag Team Championship. During the match, McDonagh attempted a springboard moonsault to the outside of the ring, but his head whiplashed upon landing. The impact resulted in serious internal damage that kept him out of action for an extended period.

Describing the aftermath, McDonagh said, “The lung deflated and fell away from my chest cavity,” painting a vivid picture of just how severe the damage was in the moments following the botched dive. Punctured lungs are notoriously painful and dangerous, often requiring hospitalization and careful monitoring to ensure the lung reinflates properly, on top of the broken ribs he was also dealing with.

McDonagh has since returned to WWE television as a member of Judgment Day, continuing his run alongside Mysterio, Finn Bálor, and the rest of the faction. His willingness to detail the severity of the injury offers a rare look at the physical toll high-risk maneuvers like springboard dives to the floor can take, even when they appear to go according to plan in real time.

Wrestlers frequently downplay injuries in the moment to protect the business and their spot on the card, so hearing McDonagh speak candidly about a lung “falling away” from his chest cavity underscores just how close the incident came to being far more serious. It also speaks to the recovery process he underwent to get back into the ring and resume performing at the level fans expect from him.

No further detail on his current health status was included, but McDonagh’s presence on WWE programming suggests he has fully recovered from the frightening setback.