Raquel Rodriguez Placed In WWE Concussion Protocol Following Brutal Raw Spot
If you were watching Raw, you saw the match. Raquel Rodriguez was squaring off against Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World Championship. It was a solid bout, the kind of physical contest we’ve come to expect from Rodriguez, who usually plays the role of the powerhouse that others bounce off of. But things went sideways, literally and figuratively, when Nikki Bella decided to crash the party.
The Incident On Monday Night Raw
Interference in title matches is about as common as a wristlock in the WWE. We expect it. Usually, it involves a distraction, maybe a cheap shot from behind, or a referee taking a convenient nap. This time, however, the physicality ramped up to an uncomfortable level.
During the chaos, Bella sent Rodriguez flying into the steel steps. Now, we see people hit the steps every week. Usually, there’s a shoulder check, or they hit the flat part with their back. This wasn’t that. Rodriguez went in head-first, and the contact was sickeningly flush. It wasn’t one of those “protect yourself with your hands” moments that we pretend not to see. Her head met solid steel, and the steel won.
Raquel Rodriguez Enters Safety Protocol
According to a report from Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Live, WWE isn’t taking any chances. They have officially placed Raquel Rodriguez in concussion protocol.
Now, before everyone hits the panic button and starts fantasy booking her replacement for the next Premium Live Event, let’s clarify what this actually means. Being in “protocol” doesn’t necessarily guarantee she has a diagnosed concussion.
Alvarez noted that Rodriguez was sporting a massive “goose egg” on her forehead after the show. In the medical world of WWE, if you walk to the back with a lump on your head the size of a golf ball, you are automatically sitting on the sidelines until the doctors say otherwise. It’s a mandatory timeout. First, JD McDonough, now Raquel Rodriguez. Judgement Day can’t catch a break.
The Visual Proof and the Wrestler’s Mentality
If there was any doubt about how hard she hit those steps, Rodriguez cleared it up herself on social media. She posted evidence of the injury, and frankly, it looks painful. It’s a nasty swell that proves she didn’t get her hands up in time.
But, because professional wrestlers are a different breed of human entirely, Rodriguez didn’t just ice her head and go to sleep. No, she cut a promo. Because clearly, a throbbing skull is the perfect time to further a storyline.
“My head is throbbing,” Rodriguez admitted in her post-show comments, likely in between wincing. “But Nikki Bella is going to pay for this.”
You have to admire the hustle, even if you question the sanity. Most of us would be asking for a dark room and some ibuprofen. Rodriguez is already plotting revenge, and it was a hell of a promo by her. Raquel is great, and she is my favorite in the Judgement Day faction.
What Comes Next For WWE and Rodriguez?
The big question now is the timeline. Head injuries are notoriously tricky. Sometimes a wrestler takes a week off to let the swelling go down, passes the impact tests, and is back in the ring by the next taping. Other times, symptoms linger, and “protocol” turns into months of absence.
WWE is doing the right thing here. In a previous era, Rodriguez might have been expected to tape it up and work. Today, the company protects its talent from itself. For now, Rodriguez is on the shelf, at least until that swelling goes down and she can get the necessary medical clearance.
