WWE: Finn Balo Provides Update on JD McDonagh’s Hand Injury, NXT Live Events Schedule for Early 2026, WWE Reportedly Was “Blindsided” By Negative Fan Reaction to John Cena vs. Gunther Finish

Finn Balo Provides Update on JD McDonagh’s Hand Injury

As noted before, JD McDonagh is currently out of action for WWE due to a hand-related injury and him working through several injuries these past few months.

Judgement Day’s Finn Balor provided an update earlier today on Twitter about McDonagh’s recovery from his hand and other injuries.

“I just got home this very second from checking on my dear friend @jd_mcdonagh & I can confirm that he is in good spirit’s & will make a full recovery 👍”

I just got home this very second from checking on my dear friend @jd_mcdonagh & I can confirm that he is in good spirit’s & will make a full recovery 👍

— Finn Bálor (@FinnBalor) December 17, 2025

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WWE Announces NXT Live Events Schedule for Early 2026

WWE recently announced their current schedule of live events for their NXT brand outside of their Performance Center for January and February of 2026.

Current NXT live events schedule for early 2026:

• Friday, January 29th – Knoxville, Tennessee
• Saturday, January 30th – Nashville, Tennesse
• Sunday, January 31st – Birmingham, Alabama
• Friday, February 12th – Wenatchee, Washington
• Saturday, February 13th – Kennewick, Washington
• Saturday, February 14th – Kent, Washington
• Tuesday, February 24th – Atlanta, Georgia

📢 WWE NXT Live presales are live

🔑 Presale code for all shows: WWETIX

Atlanta, GA – Tue, Feb 24, 2026 • Center Stage Theater
Kennewick, WA – Fri, Feb 13, 2026 • Toyota Center
Knoxville, TN – Thu, Jan 29, 2026 • Knoxville Civic Coliseum
Nashville, TN – Fri, Jan 30, 2026 •… pic.twitter.com/MYfjcRIWFA

— WrestleTix (@WrestleTix) December 16, 2025

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WWE Reportedly Was “Blindsided” By Negative Fan Reaction to John Cena vs. Gunther Finish

As noted before, Saturday’s WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event show in Washington, D.C. featured Gunther defeating John Cena in Cena’s retirement match. This match was notable for the crowd’s very negative reaction including them chanting “bullshit” and booing WWE CCO Paul “Triple H” Levesque when he came out to the ring with others for the post-match retirement tribute for Cena. This negative reaction continued during Levesque’s appearance on the post-show and included brief “AEW” chants by some in the crowd directed at him.

Dave Meltzer reported in a recent episode of the Wrestling Observer Radio that his sources stated that WWE officials were “blindsided” by the very negative reaction from the fan reaction at the venue over Cena’s loss.

Meltzer reported that many people within WWE did not agree with the decision for Cena to lose his final match but it did not matter since Levesque did and he was in charge of the show.

Meltzer reported that despite what WWE may say publically, they were blindsided over them not expecting the reaction from fans at the venue to be that negative. Levesque and others reportedly knew this decision was going to get heat but Levesque’s comments about “Ah, I thought’d be louder” over the crowd’s loud negative reaction to him during his appearance on the post-show was just a defense mechanism by him.

Meltzer also reported that those spoken to stated that WWE officials did not have a discussion beforehand about the reaction the fans might give being different than what they expected.

Bryan Alvarez speculated that WWE likely would not have gotten that very negative reaction directed at Levesque and the company if Cena would have just passed out in Gunther’s sleeper hold for the finish. Alvarez reported that they got that very negative reaction instead due to for 20 years, WWE had sold people on Cena’s “Never Give Up” motto.