Ilja Dragunov Injury Angle Stirred Up Controversy Within WWE

WWE NXT ended with a major angle on Tuesday night after NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov was put in a neck brace and stretchered out of the WWE Performance Center in the final moments of the December 19 episode.

The injury angle took place after a Futureshock DDT to Dragunov from Ridge Holland in their non-title match which left Dragunov unable to move, selling what looked to be a neck injury. The match then ended in a no-contest and Dragunov received immediate medical assistance.

Due to the show being taped a week in advance, many initially believed Dragunov's stretcher job was due to a legitimate injury but it was soon confirmed to be an angle. Fightful Select has reported the reaction within NXT was one of happiness with how the angle came together and producers were pleased by the crowd reaction to Dragunov's storyline injury. WWE producers also knew that most in attendance understood the stretcher job was an angle since WWE quickly announced the beginning of the second set of tapings.

This doesn't mean the angle didn't have its detractors, though. Fightful Select noted the plan "was a bit controversial among some in WWE" but NXT decided to go through with the injury spot anyway.

How long Dragunov will be off TV as part of the angle is unknown. He didn't appear inside the WWE Performance Center during the taping for the December 26 episode of NXT. The NXT Champion is scheduled to put the title on the line against Trick Williams at New Year's Evil on January 2.