With the 2023 Royal Rumble just around the corner, the entire WWE roster is trying to make sure they’re fit and ready for one of the biggest shows of the year.
Although spots at the top of the card are as limited as always, a strong showing in the Rumble match can help take a star’s career to the next level. But all of that relies on being able to make the show and perform.
Johnny Gargano In Race To Be Fit For The WWE Royal Rumble
On the January 9th episode of Monday Night Raw it was announced that Johnny Gargano is currently missing through injury. This was backed up by the man himself on social media who stated that he was dealing with a shoulder issue. This set Gargano in a race against the clock in order to be able to feature at the first Premium Live Event of the year.
During an appearance on The Bump, Gargano confirmed that doctor’s have told him he will miss 5-6 weeks of action. However, he expressed his determination to cut that time down as much as possible.
“I tweeted out that I injured my shoulder at a live event in Toronto, which is ironic because I came back in Toronto. That’s where I injured my shoulder. I got rammed into the steel steps, and I sprained my AC joint. Doctors say originally about five-to-six weeks. I’m going to do everything in my power to cut that time down, and that’s the most transparent I can be there.
We’re gonna see what can happen, and I’m gonna work very, very hard to come back as soon as possible. [There’s] a lot of things I still want to accomplish, a lot of things I still want to do. I am far from happy with how things have gone for me recently, and I want to right those wrongs and show everyone out there; that believe in me, what Johnny Wrestling is truly capable of doing,”
The former NXT Champion went on to discuss the kinds of matches that he’s had on Raw since re-joining WWE in August.
“It feels that way. A lot of big guys as well. Baron Corbin, big dude. Otis, big dude. Omos, the biggest dude. But I’ve also had matches against Chad Gable, matches against Austin Theory, so I’ve had kind of a cornucopia of different sizes and shapes and whatnot. But I am very excited to be able to get back in that ring and really show everyone what I’m capable of.
I know there’s a lot of people out there that still believe in Johnny Wrestling, still believe in what I’m capable of, and I’m gonna prove all of them right, I promise you that. It’s Rumble season, and I know a guy like me, I pride myself on my tenacity [and] my heart. If I can get cleared for that Rumble, I’ll be super pumped. I don’t know. My doctor said five or six weeks, so I don’t know what that means.
But I am very lucky that we do have a medical team that’s gonna protect me from myself. If it was up to me, I’d be out there right now, and I’d be in a whole bunch of pain [laughs]. I think that things have gone pretty well, but I’m excited to take things to the next level,”
Johnny Gargano hasn’t wrestled on Raw since being defeated by Omos on November 21st. His most recent match came on December 30th where he teamed with Dexter Lumis to defeat The Miz and Baron Corbin at a live event.
H/t to Fightful