Raquel Rodriguez has reportedly been cleared to compete following a frightening head injury sustained during the December 15 episode of Monday Night Raw. The incident occurred during Rodriguez’s Women’s World Championship match against Stephanie Vaquer, which ended in a no-contest after interference from a returning Nikki Bella.
During the brawl, Bella threw Rodriguez head-first into the steel ring steps, resulting in a noticeable “goose egg” forming on Rodriguez’s forehead. Rodriguez later shared a post-show video on social media addressing the injury.
“My head is throbbing,” Rodriguez said in the video. “But Nikki Bella is going to pay for this.”
According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Rodriguez was placed in concussion protocol as a precaution but has since been medically cleared.
“Raquel Rodriguez was being checked out after Nikki Bella threw her head into the steps on Raw, but she’s been cleared,” Meltzer reported.
Bryan Alvarez expanded on the situation during Wrestling Observer Live, explaining that concussion protocol does not necessarily mean a confirmed concussion.
“Raquel hit those steps hard, and she had this giant freakin’ goose egg on her head,” Alvarez said. “Yeah, concussion protocol, which does not mean, by the way, that she has a concussion. Any time you get any sort of head injury, and you get the goose egg, they put you in concussion protocol just to make sure you’re okay.”
Despite the scare, Rodriguez is not expected to miss significant in-ring time. She has already made it clear that Nikki Bella remains firmly in her sights after costing her a championship opportunity and causing the injury.
