R-Truth to undergo medical evaluation after match stoppage on 10/16 WWE SmackDown

R-Truth appeared to suffer an injury during his match with Damian Priest on the October 16 episode of WWE SmackDown, which was stopped by the referee and awarded to Priest via referee stoppage. The bout ended abruptly after Truth landed a missile dropkick from the top rope and remained on the canvas.

The confrontation grew out of events that followed a loss in the AAA tag team championship and a betrayal that set up the feud between Truth and Priest in September. The October 16 match was expected to advance that storyline but instead shifted attention to Truth’s condition when the contest was halted early.

During the sequence, Truth attempted a missile dropkick from the top rope, landed, and did not immediately continue the match; the referee checked on him before stopping the bout and declaring Priest the winner via referee stoppage. It was reported that Truth appeared conscious and was able to move after the fall, though the presence of movement was not taken as definitive proof he was uninjured.

WWE has not officially detailed the nature or severity of Truth’s injury. Journalist Bryan Alvarez reported that it looked like Truth was "doing well" after the incident and that the veteran was scheduled to undergo a medical evaluation in the coming week; no diagnosis or recovery timeline has been provided.

After the match, Priest’s win was followed by an intervention from Fraxiom (Axiom and Nathan Frazer), who stopped a potential attack by Priest, an occurrence that the report said hindered immediate creative continuation of the rivalry. The confrontation and the stoppage together altered the planned progression of the storyline between the former partners.

The article outlined possible creative paths depending on Truth’s medical clearance: a single revenge match, using Priest’s actions to escalate the feud, placing the program on hold, or continuing the angle through backstage segments — all described as possibilities rather than confirmed plans. It was also noted that Truth previously suffered a torn quadriceps in November 2022 during a match on NXT, an injury that kept him out of action for more than a year.

As of October 19 there is no specific timeline for Truth’s return; his next confirmed step is the medical re-evaluation scheduled for the coming week, and WWE’s decisions on the rivalry will depend on the results of that assessment.