Current Champion Not Cleared To Compete, Championship Match Cancelled

A current champion has been deemed not medically cleared to compete, with their scheduled championship match cancelled.

On tonight’s WWE NXT New Year’s Evil show, NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov was scheduled to defend his Championship against the winner of the Iron Survivor Challenge, Trick Williams.

Two weeks ago on the show, Ilja was part of a match against Ridge Holland, when he took a rough bump on his neck, with him being stretchered out of the arena in a neckbrace.

Last week, despite seemingly having a broken neck, Ilja said that he would be cleared to wrestle Trick on the show, but WWE medical seemingly has other ideas.

On tonight’s show, Kelly Kincaid provided a breaking news update, noting that NXT medical had not cleared Ilja to defend his title on the show, with the planned NXT Championship main event being cancelled.

We will provide updates on the match as they become available.

Elsewhere on the show, Lyra Valkyria defeated Blair Davenport to retain her NXT Women’s Championship.

BREAKING: @UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR has not been cleared by WWE Medical Personnel. The #WWENXT Championship Match with @_trickwilliams will NOT take place tonight. #NewYearsEvil pic.twitter.com/9SqPtK0IzH

— WWE (@WWE) January 3, 2024

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