Giovanni Vinci Updates Fans After Scary Match Stoppage On Raw
WWE got the new year started in a big way on Monday night via its Day 1 edition of Monday Night Raw. The men's and women's World Titles were on the line, and the rumored former WWE Champion returning for the evening turned out to be The Rock, not Jinder Mahal. It wasn't a winning night from start to finish though as one of the show's matches needed to be stopped prematurely after a participant took a nasty-looking bump.
Giovanni Vinci's Injury
The Superstar in question was Imperium's Giovanni Vinci. Teaming with Ludwig Kaiser, the pair took on Jey Uso and Kofi Kingston. However, midway through the match when attempting a springboard move from the middle rope, the dropkick Kingston countered with caught Vinci in the jaw. The Imperium man went down hard, hitting his head on the mat. You can see both Uso and Kaiser reacting to the mistimed move in the clip below.
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This week's Raw effectively added to the build-up for WrestleMania 40, featuring a wild promo by Cody Rhodes.The referee reacts pretty quickly too, clearly sensing something was wrong after Vinci didn't move after he hit the mat. The match was stopped there and then and cameras didn't show Vinci being tended to by doctors. Thankfully, Vinci doesn't appear to have been seriously hurt. The Superstar has taken to social media since Raw went off the air to let fans know he's fine and to thank everyone for their concerns.
He's Okay
The dropkick to the face likely knocked Vinci out, even if just for a moment, which is why it looked so scary when he fell to the mat and then didn't move. That would also explain why his head bounced off the mat when he fell. Whether it was the dropkick that did it or the head hit to the mat after, it seems likely that Vinci will have suffered a concussion at the very least. Hopefully any injuries he suffered, if any, are minimal and he makes a speedy recovery.
Even though he falls behind both Gunther and Kaiser in Imperium's ranks, Vinci is a very talented wrestler and doesn't get the credit he deserves. My guess is Imperium falls apart in 2024, perhaps with Kaiser challenging and maybe even dethroning its leader as Intercontinental Champion. Should that happen, it'll be interesting to see which direction Vinci goes. Whether he falls in line behind either of his current stablemates or decides to go it alone.
