New SmackDown Champ Injured at Elimination Chamber?

There are two certainties in life–death and taxes. For pro wrestlers, you can add a third item to that last. Injuries.

Naomi enjoyed a long-awaited title victory at Elimination Chamber, defeating Alexa Bliss to claim the SmackDown Women’s Championship. It’s her first title win after nearly a decade with the company, and her victory was met with a hearty “you deserve it” chant from the crowd.

But on SmackDown Live last night, she appeared in a knee brace, saying she’d been injured in that same match. She said amid the excitement, she didn’t notice the injury until making it backstage.

Alexa bliss naturally interrupted, demanding either a rematch or a forfeiture of the title on next week’s SmackDown.

The question is whether this injury is real or part of a storyline. It’s unusual for WWE to promote an injury angle without that supposed trauma being visible in the ring, and Naomi’s backstage revelation about the knee doesn’t fit with that.

But even if it is real, it seems the story is set to resolve next week. That means the injury should be a minor one without any significant impact on Naomi’s title run.

Don’t miss her emotional post-match celebration with husband and fellow WWE star, Jimmy Uso.

Do you think this one’s real or a work? Let us know in the comments, or on Facebook!