Nia Jax has revealed the panic she felt after accidentally punching Becky Lynch in the face during the infamous 2018 Team SmackDown invasion of Monday Night Raw. The brawl that ensued inadvertently launched Lynch’s legendary “The Man” persona.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet on InsightJax explained how the accidental strike happened during the chaotic melee. She noted that the instructions were to sell the intensity of the invasion, but a misjudgment led to the injury.
This is the punch from Nia Jax that caused the Becky Lynch injury pic.twitter.com/y6q3zPBtKc
— SI Wrestling (@SI_wrestling) November 14, 2018
“We came in and they were like, ‘Hey, we got to sell this match. Like, go in there, give it your all, say sorry later,’” Jax said. “I felt it on my knuckle a little and I was like, ‘F**k.’ I didn’t realize how bad it was until I looked down and I just saw her bleeding all over the mat.”
Vince McMahon’s Unexpected Response
Jax described the terrifying moments backstage as producers reviewed footage from every angle while she waited for punishment. Expecting to be reprimanded or even fired, she was surprised by Vince McMahon’s reaction.
“I’m sitting there going like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m in so much trouble. Like this is it. I think they’re done with me.’ I was getting my papers,” she said. “And then Vince was like, ‘It’s not ballet.’ He’s like, ‘S**t’s going to happen.’ I thought I was going to get cussed out for this. And he was like, ‘It’s not ballet. S**t happens.’ He was like, ‘Is she okay?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know. I’m checking on her.’ He’s like, ‘Go check on her.’”
Changing Plans
The incident went viral, and by Survivor Series the following week, WWE had changed the finish to capitalize on Jax’s “nuclear heat.” McMahon instructed her to lean into the accident.
“Right before the doors open, he was like, ‘Finish change—Nia over,’” Jax recalled. “And he said, ‘Yeah, when you go out there, you show your fist and you smile.’ This could have gone a completely different direction. He thought it was a great opportunity.”
Jax acknowledged the impact of the accidental moment, noting that while Lynch “was already going down that path” with her new attitude, “that picture of her up in the stands bleeding just set it off.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Insight with Chris Van Vliet with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
