Robbie Eagles Explains Injury That Could Have Kept Him Out Of NJPW Tournament

In a recent appearance with Keepin’ It Strong Style, Robbie Eagles shared some details about the injury he sustained facing Claudio Castagnoli and the worry it caused him going into the NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Tournament (per Fightful). Ultimately, Eagles was able to compete in the event and even incorporated the injury into his in-ring strategies. You can find a highlight and listen to the full podcast below.

On the injury and how it framed his tournament experience: “I just want to point out that I started with tape in the tournament, and then I progressed down to no tape… and that was a mental strategy because I could tell people were eyeing up my shoulder and being like ‘Something’s not right with Robbie on that shoulder.’ They’re correct because I wrestled Claudio Castagnoli for Ring of Honor about a week before I went to Super Juniors, and I actually almost tore my AC joint, so I had a pretty bad injury going into Super Juniors, and I was like, I might have to tap out of the tournament, but physiotherapists in Australia were great, and the trainers in New Japan taped up nice enough, and then it was almost like subterfuge, like I was goading people into thinking that my shoulder was worse than it was. By match three, there was no tape, and people were trying to, ‘Oh, is he still hurt? Should I go after his shoulder? What should I do?’ So it made them start second-guessing their own strategy. So I’m just pulling back the curtain for you a little bit there.”