Royce Keys has been taken off WWE television indefinitely following the devastating attack he suffered at the hands of Jacob Fatu on the August 3 edition of WWE RAW.
Michael Cole provided an update on Keys during the August 10 episode of RAW, confirming that the former ally of Fatu is dealing with injuries sustained during their violent Street Fight and the assault that followed.
According to Cole, Keys suffered a bruised larynx along with a cervical strain. WWE has not provided a timetable for his return, with Keys currently considered sidelined indefinitely as the storyline between the two men continues to escalate.
Keys and Fatu settled their growing differences in a Street Fight that headlined the August 3 episode of RAW.
The physical encounter ultimately ended when Fatu used the Tongan Death Grip to force Keys into submission. Despite already securing the victory, The Samoan Werewolf wasn't finished with his former ally.
Following the bell, Fatu placed a steel chair around Keys' neck before driving into him with a brutal hip attack in the corner. The post-match assault immediately raised concerns over Keys' condition and made it clear that Fatu was looking to inflict considerably more punishment than was necessary to simply win their match.
The severity of the angle became even clearer after RAW went off the air.
Footage released as a WWE Digital Exclusive showed a bloodied Keys coughing as medical personnel attended to him. He was eventually placed onto a stretcher and taken away from the arena for further evaluation.
Despite WWE presenting Keys' condition as serious on television, there currently appears to be no indication that the 41-year-old is legitimately injured.
Dave Meltzer reported in last week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the situation was storyline related and was “not an injury cover angle.”
The development temporarily brings Keys' eventful first several months with WWE to a halt.
Keys signed with WWE in January before making his first appearance for the company in the Royal Rumble match. His television journey continued with a SmackDown debut more than two months later, and he has since become increasingly involved in WWE's major storylines.
Only two days before his Street Fight with Fatu, Keys joined forces with LA Knight and Solo Sikoa at SummerSlam, where the trio defeated Jacob Fatu and The Usos.
The rivalry then exploded on RAW, with Fatu's post-match attack now being used to remove Keys from television for an undisclosed period.
WWE has yet to reveal when Royce Keys will be cleared to return or what his next move will be when he resurfaces. For the moment, Jacob Fatu has succeeded in taking his former ally out of the picture.
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