JD McDonagh WWE Return Timeline Revealed Amid Injury Hiatus

JD McDonagh won’t be back on WWE television for a while—and fans hoping to see him at Elimination Chamber or before WrestleMania 42 might want to temper expectations.

In a January 26, 2026 Q&A session, WrestleVotes was asked about McDonagh’s recovery status and when he’s expected to return. They noted that JD won’t be returning until just around WrestleMania 42 in the Spring.

“He’s not coming back anytime soon, not the next couple of weeks or Elimination Chamber. So it’s right around WrestleMania, the Spring time.”

This update aligns with the timeline that’s been building since late 2025. McDonagh revealed in December that he was stepping away from WWE to recover from nagging injuries, sharing a hospital bed photo with his right hand or wrist bandaged—showing a possible surgical procedure.

Back in November, McDonagh wrestled his last match on WWE RAW, losing to Rey Mysterio. The Judgment Day storyline covered his absence by showing Dominik Mysterio telling Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez that Finn Balor had gone to check in on him. Balor later confirmed on social media:

“I just got home this very second from checking on my dear friend [JD McDonagh] & I can confirm that he is in good spirits & will make a full recovery.”

According to Dave Meltzer, WWE gave a handful of Superstars time off ahead of Royal Rumble and WrestleMania season to heal properly. McDonagh was among those named, with Meltzer noting he “appeared to be post-surgery.”

Now, with confirmation that he won’t be back until after Elimination Chamber and likely not before WrestleMania, fans may have to wait until Spring to see McDonagh back in Judgment Day action.

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