Tony D’Angelo Returns With Facial Burns After Fireball Attack On WWE NXT

The June 23 episode of WWE NXT featured NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo returning with facial burns after a brutal fireball attack from Naraku sent him to the hospital at the beginning of the episode.

With NXT Great American Bash approaching, WWE officials were left with a major problem after D’Angelo suffered facial burns during a contract signing with challenger Naraku. The attack was so severe that D’Angelo had to be taken away in an ambulance.

Because of that uncertainty, the NXT Championship situation became the focus of the show’s closing segment.

Tony D’Angelo returns despite facial burns to confront Naraku

NXT General Manager Robert Stone made it clear that Great American Bash was too important for the title match to be canceled. He promised that the championship would be defended at the event, but he did not immediately reveal who would be involved.

Naraku was the first to interrupt. The challenger argued that if D’Angelo could not compete, then the championship should simply be awarded to him.

Before Stone could answer, Mason Rook came out and made his own case. Rook said that if the title was up for grabs, he deserved a shot at becoming champion.

Moments later, members of The Vanity Project joined the discussion. Jackson Drake questioned why Rook thought he deserved the opportunity and insisted that he should be considered instead.

Things quickly got heated. Drake mocked Rook, and the two began arguing before eventually getting physical. Rook charged at Drake, and the pair fought their way to ringside.

While the brawl continued, Naraku once again demanded to be recognized as champion.

Then Tony D’Angelo suddenly appeared.

The NXT Champion walked out wearing heavy bandages on one side of his face. Blood and visible injuries showed the damage caused by the fireball attack, but D’Angelo looked ready for a fight.

He immediately headed to the ring and went straight after Naraku. The two rivals started throwing punches. D’Angelo looked fired up and quickly took control of the fight.

At one point, he lifted Naraku up for his signature spinebuster, but Naraku targeted D’Angelo’s injured eye. The cheap shot allowed him to escape before D’Angelo could finish him off.