Pro wrestler Shinsuke Nakamura was scheduled to perform on “Smackdown Live” Tuesday night, in a U.S. Championship match against Jeff Hardy. But just a few hours before the event, WWE announced that Nakamura had not been medically cleared to wrestle.
Some Internet rumors and a report from Wrestling Observer said that Nakamura couldn’t get in the ring because he had been bitten on the leg by a police dog in Bakersfield, Calif. before a house show on Monday. Today, the Bakersfield PD confirmed that story, releasing a statement explaining that a “WWE employee” had been injured by a bite to the leg from a member of an “explosive detection trained canine team.”
Here’s the police statement, in full:
“On Monday, June 25, 2018, officers of the Bakersfield Police Department Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Team were conducting a protective sweep of the Rabobank Arena in preparation for the WWE Live Summerslam Heatwave Tour.
“During the sweep, the EOD Team, which consisted of an explosive detection trained canine team and bomb technicians entered an area of the arena where an employee of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) was present. The canine entered the room to sweep for the presence of any explosive material. As the sweep took place the WWE employee was accidentally bit by the canine. The employee sustained an injury to his lower left leg. Medical aid was immediately summoned to the scene and the employee was transported to a local area hospital for medical treatment.”
This is somehow a less ridiculous injury than the kayfabe nutshot Nakamura suffered just last month.