The AEW World Tag Team Championship bout on the January 28 episode of Dynamite was shaping up to be a big moment for Jake Doyle, but it appears the night took a rough turn far earlier than anyone expected. During the title match pitting FTR against Doyle and Mark Davis, Doyle seemingly suffered a serious injury that forced AEW to change course on the fly.
According to reports, the issue occurred after Doyle took a DDT on the ring apron. He was later heard telling Cash Wheeler that he believed he had torn his right biceps. From that point on, Doyle was quietly removed from the match and never returned, with FTR and Davis finishing things in short order. Bryan Alvarez noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that the crowd immediately sensed something was off, describing the arena as going silent as it became clear the situation was legitimate rather than storyline-driven.
Dave Meltzer added more context regarding what Doyle could be facing recovery-wise. If the injury doesn’t require surgery, a return in roughly four months is possible. However, if surgery is needed, the timetable could stretch to six or seven months, which would be a significant setback—especially given how early Doyle is in his AEW run. Meltzer also pointed out how unfortunate the timing is, calling AEW the biggest opportunity of Doyle’s career to date and noting how easy it can be to lose momentum on such a stacked roster after a long absence.
There is at least some optimism for Mark Davis in the meantime. Meltzer suggested Davis is still likely to appear on AEW programming, potentially aligned with The Don Callis Family, though perhaps not in the same featured role the team would have had if Doyle were healthy. For now, fans will have to wait and see just how serious Doyle’s injury is, but it’s an undeniably tough break for a talent who was just starting to gain traction on a major stage.
