Terrifying Truth Behind Top Dolla's Infamous WWE Botch

Former WWE star Top Dolla shares scary health story behind failed SmackDown dive.

Top Dolla
WWE.com

Top Dolla has claimed that the infamous WWE dive that unfortunately came to characterise his career with the market-leading promotion after last December inadvertently saved his life, doing so after a health scare.

The 33-year-old failed to land a dive to the outside during a three-team Tag Title contendership match on the 16 December 2022 SmackDown. Running across the ring, Dolla inadvertently caught the ropes as he leapt, flopping awkwardly to the outside - though he wasn't visibly hurt in the moment.

On X this weekend, Dolla revealed that after going to the doctor following the flop, he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. He added that he was on the verge of losing both feet - and his life.

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The former Hit Row member posted:

The botch saved my life. I made that dive a dozen times before, legs felt off but I didn’t think about it. After I failed I went to the doc & found out I had Type II diabetes & my blood sugar was 626. I almost lost my life & was about to lose both feet. The botch saved my life.

Elsewhere, Dolla stated that he won't need insulin as part of his treatment, though this could change.

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Dolla - real name AJ Francis - was released by WWE as part of its 21 September roster cuts. His 90-day non-compete clause preventing him from working or signing with another wrestling promotion expires this week.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.