Update: Shinsuke Nakamura Pulled From Smackdown Title Match After Being Attacked by Police Dog?

As previously reported, WWE announced earlier this afternoon that Shinsuke Nakamura would be unable to compete in his planned title match against Jeff Hardy on tonight’s episode of Smackdown Live.

The original statement only noted that he was “injured” and disclosed no further information, or whether he would require any additional time off beyond this week’s show, leading many to believe the so-called “injury” was actually part of an angle to continue building the program between Hardy and Nakamura.

However, Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com has confirmed that the injury to Nakamura is legitimate, and the Smackdown star missed Monday’s live event in Bakersfield, California because he was bitten by a police dog at the Rabobank Arena.

Hopefully the King of Strong-Style will not be out of action for too long, as he is currently advertised for this Friday’s WWE Live event at Ryugoku Sumo Hall in Japan. As for Jerff Hardy, the Charismatic Engima will instead defend his WWE United States Championship in an Open Challenge.