Bat bite may affect WWE referee Charles Robinson's SmackDown status

Charles Robinson, a veteran WWE referee known to fans as Lil Naitch, spent several hours in the emergency room after being bitten by a bat inside his home early Wednesday. He posted a photo from a hospital bed and described receiving six injections, writing that the incident was “a bat” bite that disrupted the morning. The timing raised questions about whether the bat bite would impact his planned duties for Friday’s WWE SmackDown in Boston at the TD Garden.

Robinson has had a long and storied career in professional wrestling officiating. Beginning in the 1990s as a photographer and referee, he rose through the ranks in World Championship Wrestling before joining WWE nearly 25 years ago. In recent weeks, he has been part of high-profile moments on screen, including officiating a retirement match involving Goldberg on a Saturday Night’s Main Event broadcast last month. He also sustained a cracked rib after being accidentally speared during the same period, underscoring a sequence of physically demanding assignments and real-world health concerns.

The incident comes as bats are recognized by health authorities as a notable source of rabies exposure in the United States. Public...