Category: NXT

Tommaso Ciampa Says He Was Told He’d Be On “Borrowed Time” If He Returns To The Ring

Tommaso Ciampa took to Twitter today and revealed that doctors told him he will be on “borrowed time” if he returns to the ring from his recent neck surgery.

Ciampa revealed the bad news when reflecting on how he will be missing the WWE NXT TakeOver: New York” event next Friday night in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center. As noted, the plan was for Ciampa to defend his title against Johnny Gargano in the TakeOver main event, but Ciampa was forced to undergo neck surgery and relinquish the title. Gargano will now face Adam Cole in a 2 of 3 Falls match for the vacant NXT Title at TakeOver.

Ciampa said the match at TakeOver meant more to him than anyone will ever understand. “The opportunity was taken away from me,” he added.

There’s still no official word on when Ciampa will return to the ring but it was noted in the recent NXT TV video package, seen above, that it takes most people up to a full year to recover from the operation he had.

You can read Ciampa’s full statement below:

“In May of 2017 they told me that no one has ever had 3 major surgeries in a 12 week span and returned at a competitive level.I returned to the most successful run of my career.

This week I should be preparing to walk into the main event of TakeOver New York on Wrestlemania weekend as the NXT Champion. This match meant more to me than anyone will ever understand.

The opportunity was taken away from me.

In March of 2019 they told me that if I return then I will be on borrowed time.

To be continued…”

https://twitter.com/ProjectCiampa/status/1112716777392431104

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Announces Four Big WWE Network Specials And More Tapings For WrestleMania 35 Axxess

Triple H has announced that WrestleMania 35 Axxess will feature another Worlds Collide theme with male and female Superstars from WWE NXT, NXT UK, RAW, SmackDown and 205 Live doing battle at each session. The matches will air over four WWE Network specials. There will also be three NXT UK TV episodes taped at Axxess.

Themes for the WWE Network specials are NXT vs. NXT Alumni, Cruiserweights Collide, Brands Battle and Women Collide.

Below is the full announcement on the tapings with matches confirmed, plus Triple H’s tweet:

NXT Superstars vs. NXT Alumni, Cruiserweights Collide and more at WrestleManiaAxxess’ Worlds Collide eventsWrestleMania Axxess, WWE’s biggest fan gathering of the year in sports-entertainment, just got even bigger with the addition of new Worlds Collide events!

This year’s Axxess — which runs Thursday, April 4, through Monday, April 8, at Brooklyn Pier 12 in Brooklyn, N.Y. — will feature unique, never-before-seen Worlds Collide matchups involving Superstars from NXT, NXT UK, 205 Live, Raw and SmackDown LIVE. Axxess will be your only chance to see these matches before they air on WWE Network. In addition, three sets of NXT UK tapings will take place at Axxess.

Check out the schedule of events below and be sure to secure your Axxess ticket today by going to Ticketmaster.com.

NXT vs. NXT Alumni
Thursday, April 4 (6-10 p.m.)
The past meets the present as former NXT Superstars battle current Superstars from the black-and-gold brand. The matches will include Roderick Strong vs. Tyler Breeze, Dominik Dijkaovic vs. Harper, SAnitY vs. Undisputed ERA, and Kassius Ohno vs. Aiden English.

Cruiserweights Collide
Friday, April 5 – Sessions 1 and 2 
Cruiserweights from 205 Live, NXT UK and NXT will soar to new heights in inter-brand bouts on Friday’s Axxess sessions. Featured matches will include Tyler Bate vs. The Brian Kendrick, Akira Tozawa vs. Jordan Devlin, Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews vs. Ariya Daivari & Mike Kanellis, and Albert Hardie Jr. vs. Gran Metalik. Session 1 runs 1-5 p.m., and Session 2 runs 6-10 p.m.

NXT UK Tapings
Saturday, April 6 – Sessions 1, 2 and 3
Each of Saturday’s three Axxess sessions will feature an NXT UK TV taping for future airing on the award-winning WWE Network. Don’t miss the rare opportunity to watch the United Kingdom’s best and brightest Superstars competing stateside. Session 1 runs 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Session 2 runs 1-5 p.m. and Session 3 runs 6-10 p.m.

Brands Battle
Sunday, April 7 (8 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
Two 20-Superstar Battle Royals — one for male Superstars and one for female Superstars — will take place the morning of WrestleMania. Both Battle Royals will feature Superstars from NXT and NXT UK, and the Men’s Battle Royal will additionally feature Superstars from 205 Live.

Women Collide
Monday, April 8 (12-4 p.m.)
One day after female Superstars main-event WrestleMania for the first time in history, the WWE Women’s Evolution continues to take center stage at Axxess. Watch top female Superstars from NXT, NXT UK, Raw and SmackDown LIVE collide, with matches including Io Shirai vs. Sonya Deville, Toni Storm vs. Nikki Cross vs. Bianca Belair, Piper Niven vs. Zelina Vega, Candice LeRae vs. Kay Lee Ray and more!

Don’t wait to secure your seat at these events. Tickets for WrestleMania Axxess are available now at Ticketmaster.com!

*Talent listed and depicted above are subject to change.

WWE NXT Preview 3/27/19

NXT  streaming tonight at 8 ET on WWE Network.

* Aleister Black & Ricochet meet The Forgotten Sons in Dusty Classic finale

* What will happen when Adam Cole and Johnny Gargano meet face-to-face?

* Kacy Catanzaro & Lacey Lane take on Aliyah & Vanessa Borne

*  Matt Riddle will take on Kona Reeves

WWE NXT Star Keith Lee Reportedly Out Of Action With Injury

It looks like the “limitless” Keith Lee may have very well found his limit, as F4WOnline is reporting that he is currently sidelined with an undisclosed injury.

Lee hasn’t had a match with the promotion since his victory over Luke Menzies at an NXT live event March 8 in Largo, FL. Prior to the injury, he had a prominent role in the Matt Riddle/Kassius Ohno feud that played out on NXT TV at the beginning of the year.

Outside of WWE, Lee is well known for his agility and technical offense despite typically being one of the larger men competing in matches. He is a former PWG World Champion and Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked Lee #59 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in 2018.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 3/20/19

NXT, tonight at 8 ET on WWE Network.

* What’s going to happen to the NXT Championship?

As first revealed by Cathy Kelley last week, WWE COO Triple H will come to NXT this week to address the matter on the minds of all Superstars and fans: What’s the status of the NXT Title following the neck injury suffered by champion Tommaso Ciampa?

The Game’s return to Full Sail Live couldn’t be better timed, with only three weeks to go until WrestleMania Week and TakeOver: New York

WWE Reportedly Signs Former Impact X Division Champion DJZ

WWE has reportedly signed former Impact Wrestling X Division Champion DJZ, according to PWInsider.

DJZ will be coming in to work the WWE NXT brand. WWE reportedly made their offer to him during the last week of February.

DJZ revealed back on December 31 that he was a free agent after parting ways with Impact. His contract had expired there. He debuted for Impact in 2011 and worked there off & on, becoming a two-time X Division Champion and a one-time Tag Team Champion with Andrew Everett.

There’s no word yet on when the 32 year old will report to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, but it’s believed he will work a few more dates on the indies to finish up there.

As noted, WWE recently signed DJZ’s former “BroMans” partner Robbie E (Robert Strauss) to a deal as well. He’s currently at the Performance Center training.

DJZ was praised for Friday’s match with Sammy Guevara at the Warrior Wrestling IV indie event in Chicago. Below are a few shots from that match, and a few shots from DJZ’s weekend debut for the International Wrestling Cartel (IWC) promotion in Elizabeth, PA:

https://twitter.com/sammyguevara/status/1106790393398607873

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Chelsea Green Suffers Injury During NXT TV Taping

Former Impact Wrestling star Chelsea Green wrestled at Full Sail University last night for the first time during the NXT TV tapings and suffered an injury in her match.

Green announced the injury via social media and wrote:

Today I had the opportunity to wrestle for the first time at Full Sail for WWE NXT, after years of dreaming of it! Wow, it was everything I had imagined it would be!!! Of course, with this job comes occupational hazards. Unfortunately, I broke my wrist mid-match & will require surgery first thing tomorrow morning. It sucks. I’m upset, I’m angry, I’m sore… but I’ll be back soon. This is just a tiny bump in the road to many goals I have set for 2019! Oh yeah…I won the match.

Chelsea Green signed with WWE in October 2018.

Image result for Chelsea Green Suffers Injury During NXT TV Taping

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

WWE NXT Preview 3/13/19

NXT, tonight at 8 ET on WWE Network.

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semi-Finals

* Aleister Black & Ricochet vs. #DIY

* Moustache Mountain vs. The Forgotten Sons

* Io Shirai and Bianca Belair vie for NXT Women’s Title opportunity

WWE Signs Robbie E, Stokely Hathaway And Cal Bloom

WWE has signed three new recruits to the WWE Performance Center – former Impact Wrestling star Robbie E, former ROH star Stokely Hathaway and second generation wrestler Cal Bloom, son of former WWE Superstar Wayne Bloom (Beau Beverly).

All three talents have reported too the WWE Performance Center in Orlando and should be making their WWE NXT debuts soon.

Below is WWE’s full announcement on the signings along with a photo of them at the Performance Center:

Stokely Hathaway, Cal Bloom and Robert Strauss join the WWE Performance CenterWorld-traveled ring veteran Robert Strauss, renowned manager Stokely Hathaway and second-generation wrestler Cal Bloom are the newest recruits to join the WWE Performance Center this week in Orlando, Fla.

Strauss has been a fixture of the independent scene since making his debut in 2001, while still a teenager. Competing under aliases like “Robbie E” and “Rob Eckos,” he has won more than two dozen championships throughout his career, as well as wrestled in 46 states and more than 20 countries. In addition to his exploits in sports-entertainment, the New Jersey native has appeared on reality shows, making it to the finals on the 25th season of CBS’ “Amazing Race” and participating in the trials on “The Titan Games,” the competition series created by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Strauss also starred in Muscle & Fitness’ “Dad Bod Destroyer” video series.

Hathaway comes to the Performance Center after a successful tenure as a manager and a wrestler on the indies. Although trained for the ring, Hathaway gained a reputation in recent years for wheeling and dealing on behalf of other wrestlers. The notoriously outspoken Hathaway has represented clients in several promotions throughout the U.S., from EVOLVE Wrestling to the New England-based Beyond Wrestling. He hails from New York City.

Bloom, meanwhile, brings a sports-entertainment pedigree to the Performance Center. The 6-foot-5, 255-pounder is the son of former WWE Superstar Wayne Bloom, who wrestled as “Beau Beverly” in the early 1990s. The younger Bloom played tight end at the University of Central Florida, making four Bowl Game appearances (including UCF’s Fiesta Bowl win against Baylor University). He also received the team’s Iron Knight Award for strongest player after bench-pressing 500 pounds, a record for UCF tight ends. Although he hasn’t yet had a match, the 25-year-old Bloom has received training from his father Wayne, WWE alumnus Ken Kennedy and famed wrestling coach Brad Rheingans.

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1105216625110933506

Trevor Lee Debuts In WWE NXT (Photos)

Former Impact Wrestling X-Division Champion Trevor Lee made his WWE NXT in-ring debut tonight in Dade City, Florida when he suffered a loss to NXT UK’s Luke Menzies.

Along with being a three-time X-Division Champion, Lee was also an Impact World Tag Team Champion with partner, Brian Myers. He’s also held titles in AAW, PWG, and was the OMEGA Heavyweight Champion.

Below are some photos from tonight’s NXT live event:

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1104206026734268417

https://twitter.com/FLWrestlingFan/status/1104187882913386497

https://twitter.com/Tarratastic/status/1104188211931373574

Source: Wrestling Inc.