WWE News: NXT Star Gets Sidelined Again With Torn ACL
It appears that NXT superstar Tegan Nox might be out of action for quite some time, as WWE announced via social media that she had recently reinjured her anterior cruciate ligament.
On Wednesday, the WWE NXT Twitter account shared an update on Nox, noting that she suffered a torn ACL after she was attacked by Candice LeRae ahead of last week’s battle royal to determine the No. 1 contender for the NXT Women’s Championship. LeRae went on to win the contest and will be challenging Io Shirai for the title at TakeOver: 31 on Sunday.
BREAKING NEWS: Following an attack from @CandiceLeRae before the #WWENXT #BattleRoyal last week, @TeganNoxWWE_ has suffered a torn ACL. pic.twitter.com/Io3wJCIwTX
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) September 30, 2020
As explained by Bleacher Report, it’s very likely that Nox did not actually get hurt during the attack, as WWE appears to have worked her latest injury into her storyline with LeRae, whom she had been feuding with for the past few weeks.
Nox has dealt with numerous knee issues over the past few years, and she had torn her right ACL in 2017, preventing her from competing in WWE’s Mae Young Classic, according to Sporting News. While she eventually appeared in the 2018 edition of the company’s all-female tournament, she ended up suffering a similar injury, that time tearing her left ACL during her quarterfinal match against future NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley.
Ultimately, she made a successful recovery, en route to becoming a key part of NXT’s women’s division and having one of the most “inspiring” comeback stories in the black-and-gold brand’s recent history, per Bleacher Report.
Speaking to Sporting News earlier this year, Nox looked back on her 2018 injury, admitting that she feared that at only 23 years old, her career might be “over.” She clarified that this wasn’t in the sense that she might have to retire at a young age, but rather because she was concerned WWE officials might not want to push someone who was so injury-prone. She did, however, credit the company for giving her the support she needed as she worked toward coming back to the squared circle.
“I just thought they were going to pass me to the side and be done with me, but they worked so hard becoming the best agents in the world on both occasions and brought me back stronger than I could ever imagine I’d be if I didn’t have the knee surgeries.”
At the moment, it’s still unclear when Nox will be undergoing surgery or how much time she might have to miss. However, Bleacher Report stressed that the 25-year-old still has the “makings of a big star” in WWE due to her youth, in-ring skills, and charisma.
