Dave Meltzer shared on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio that the NXT roster has been hit with yet another injury blow as Sol Ruca is suspected to have suffered a torn ACL. The injury occurred prior to this week’s episode of NXT, as the show featured a mystery attack angle targeting Ruca.
According to Meltzer, there have been concerns raised about the training regime in NXT, particularly the heavy lifting involved, which some blame for the rash of injuries on the roster.
“There’s a lot of injuries there. A lot of people are blaming the strength training – that they’re doing heavy lifts as opposed to strengthening surrounding muscles to prevent injuries,” Meltzer said on the Wrestling Observer Radio. “People have brought up to me, there’s a lot of injuries, especially on the women’s side – there’s a lot of women’s injuries right now in NXT.”
A complete recovery after a torn ACL can take up to six to nine months or longer, depending on the injury’s severity and the individual’s healing process. ACL reconstruction surgery is the most commonly used treatment for a torn ACL.
The NXT roster, especially in the women’s division, has been plagued by injuries, with Nikkita Lyons and Wendy Choo being among the recent victims. Even the current NXT Women’s Champion, Indi Hartwell, had a scare during her title three-way match at the NXT Spring Breakin’ event. This injury is just the latest in a series of setbacks for the NXT roster.
Although Indi Hartwell’s leg bent in an uncomfortable way while catching Tiffany Stratton on a dive outside the ring, she managed to complete the match as scheduled. Interestingly, some WWE insiders have credited Stratton as a significant contributor to the recent rise in NXT’s television ratings.
The NXT brand will need to take extra precautions in their training regimen to prevent further injuries and safeguard their roster’s health.