Severity of Elijah’s WWE NXT Injury Becomes Clear After Medical Evaluation

Elijah’s injury on the June 18 episode of WWE NXT has now been officially confirmed—and it’s more severe than initially believed.

According to Fightful Select, the TNA star suffered a torn triceps during the six-man tag team match and has already undergone successful surgery to repair the damage.

While early speculation suggested the injury occurred during his rope-walk “old-school” attempt, the real cause happened later in the match. The spot happened when he came off the top rope and did double knees to the chest. When he broke his landing with his arms, a tear was sustained.

Elijah continued the match but visibly favored his left arm afterward. His injury went largely unnoticed during the broadcast, but Bryan Alvarez pointed out that Elijah didn’t appear to use his arm again after the spot, further fueling concern.

Adding to the unique nature of the situation, TNA’s Lead Ringside Physician happened to be visiting WWE NXT that night and collaborated with WWE’s medical team to evaluate the injury immediately. Thanks to that timely support, Elijah was able to receive swift care and undergo surgery without delay.

The injury could not have come at a worse time. Elijah had recently returned to TV in a big way and was scheduled to appear at TNA’s television tapings in Pittsburgh this weekend. He’s also featured in the main event of this Thursday’s Impact, a taped 10-man tag from June 7, teaming with The Rascalz, Joe Hendry, and Leon Slater against Steve Maclin, Moose, Trick Williams, and The Nemeths.

While that match still aired, any of Elijah’s planned future appearances are now off the board. TNA had been promoting him alongside major names like The Hardys, Moose, and Masha Slamovich for the June 20 and 21 events at the UPMC Events Center in Pennsylvania.

A torn triceps is a serious injury that often requires surgery followed by months of rehabilitation. For wrestlers, the typical recovery timeline ranges from 4 to 6 months, depending on the severity of the tear and how the rehab process progresses. Some may return slightly sooner, but setbacks and complications are common with this kind of injury, especially in a physically demanding sport like professional wrestling.

Elijah had been gaining momentum across both WWE and TNA platforms, and this injury puts that run on pause—but it doesn’t rule out a return later this year if his rehab stays on track.

Do you think Elijah can return even stronger after this kind of injury? Share your thoughts and drop your well wishes for his recovery in the comments.