Elayna Black knows exactly what it feels like to have wrestling ripped away from you overnight — and according to her, the busted knee was only half the nightmare. The TNA star says the mental torture of sitting at home while the wrestling world keeps moving can be even worse than the physical pain.
Black opened up about the experience while speaking with Justin Woolwine on the Isle of Wrestling Podcast after being asked about helping KC Navarro through his own recovery from knee surgery. Black had already lived through an even nastier version of that situation after tearing her ACL, MCL and meniscus during her WWE run as Cora Jade, an injury that Ringside News followed as she slowly fought her way through rehabilitation.
Black said knee injuries are no joke, and Navarro had somebody in his corner who understood exactly how ugly the process could get. Her own damage was severe enough that simply walking wasn’t happening for two months.
“Yeah, you know, knee injuries are are no joke. They’re they’re rough, you know, I had mine it was two years ago now, but it was probably, you know, one of the hardest things I I had ever been through and you know, luckily for him it was just his ACL. Mine was my ACL, MCL and meniscus. So, I couldn’t walk for two months, you know, but it was rough, but you know, I think you need someone there who has kind of been through that and has kind of experienced that because not only is it hard physically, but I feel like the mental aspect is even harder because number one, you’re thinking about number one, how much this sucks. And number two, you’re thinking about how it kind of feels like in a way the wrestling world is moving on without you because in a way it does.”
That’s where the injury really started screwing with her head. Black wasn’t only wondering whether her knee would heal — she was questioning whether there would still be a place waiting for her when she finally came back.
“Um and then you kind of wonder where you fit in and where what you’re if you’re going to be as good as you were or, you know, what your character is going to be when you come back. There’s so many what ifs uh that go through your mind. Not only as a wrestler, but also as a person. Am I going to be able to work out the same? Am I going to be able to walk my dog? You know, that was a problem with me. I had just gotten a new puppy and then I tear my knee and I I couldn’t walk her and potty train her. So, you know, it’s very very difficult obviously physically, but I think the mental aspect is so much worse.”
Black said getting through something like that takes more than a surgeon fixing the knee and sending you home. She believes having the right people around you can make all the difference when the physical rehab starts messing with everything happening upstairs.
“And if you don’t have a good support system and you know, a good physical therapy team and everything like that. You need it takes a village truly and um I think that’s something that everybody needs. So, you know I was glad that I was able to you know, help someone who needed it after I had just gone through the same thing, you know, not too not too long after.”
Even after getting back on her feet, Black hasn’t forgotten how miserable the entire experience was. She made it clear she wouldn’t wish that road back on anybody.
“But yeah, knee injuries are are no joke. I don’t I don’t wish it on my worst enemy. Hopefully it never have to do it again, knock on wood. But yeah, they’re they’re rough.”
Black eventually made it through the injury, got back inside the ring and rebuilt her career, but that doesn’t mean she forgot what those months on the shelf did to her mentally. Now she’s using that experience to help another wrestler survive the part of recovery fans don’t always see — sitting at home wondering whether everybody else is leaving you behind.
What do you think about Elayna Black saying the mental side of her knee injury was even worse than the physical recovery? Let us know what you think and leave your feedback in the comments.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
