Maven has been pretty open about the damage his body has taken over the years, but his latest health update goes well beyond the back problems he’s already discussed. The former WWE star revealed he’s been dealing with headaches and brain fog every single day for nearly a year, and surgery now appears to be in his future.
In a new YouTube video answering questions about his health, Maven revealed that the problem suddenly started in November 2025. He woke up one day with a headache and mental fog that simply never went away.
“Unfortunately, that would not be my only health scare of 2025. In November of that year, I would wake up with a headache and a fog that I just couldn’t shake. And to be perfectly honest with you, I still haven’t. Since that day, I have had headaches every day. And when I say every day, I mean every single day. There’s not one day that takes off. I have had brain fog every single day. Not one day that takes off.”
Maven has since gone to doctors trying to figure out what’s happening and get back to his normal life. He said some days are better than others, but the symptoms have never completely disappeared.
“I have sought out doctors and tried to go back to a normal pre-headache life. And I have some good days and some bad, but it never goes away. And from all I have gathered, the headaches stem from a fluid buildup in the back of my brain. Fluid that travels in and can’t fully travel out. Fluid that literally builds up, and I seriously can feel a pulse on the back of my head.”
The constant pain has apparently gotten brutal at times. Maven admitted there are days when the thing he looks forward to most is simply falling asleep again because it gives him a break from thinking about how badly his head hurts.
“Some days I wake up and all I look forward to that day is going back to sleep because at least when I’m sleeping, I’m not thinking of how much my head is pounding.”
And it sounds like doctors may eventually have to take a more serious step. Maven revealed that surgery is “definitely on the horizon,” although he isn’t expecting an operation to magically solve everything.
“As for fixing the problem, surgery is definitely on the horizon. However, with a fluid buildup, I don’t think surgery can be the end-all, cure-all.”
Maven has even reached out to someone from his WWE past for guidance. He contacted former Tough Enough contestant Chris Nowinski, who went on to become a prominent advocate and researcher in the field of concussions and brain injuries.
“In fact, I even reached out to my former Tough Enough contestant, Chris Nowinski, and sought his counsel.”
Despite everything he’s dealing with, Maven made it clear he wasn’t sharing the story because he wanted sympathy. He considers himself fortunate for the life he’s had and described this simply as the struggle he happens to be facing right now.
“And again, I am not looking for anyone’s sympathy. I promise you, I have lived a wonderful life. And I have been lucky and fortunate every one of my days. And I realize life comes with pain. This is just my struggle at this moment.”
Maven doesn’t have an easy fix in front of him yet, but dealing with nonstop headaches and brain fog since November 2025 has clearly taken one hell of a toll. With surgery now apparently coming at some point, he’s still trying to find a way back to the life he had before waking up with that first headache.
What do you make of Maven opening up about what he’s been dealing with, and what are your memories of watching him during his WWE run? Let us know what you think 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.
