Shotzi Out Of Action For At Least 9 Months With Torn ACL

Shotzi will be out of action for nine months after being diagnosed with a torn ACL. 

Shotzi sustained the injury during the NXT TV taping on Tuesday, February 13. She was challenging Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women's Championship in the main event of the taping for the February 19 show but she suffered a "freak accident" after she hit the outside of the ring while falling to the outside. 

NXT were initially "in a panic" following the injury but they eventually called an audible and had Lash Legend respond to an open challenge from Valkyria to fill out the remaining time needed for NXT. 

Taking to Instagram, Shotzi confirmed the nature of the injury while noting she plans to come back physically and mentally stronger. 

"I tore my ACL which means I will be out of action for about 9 months. Thank you to everyone who has checked up on me. I am so sorry if I haven't responded. I am just extremely devastated and angry. Some of you know, I have been through a lot the last few years and it has been so hard to keep up with what I think is expected of me and honestly my mental health had been at an all time low. But I've pushed through and I was feeling motivated and like myself again. I was hoping to go to NXT to prove myself again, earn some respect, build back my confidence and start putting the heartache from the past 2 years behind me. I feel defeated right now but I'm simultaneously feeling the most motivated I have ever been. I have been through way worse. I've watched my sister, who is fighting cancer, fight tougher battles. I'm just taking this as a sign to slow down. I didn't take time off when both my stepdad and my dad passed and that really affected me. Now I am looking forward to coming back not just physically stronger, but mentally also," Shotzi wrote.

The injury means Shotzi will return to WWE in late 2024 at the earliest.