Tommaso Ciampa Says He Was Told He'd Be On "Borrowed Time" If He Returns To The Ring
Tommaso Ciampa took to Twitter today and revealed that doctors told him he will be on "borrowed time" if he returns to the ring from his recent neck surgery.
Ciampa revealed the bad news when reflecting on how he will be missing the WWE NXT "Takeover: New York" event next Friday night in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center. As noted, the plan was for Ciampa to defend his title against Johnny Gargano in the Takeover main event, but Ciampa was forced to undergo neck surgery and relinquish the title. Gargano will now face Adam Cole in a 2 of 3 Falls match for the vacant NXT Title at Takeover.
Ciampa said the match at Takeover meant more to him than anyone will ever understand. "The opportunity was taken away from me," he added.
There's still no official word on when Ciampa will return to the ring but it was noted in the recent NXT TV video package, seen above, that it takes most people up to a full year to recover from the operation he had.
You can read Ciampa's full statement below:
"In May of 2017 they told me that no one has ever had 3 major surgeries in a 12 week span and returned at a competitive level.
I returned to the most successful run of my career.
This week I should be preparing to walk into the main event of Takeover New York on Wrestlemania weekend as the NXT Champion. This match meant more to me than anyone will ever understand.
The opportunity was taken away from me.
In March of 2019 they told me that if I return then I will be on borrowed time.
To be continued..."
? CIAMPA (@ProjectCiampa) April 1, 2019