Current NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa underwent neck surgery on Thursday, placing the championship in limbo.
Following an evaluation from the WWE medical staff, the company announced that Ciampa would undergo a procedure known as an anterior cervical fusion. WWE has not given an update on his status but he is expected to be out of action for at least 3-6 months.
The 33-year-old Ciampa defeated Aleister Black last July during the NXT television tapings to win the NXT Championship. Over the past two years, he has been embroiled in a bitter feud with his former DIY partner Johnny Gargano, which is widely considered one of the best rivalries in all of wrestling in recent memory.
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#NXTChampion @ProjectCiampa underwent anterior cervical fusion surgery to repair his injured neck.
WARNING: Graphic images ahead. https://t.co/4H8ymx0J7K
WWE recently called up Ciampa and Gargano — along with fellow NXT stars Black and Ricochet — to the main roster where they teamed together despite their differences in NXT storylines. The two were expected to face off at NXT TakeOver: New York at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Friday, April 5.
The question now remains what will happen with the NXT Championship. The brand will hold its next set of TV tapings next week at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla. where it will likely be announced that the title has been vacated due to Ciampa’s injury.
As for NXT TakeOver: New York, it would make sense for Gargano to be one of the participants for the title. However, the brand could go in a variety of directions, which could be a singles bout or a multi-man match that may include the likes of Adam Cole, Matt Riddle and current North American Championship Velveteen Dream.
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