Ciampa Says He Was Told He'd Be On "Borrowed Time" If He Returns

Former NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa recently took to Twitter and revealed that doctors told him he will be on “borrowed time” if he returns to the ring from his recent neck surgery.

The unfortunate news was revealed by Ciampa himself when he was reflecting on how he will be missing The NXT TakeOver: New York Event this coming Friday night from The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. As previously reported, the original plan was for Ciampa to defend The NXT Title against Johnny Gargano in the main event of NXT TakeOver: New York, but Ciampa was forced to undergo neck surgery and relinquish the title. Gargano will now be facing Adam Cole in a 2-Out-Of-3 Falls Match for the vacant NXT Title at TakeOver: New York.

Ciampa first said that the match at TakeOver meant more to him than anyone will ever understand. He then added, “The opportunity was taken away from me.”

There is no word yet on when Ciampa will be returning to the ring but it was noted in a recent NXT TV video package, seen below, that it takes most people up to a full year to recover from the type of surgery he had.

You can check out 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…”