Saraya reflects on eight-year anniversary of near career-ending injury
Saraya has commented on the eight-year anniversary of an injury that was once thought to be career-ending.
In December 2017, Saraya had just returned to WWE after missing nearly a year and a half with a neck injury suffered in June 2016. Later that month, on December 27, 2017, while wrestling on a WWE house show in Uniondale, New York, Saraya re-injured her neck when taking a kick to the back from Mercedes Mone, then wrestling as Sasha Banks. It would be nearly five years before doctors would clear her to return.
Saraya took to social media on Sunday to reflect on the injury:
“8 years yesterday from when I thought my career was over during a Uniondale house show. What a ride it’s been since. Grateful for my health, family, friends and fans. You truly keep me going! My noodle neck is as strong as ever haha
Can’t wait for what 2026 has in store ❤️⚡️”
Saraya has taken a sabbatical from wrestling over the past year, having not wrestled since October 2024 and having parted ways with AEW in March. She recently appeared at a show for Insane Wrestling Revolution over the weekend, and also told the Toronto Sun last month that she plans to resume training in January:
“I’m going to get into training in January, and we’ll see where that takes me. Because I feel like I do — if I was to ever come back, not saying I am, but if I was to ever come back, I want to be at the top of my game and be wrestling better than I was wrestling back when I was in NXT. So that’s my goal.”
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.