Wrestling star Nikkita Lyons has been one of the rising stars within WWE’s NXT brand, as she brought her unique variety of moves to the ring and looked to be someone deserving of a push.
However, she recently shared an unfortunate update with her fans and followers, indicating she had suffered a torn ACL and meniscus, which would keep her sidelined.
The 5-foot-8 superstar known as The Lioness provided the news via a carousel post with five images of her decked out in her wrestling attire.
Lyons wore a dark green or grey ring attire with a stretchy look, plunging top, and sheer arm panels. There were strategic cutouts on the shoulders, side, and back. Crisscrossing black straps were seen throughout the design, with parts of her back and thigh and several tattoos visible in the images.
The ring gear also includes a pair of solid white boots complete with Lyons’ logo that likely delivered some hard-hitting kicks to opponents.
The first of the Instagram images showed Lyons in action as she performed a kick high in the air. A second photo had her back to the camera with Lyons looking over her shoulder as she held a long white coat with gold “Lyons Pride” graphics on it.
Additional photos had her showing another impressive kicking move, holding her elbow for a strike, and wearing her large fuzzy white coat open to reveal its dazzling golden interior as she faced the camera.
Nikkita Lyons shares tough injury update
“This comeback is personal. Thank you to all who consistently show love & genuine support every week. You have no idea how much it means to me,” Lyons wrote in her caption.
“This is just another lesson life needed to teach. 🌻 Love, Light, & Positivity always,” she finished her message.
She’s also included “The Reconstruction” under her name on the IG post, likely alluding to her journey ahead with rehabilitation and recovery.
According to Wrestling Inc, Lyons was sidelined last May after suffering an MCL sprain and partial tear of her MCL, but those only kept her away from the ring for over a month. The latest injury update is much more serious, though.
As of this writing, WWE hasn’t indicated how long the 23-year-old NXT star might be out of action. A segment arrived this past Tuesday on WWE’s NXT episode with Lyons getting attacked in a parking lot, likely leading to her being written off TV for a while.
Lyons shows her intense training on social media
Lyons has been with WWE NXT for a short time but has been among the impressive talents the brand currently showcases.
Ahead of getting hurt, she often showed her dedication to her craft on social media, whether it was a video clip of her sparring with a partner (below) in a boxing or kickboxing session or one of her gym workouts.
In December, she shared the video below, showing some of her gym training. Decked out in purple workout gear, Lyons is focused on her gym session as she wears Airpods.
In the clip, she performs pulldowns with a machine, followed by tricep pushdowns and a close grip pulldown to her chest, also using gym machines.
Lyons has talked about getting into taekwondo and earning her black belt at a young age. She said she fell in love with combat sports as a way to exercise, which also gave her discipline.
“I don’t like running. I make myself run, but you know, mitt work, that’s cardio. That’s like great cardio,” she shared.
The road to recovery will likely be a long one for Lyons, but plenty of other athletes, including pro wrestlers, have battled back from tough injuries. Her strong mindset and the foundation for achieving goals at the gym will definitely help Lyons on her journey.
WWE NXT airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on USA.