Backstage Update On Severity Of Naomi's Injury - Will She Miss WrestleMania 33?
Will she make it to Orlando?
Defeating Alexa Bliss to become SmackDown Women's Champion at Elimination Chamber was the biggest moment of Naomi's WWE career thus far, but it came at a cost. The new champion suffered a legitimate knee injury while performing a split-legged moonsault at the pay-per-view, and was forced to relinquish her title just nine days after winning it.
It has since been reported that the injury is worse than originally thought. Dave Meltzer revealed on Wednesday's Wrestling Observer Radio that Naomi could be out of action for up to two months, and that her WrestleMania 33 status is now in jeopardy.
WrestleMania takes place in Naomi's hometown (Orlando, Florida) this year, and WWE had reportedly planned for her to carry the SmackDown Women's Championship into the event. With little over five weeks to go until the show and the injury described as being similar to Seth Rollins' current knee issue, chances of her even making it to the show look slim.
Naomi has also been replaced by NXT Women's Champion Asuka on WWE's forthcoming live event at Madison Square Garden on March 12th, according to the venue's official website.
Naomi posted the following update on Instagram yesterday, noting that she has already started rehabbing her knee:-