Ex-WWE Star To Retire If They Can’t Recapture Love Of Wrestling
A former WWE Superstar has admitted they could leave wrestling behind as they prepare to resume their career.
On November 1, 2024, Tegan Nox was released by WWE for a second time having not appeared on television for several months. The star, who also wrestles as Nixon Newell, only returned to the company in December 2022 after being let go a year earlier.
Newell signed with WWE in 2017 and was scheduled to take part in the Mae Young Classic, but was ruled out due to a knee injury. After returning to the ring, the star competed in the 2018 edition of the tournament but suffered another knee injury. Injury problems would strike again in 2019, taking the Welsh star out of action for a third time.
During her time with WWE, Newell wrestled in NXT, NXT UK, Raw and SmackDown.
In a new interview with Alistair McGeorge for The Metro, Newell revealed she was suffering with a mystery illness throughout 2024.
“I did get incredibly sick for a little while. We didn’t really get a legit answer. I went through tests, I was in hospital, a bunch of different stuff. So I think it was down to a lot of stress mixed with other things. But I was really sick, which didn’t help with the time off. I think that started it all, even though I said, ‘I’m good to go, it’s just I get sick now and again.’ But it wasn’t, like, deathly or anything.
I think it was a mix of them wanting to be safe, miscommunication with a lot of different people, because it was going from their doctors to outside doctors to hospitals. I think it just got lost in [translation] and stuff like that. But I think unnecessary time off started with a necessary time off, if that makes sense,”
The star added that she actually thought she’d be released long before she was, while expressing frustration at not being brought back to television after being medically cleared to return.
Tegan Nox Lost Of Wrestling During WWE Struggles
While looking ahead to the future Newell admitted it’s far from certain. She said she’d lost a lot of her love for wrestling over the past 12 months and despite her new challenge, it’s yet to return.
Newell explained that she’s committing to the industry for another two and a half years, but she’s prepared to walk away if she continues to feel disillusioned.
“I’m giving myself two years to either find the love, find myself, or just call it a day,’ she said. ‘Mid 2027, just before my 33rd birthday.
That’s a decent amount of time to be able to find myself and be like, “Okay, is it time to retire? Or do I have a little while left?” I think that’s what’s driving me right now, the thought of finding myself and trying to find this happiness again.”
Newell will return to the ring in May against ATTACK! Pro Wrestling against TNA star Dani Luna. The bout will be her first since losing to Blair Davenport in a dark match ahead of the July 5, 2024 episode of SmackDown.
Blair Davenport was also released by WWE in the company’s latest round of cuts alongside the likes of Cedric Alexander, the Authors of Pain and Giovanni Vinci.