WWE: Backstage Update on Eddy Thorpe’s Recent Absence from WWE NXT, Natalya’s Contract Expiring in Two Weeks, Ricky Starks on Attending WrestleMania 40

Backstage Update on Eddy Thorpe’s Recent Absence from WWE NXT

WWE NXT talent Eddy Thorpe has been noticeably absent from NXT television since this past December. Thorpe had last wrestled in a NXT Underground match against Dijak prior to his absence.

Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that the reason for Thorpe’s absence was due to him suffering a hip injury during his NXT Underground match. One source within NXT described Thorpe’s injury as being a “freak accident.”

It was reported that Thorpe was medically cleared to return to the ring in late February or early March of this year, which is why he has wrestled on NXT LVL Up and at NXT house show events since this past March.

It was also reported that Thorpe had suffered a previously unknown injury in October of 2023 which left him working hurt going into NXT’s Deadline 2023 event and featured his surprise appearance costing Dijak the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge match.

Those spoken to within NXT creative reportedly stated that Thorpe is currently expected to make his return to main NXT television in the near future. Those spoken to reportedly also stated that Thorpe had fully healed from any of his known injuries.

Following Fightful’s report, Thorpe provided an update on Twitter stating for fans to not worry since his hips are fine.

Don’t worry my hips are fine pic.twitter.com/u07OPoFIbE

— エディ•ソープ (@EddyThorpe_WWE) May 17, 2024

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Natalya’s WWE Contract Reportedly Expiring in Two Weeks

As noted before, Natalya’s contract with WWE is currently set to expire within the next several months.

Sean Ross Sapp reported in a recent episode of Fightful’s The Hump show that his sources provided an update regarding Natalya’s current contract situation.

Sapp reported that Natayla’s contract is still set to expire in a couple of weeks.

“Nattie is still set to be a free agent in a couple of weeks.”

Natayla has been working in WWE since January of 2007.

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Ricky Starks Comments on Attending WrestleMania 40 & Being Supportive of Cody Rhodes and Other Friends in WWE

WhatCulture Wrestling held a recent interview with AEW talent Ricky Starks. One of the topics discussed included Starks thoughts about him attending this past April’s WrestleMania 40 event in Philadelphia.

Dude, I made a joke to Cody. I was like, that video, they caught the video of me acting like that after I just saw ‘Taker come out, dude. It wasn’t because you were winning. I was making that joke with him. Bro, it was crazy. It was really cool to witness that because Cody…people make all these jokes about me being Cody’s friend and all this stuff, but the reality of it is that I shouldn’t feel like I can’t talk about a friend that I have. Cody has done more for me behind closed doors and for my family than anyone will ever know. I don’t have to explain myself or justify any type of relationship I have with someone. But I will just end it to that and say, beyond this wrestling shit, he’s done more for me than I could have ever asked someone to do. So in return, he will always have my loyalty and respect because that is how, me as a person, that’s how I operate. So to see that, to see that live, to know the things that he went through the year prior, that was really cool to see because as a friend, you should always want to see somebody succeed. I was there to see Jade have her WrestleMania match, and I was so floored. Me and Jade were training so hard months prior to doing all that. No one knows that. It’s cool because I’m invested as a person outside of wrestling to see these people succeed in what they are working towards, and they would do the same for me. So it was great to be there and to share that with everybody in the box.”

Starks also stated that he has no problem with supporting his friends in other companies and does not believe in wrestling tribalism.

“I loved it. I have no problem with supporting friends at other companies and all that stuff. I don’t believe in that tribalism bullshit. You got people who’ve never been in wrestling that try to push that agenda, but I don’t care. When I went to go see Cody at the Rumble, someone leaked the security footage. It’s not like I was trying to be seen. Someone leaked that footage. It was so bizarre, so weird. I was doing my part of trying not to bring any focus to me. Just because I kind of knew, like, all right, I’m just gonna chill out. That’s always how it is. I’m just trying to chill out. I’m not trying to be out here with a flag, saying, ‘Hey, here I am.’ That’s not it. But I’ll be damned if I let anybody, whether it’s the people I work with, whether the people online, I’ll be damned if I let anyone let me feel like you shouldn’t have friends. Think about that. Outside of this wrestling bubble, that’s sad. It’s mind-numbing to be like, ‘We’re mad at this guy, this guy sucks because he wanted to go see his friend.’ It’s like, guys, it’s not that big of a deal. I’m just there watching wrestling. I’m going to continue to support my friends at whatever company because who’s gonna tell me otherwise? Who am I hurting? What village am I pillaging? Who cares?”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com