The WWE has today confirmed reports that NXT champion Tommaso Ciampa will be stepping away from in-ring activity to undergo a neck procedure.
According to WWE, following a medical evaluation on Wednesday, Ciampa has been scheduled for an anterior cervical fusion with surgery scheduled to take place on Thursday.
Needless to say, Ciampa will be out of action for several months and we may not see him again until next year. Obviously, NXT will have to set up a storyline to crown a new champion while Ciampa recovers from surgery, although there have not been any announcements regarding what's to come.
Dave Meltzer discussed Ciampa's injury during the most recent Wrestling Observer Radio, which you can check out in the video embedded below.
Ciampa has established himself as a bonafide star since rejoining WWE with the NXT brand, which includes a tag-team title reign alongside Johnny Gargano.
Both Ciampa and Gargano, as well as NXT superstars Aleister Black and Ricochet, have recently been called up to work WWE's Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live programs.