Elio LeFleur will be out of action for at least six months after a shoulder injury. WWE announced he has torn his labrum and shoulder ligaments and must give up the WWE Men’s Speed Championship.
Injury confirmed on NXT
LeFleur, 26, confirmed his injury on last night’s NXT in a backstage segment. He appeared with his arm in a sling and said MRIs showed a torn labrum and torn ligaments in his shoulder.
The damage means he will be sidelined for about six months. Because of that, he vacated the WWE Speed Championship immediately.
What happened at the live event
The injury happened at a recent live event. LeFleur was in a multi-man tag match with Eli Knight, Kale Dixon and Tavion Heights against the team Birthright. The match was stopped after LeFleur and Lexis King both suffered injuries during the spot where LeFleur hit the turnbuckle.
Lexis King was later reported to be okay. LeFleur was not. He was seen after the match with his arm in a sling and later confirmed the full diagnosis on NXT.
Title history and next steps
LeFleur had only been with the company for four months but rose quickly through the system. He won the WWE Speed Championship from Jasper Troy about one month ago.
WWE has not yet announced how it will crown a new Speed Champion. The promotion has often used tournaments to decide the title and its challengers over the title’s two-year history. It has been more than a month since the company ran a tournament for men or women; recent tournament winners include LeFleur, Eli Knight and Wren Sinclair.
LeFleur’s rapid rise makes this a setback, but the company will likely keep him in plans once he recovers.
Quick recent results
| Fighter | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| Elio LeFleur | Won WWE Men’s Speed Title from Jasper Troy ~1 month ago; tore labrum and shoulder ligaments, vacated title |
| Jasper Troy | Lost WWE Men’s Speed Title to LeFleur ~1 month ago |
| Lexis King | Suffered injury scare at live event; later reported to be okay |
| Birthright (team) | Match with LeFleur’s team was stopped after injuries |
WWE has not shared a timeline for a tournament or replacement champion yet. Fans and talent will be watching NXT and upcoming events for details on how the Speed Championship will be decided.
