Backstage WWE and AEW Rumors on Nia Jax, Jay White and More
The road to AEW Dynasty and WWE WrestleMania 41 is one paved with injuries, with this collection of wrestling rumors and reports dominated by updates on several missing and key stars.
Find out the latest on Nia Jax, Giulia, and "Switchblade" Jay White from the industry's most trusted insiders.
Nia Jax Update
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WrestleVotes reported on Backstage Pass Q&A with Bill Apter that Nia Jax has missed time because she was not cleared to compete. It had been anticipated she would be back by now, but there has been no update as to why she isn't.
Fans last saw the former WWE women's champion on March 1 at Elimination Chamber premium live event, where she teamed with Candice LeRae in a loss to current champion Tiffany Stratton and Trish Stratus.
Considering the year she had in 2024, and the work she put into her in-ring performance and presentation, it is disappointing for Jax that she does not appear to have a path to WrestleMania 41.
Hopefully, a return to health and then the squared circle is on the horizon for Jax post-WrestleMania.
Jay White Injured, Will Miss Owen Hart Tournament
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"Switchblade" Jay White will not be winning the 2025 Owen Hart Tournament.
AEW revealed Wednesday that White will miss the tournament due to an injury suffered at the hands of The Death Riders. And while that may be the on-screen explanation for his absence, there is a legitimate injury that requires surgery that will take him off the air for the foreseeable future.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful reported: "Fightful has confirmed the injury and that Jay White is expected to undergo surgery. We've not confirmed what the injury specifically is. The injury has caused some significant creative changes as a result of his removal from the tournament."
White was a key figure in the battle with Jon Moxley and Co. and had figured in heavily to the ongoing Death Riders storyline. He was also likely to be a prominently featured star in the upcoming tournament as one of three or four competitors with a legitimate shot at winning the whole thing.
For a guy who struggled to find traction and rekindle the initial excitement that his signing with AEW generated, the injury comes at the worst possible time. Hopefully, it is a short recovery time and Switchblade can be back and fending off Death Riders sooner rather than later.
Latest on Athena vs. Mercedes Moné
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Sapp also reported that the also match between Athena and TBS champion Mercedes Moné will happen "way sooner than expected."
He wrote: "Many have suggested the match is a plan for AEW All In Texas, considering Athena's ties to the area. However, we're told there have been other creative suggestions for that show, and that "the two weren't put in the same tournament on accident," referencing the Owen Hart Foundation tourney."
The insider noted that there is no confirmation that the two will meet at Dynasty, but said they will square off in the coming months.
It is a legitimate big-time women's division showdown if promoted correctly. Moné has been largely unbeaten since arriving in AEW, and Athena has ruled Ring of Honor for over 800 days as its women's champion.
Putting the unbeatable competitors in the same ring knowing one of them will have to lose is an easy sell and one that should drum up as much, if not more, excitement for The CEO as she has experienced since arriving in the company.
I will also give the woefully underutilized (outside of ROH) Athena something of great significance to do back on the main AEW roster.
What's Up With Giulia?
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Sapp reported Giulia has been at the WWE Performance Center since dropping her NXT Women's Championship to Stephanie Vaquer but has not been participating in classes.
"The rumor at the WWE PC was an ankle injury, though we've not confirmed that," he wrote. "WWE was hopeful that she could return soon, but we've not heard any updates regarding that."
Giulia was last seen on NXT television on the March 10 Roadblock edition of the show from The Theater at Madison Square Garden, where she dropped the title to Vaquer.
There are plenty of questions surrounding that creative decision, which one has to believe would not have been as likely to happen had Giulia been able to compete consistently and defend her title.
The answers are still unknown, however, as is The Beautiful Madness' status moving forward, which is a mighty blow to a women's division that is far and away the best element of this era of the black and silver brand.
