It was announced this past week on WWE NXT that NXT star Corey Graves would be returning to NXT to talk about his career. He will be appearing next week on the pre-show for NXT Takeover: R Evolution. Graves has been out of action for months due to a second concussion. Many believe that Graves is appearing on the pre-show to tell the world that he is retiring from pro-wrestling.
There have been conflicting reports regarding Graves and his concussion. One is that he has been cleared to return, but is a bit scared to go back in and potentially suffer another concussion. Meanwhile, another report claims that he has not been cleared and this past concussion was big enough to end his career. Another report is that WWE has not allowed him to get back in the ring, but he wants to.
Whether he is scared about the prospect of getting hurt or simply has not been cleared to return, he cannot wrestle in either condition. There is hope that Graves, due to his appearance on the NXT pre-show, would announce a return date instead of his retirement. He has been working backstage in the production area since his injury.
What sucks for Graves is that his two concussions happened so quickly between each other. Graves was hurt in late 2013, came back in January of 2014, then was hurt again shortly after. Many would imagine that he is a bit timid due to that, and who wouldn’t be?
To add fuel to the retirement rumor, there have been no reports of him getting back in the ring.
Graves has been with WWE since 2011, working in their developmental area. In FCW, he did quite well in route to winning the FCW Tag-Team Title with Jake Carter. He started to gain popularity once NXT officially launched last year. He was an NXT Tag-Team Champion with now NXT World Champion Adrian Neville.
Graves is relatively good on the mic and considered a great in-ring performer. He also has a unique look that caught the attention of WWE immediately. The company clearly does not want to lose Graves, but if he has to leave….they cannot stop him from it. Many think that WWE allowed him to work out his NXT contract in the production area, which is why he wasn’t released yet.
There was also hope that he would be back in the ring.
Graves does have a career outside of WWE. He is a professional piercer and has a degree in Marketing. While no one wants to see Graves retire due to injury, that is the current rumor. However, we are sure to find out next week from Graves himself.
[IMG Credit: TheSmackDownHotel.com]