Top wrestling star, 29, ‘bed bound for months’ with crippling back injury-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro

Jamie Hayter has opened up on her horror injury and slow recovery (Picture: AEW/Ricky Havlik)

All Elite Wrestling star Jamie Hayter has revealed she was left ‘bed bound’ and in crippling pain after suffering a devastating injury.

The 29-year-old British wrestler – who is no stranger to brutal injuries – recently made her return to AEW at Wembley Stadium as WWE’s rival held All In London on August 25 after 15 months on the shelf due to what she’s now confirmed was having ‘completely herniated two discs’ in her back.

She lost the AEW Women’s Title in just three minutes against Toni Storm at AEW Double or Nothing in May 2023, and was on the sidelines for well over a year.

‘I was in pain constantly. It was not a fun injury. I was bed-bound for months. I couldn’t do anything. All I had was watching stuff on my phone, lying in bed, and reading some books,’ she told AEW’s Renee Paquette on Up Close.

Even that was a struggle at times, as the fan favourite admitted she ‘couldn’t do anything’ for a long time and thought she was actually dealing with sciatica.

‘I wasn’t even aware of the injury until it was really bad. Until I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t even stand up straight. My body was at an angle. I couldn’t laugh, sneeze, cough, sit down, stand in the shower, lay on my back,’ she said.

Last week she wrestled her first match in well over a year (Picture: AEW)

She has been off screen for over 15 months (Picture: AEW)

‘I kept going to the gym and kept wrestling. I did a sky dive on my birthday because I felt really good that day. “I’m going to do it.” After, “Oh, maybe I shouldn’t have done that.”

‘I wasn’t aware of the significance of the injury until I couldn’t walk. “I’m in too much pain 24/7.” It would wake me up in the middle of the night. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.’

At times during her long road to recovery, Jamie found herself doubting if she would ever wrestle again as she even contemplated retirement as her passion waned.

Jamie made her triumphant return at Wembley Stadium (Picture: AEW/Lee South)

The British wrestling star was on top of the world before her injury (Picture: AEW/Lee South)

‘I don’t know why,’ she admitted. ‘I think it was just the pain and everything that happened. I really wasn’t sure. It’s almost like I had to find myself again. Find my purpose and find my passion to do it again.’

She rediscovered that fire as ‘the pain subsided’ and she was able to start moving again and get back in the gym, which meant she ‘could see the light’.

‘The first time I got back into a ring, I felt alive again,’ she said, having struggled to even imagine herself in front of thousands of fans every week.

She made her triumphant return during the Zero Hour preshow at Wembley Stadium, stepping out to a huge roar from the crowd to lay out fellow British wrestler Saraya, best known to WWE fans as Paige.

On August 28, she took part in her first official match since Double Or Nothing 2023, defeating Saraya’s ally Harley Cameron in three minutes.

AEW Dynamite airs live Wednesday nights at 1am via TrillerTV.

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