Backstage Reason For Karmen Petrovic Being Removed From WWE NXT Gauntlet Match

Six of "WWE NXT's" most promising female performers battled it out on the August 20 episode in a gauntlet eliminator match to determine who would face Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women's Championship at the No Mercy Premium Live Event on September 1. The match was eventually won by Jaida Parker, who outlasted Sol Ruca, Wren Sinclair, Kendal Grey, Adriana Rizzo, and Brinley Reece to earn the title match, but one woman was noticeably absent, Karmen Petrovic.

In the initial listing for the bout, Petrovic was set to be in, but was replaced by Reece with no real explanation given for the switch. Fightful Select asked "NXT" sources why Petrovic was removed from the match, to which they were told that the 28-year old is not injured, and that her removal was simply a storyline reason that will be paid off at a later date.

Petrovic was last seen on TV at the first week of The Great American Bash TV special, where she teamed up with Ruca and Lola Vice in a losing effort against the team of Fallon Henley, Jacy Jayne, and Jazmyn Nyx. However, she has since competed at an "NXT" live event in St. Petersburg, Florida. Fightful Select were also able to confirm that Petrovic was involved in the episode that was taped immediately after the August 20 episode went off the air, where she went one-on-one with Izzi Dame in a match that will air on August 27. Whether or not the storyline reasoning for why she was removed from the gauntlet eliminator match will also air on August 27 has yet to be confirmed.