Alexa Bliss Return Rumor, Bliss Reportedly Training In A Special Ring At The WWE Performance Center
As noted earlier this week, via Dave Meltzer and F4Wonline.com, Alexa Bliss has not been fully cleared for in-ring action by the WWE doctors. This update came after WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry stated during a Busted Open Radio interview that Bliss was 100% cleared.
In an update on Bliss' status, Bryan Alvarez noted on Wrestling Observer Live that there's been talk of Bliss staying out of action until the 2019 Royal Rumble pay-per-view in late January. This has not been confirmed and should be taken as a rumor for now.
Alvarez also revealed that Bliss has been training in a special ring at the WWE Performance Center. We noted earlier that Bliss finally returned to in-ring training at the Performance Center last week after being out for a while with concussion issues. It was also reported that medical staff were watching closely as Bliss took light bumps at the Performance Center. Bliss was actually taking much lighter bumps as she was working out in a special ring that is basically a crash pad with ring ropes.
Dubbed the "High Flyer" ring, it was built with a crash pad that's almost 1 foot thick, which helps absorb the impact as talents are doing their bumps. The ring allows talents to work on their high-risk moves without the fear of getting hurt. The crash pad ring uses material similar to pads used on action movie sets and it was inspired by the kids foam ring that is used at the WrestleMania Axxess events.
Bliss was training in this crash pad ring so they could make sure she's able to take the softer bumps without the concussion symptoms getting worse.
Bliss, who does have limited clearance for physical activity, suffered multiple concussions in a short period of time, the last one reportedly happening in late October of this year. WWE has kept her on TV as the storyline boss of the RAW women's division but there's been no word on when she might wrestle another match. Alvarez's report did not indicate if there is talk of having her wrestle in the build-up to the Rumble or if it would be in the actual 30-woman Rumble match.
For those who missed it, Henry talked to Busted Open about a recent conversation he had with Bliss, where she revealed just how bad she got with the concussion symptoms.
"We sat and talked for about 15-20 minutes," Henry recalled, "And she was like, 'Yeah, I was really bad off. I couldn't remember where I was, I couldn't remember what I was doing in the city.' We were flying from London to Switzerland and she said, 'I couldn't remember what flight or anything. I had to rely one everyone else telling me what to do. I couldn't stand up straight, I had vertigo.' She said she was in a bad way, and then she came back too soon, banged her head again, and really was in a bad place."