Ring of Honor star Tomasso Ciampa, who was injured at the “Boiling Point” iPPV against Jay Lethal back on August 11, posted the following injury update on his Facebook page:
Many of you may already know, but for those who do not, I was in fact injured during my match with Jay Lethal for ROH in Providence, RI on August 11th.
The injury occurred within the opening seconds of the match. I charged Lethal with a forearm and when I attempted to pivot on my left foot I felt a pop in my knee. I attempted with some success to finish the match. Over the next 20 minutes I could feel my knee pop about 5 more times.
First things first – I’d like to thank Todd Sinclair for being the ultimate professional. He is in fact the best professional wrestling referee alive today, and I wish more people would recognize his talents. A lot of people don’t realize the importance of a referee in wrestling. They can truly make or break a great match, and in this case he certainly helped make it.
Secondly – Jay Lethal is a master of his craft. Whether we like one another or not is besides the point. The man is a top notch performer and athlete. Hats off to you sir.
Lastly – the injury itself. My initial thought when the injury occurred was that something serious just happened. I never really considered ending the match. Even now looking back on the match it just doesn’t seem like an option. I think it’s fair to assume most people would have chosen to call it quits, but wrestlers are a different breed. And ROH wrestlers are the very top of that breed. It’s in our DNA and there is no real explaining it.
I remember when the final bell rang I felt all the air come out of me. I was relieved the match was over, but moreso, I was overcome with anxiety when thinking of how serious the injury may be. The days following the show I was surprised how good I felt and I decided to delay getting an MRI. Over the next couple weeks the swelling went down but my stability did not return. I decided an MRI was best and finally had one last week. My doctor told me the results were not very good, but suggested I see an orthopedic surgeon to get a second opinion.
Today I went to the specialist and unfortunately my knee will require surgery. I completely tore my ACL, tore my meniscus, and bruised my bone. I will require an ACL reconstruction and while the doctor is fixing it he will also repair my meniscus. The suggested recovery time is 1 year.
I am not sure where this leaves me with ROH or professional wrestling for that matter. I honestly do not have much of a game plan at the moment. My first step is to pick a surgeon (intelligent recommendations are welcome and appreciated). I plan to take it day to day from that point onward.
The thought of missing a year of wrestling creates a massive void in my heart. I have given ten years of my life to this sport. It is my passion.
I will try to give periodic updates as the mood strikes. And I would like to thank all the fans, wrestlers, family, and friends who have reached out to me over the last month. I appreciate your support.