WWE NXT star announces exit after ‘serious injury’ cuts 3-year tenure short

After just three years with the company and at 26 years old, a WWE NXT star is going to leave the promotion due to a “serious injury” and other factors.

Brinley Reece, who has appeared on WWE NXT and their reality competition series Evolve, announced her exit in an Instagram post on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.

“After three years, I am officially closing my chapter Wrestling at WWE,” Reece said. “This decision came after navigating personal health challenges and a serious injury that required surgery last year. It wasn’t an easy choice, but it was a necessary one — choosing my health, my body, and my future first. That choice alone has been one of the most powerful lessons this journey gave me.”

She went on to praise the company and her time there. Reece called the experience “life-changing,” and it was a great learning experience for her.

“The last three years have been truly life-changing. WWE pushed me in ways I never imagined, taught me resilience, discipline, and belief, and allowed me to grow not only as a wrestler, but as a person. Every setback, every win, every long day and hard moment shaped who I am today, and for that I am so grateful.”

She ended her post with a bold promise: “This isn’t an ending,” she claimed, opting to instead call it a “redirection.” Ultimately, she is “proud” of what she accomplished, and she is “even more excited for what’s ahead.”

Reece made her WWE debut in 2022 after attending a tryout at SummerSlam that year in August. The following year, she made her debut on XNXT, replacing Jakara Jackson in the first round of the NXT Breakout Tournament. Reece did not win, losing to Arianna Grace.

While she would continue to compete in various matches throughout her career, including a battle royal that would’ve let her challenge then-Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria for the title, had she won. Reece had her WWE career cut short in May 2025 when she suffered a shoulder injury.

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