Nikkita Lyons Compares Knee Brace Comeback to Stone Cold Steve Austin’s Iconic Look

Nikkita Lyons is officially back in action for WWE following nearly a year away from the ring. Lyons suffered two major knee injuries that derailed her momentum, first tearing the ACL and partially tearing the MCL in her left knee and later suffering an ACL tear in her right knee. With both legs requiring surgery and months of rehabilitation, Lyons opened up about her journey on the latest episode of her podcast, The Lyons Den.

“Almost everything” in her right knee was reconstructed, Lyons revealed. Reflecting on the difficult recovery, she compared her experience to Stone Cold Steve Austin, saying, “I’m about to be rocking two knee braces just like Stone Cold. Shout out to you, Stone Cold. Love ya, Austin 3:16.”

Her second surgery brought a different mindset. Lyons admitted that her first knee injury left her feeling lost and confused. “I felt a myriad of things that may not even have a word to describe them,” she shared. However, this time, she faced recovery with a renewed sense of determination. “Going into surgery, honestly, the second time, I was like, ‘Alright, let’s do this sh*t.’”

Quoting John Cena, Lyons reflected on how failure isn’t what defines someone, but how they handle it. “It’s not the fact that you failed. It’s how you deal with the failure,” she explained. Lyons acknowledged the emotional toll of the journey, mentioning her struggle with depression. “Depression is a real thing. But what does depression mean? Depress—deep rest. You need deep rest.”

The physical recovery process was intense. Lyons noted that in the early stages, she couldn’t even put her leg down. “My meniscus was repaired in my right knee—both lateral and medial. And then the ACL and a partial MCL. Almost everything in this knee was reconstructed,” she said, adding that her right knee took 10 months to heal, while her left knee recovery lasted eight months since it only required ACL surgery.

Her hard work paid off, and Lyons made her return to television on the October 15 episode of NXT on CW, where she scored a victory over Lola Vice, with an assist from Jaida Parker.

After enduring two major surgeries and months of rehabilitation, Lyons has finally returned stronger than ever, determined to reclaim her place in WWE. With the mental and physical challenges behind her, it’s clear Lyons is ready to start fresh—and she’s already making an impact.