Jamie Hayter Says 2023 Back Injury Helped Her Return to Pro Wrestling With ‘Better Mentality’

Former AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter recently opened up about a career-threatening injury she suffered three years ago and how it helped her to return with a “better mentality.” Hayter suffered a back injury during the summer of 2023, leading to her being on the sidelines for nearly a year.

She made a surprising return at All In 2024 and is set to challenge The Divine Dominion alongside Alex Windsor for the Women’s World Tag Team Championship at Wembley Stadium this Sunday.

During a recent conversation with the BBC, Hayter reminisced about her time on the sidelines, revealing she suffered depression while dealing with immense pain at home. However, she noted it helped her get a perspective on what’s worth getting upset about, allowing her to return to the ring with a “better mentality.” Here’s what Jamie Hayter said:

“The worst was the first few months because I was really unsure of things, the pain was at its highest, and I was bedbound—the most I could do was get up, feed my cats, make a coffee and then wobble back to bed. I was sitting there depressed, think I’m not doing anything, nothing is going on in my life, and it was hard to see a positive light. Weeks felt like they were taking years to go by. It helped me come back with a better mentality for wrestling than I had before, just more mellowed out and with a better understanding of what is worth getting upset over.”