The wait for a Pretty Deadly reunion on Friday Night SmackDown has officially been extended following a major health update from Elton Prince.
After being absent from television since May 2025, it has been confirmed that Prince underwent a Level 2 neck fusion surgery on Thursday, January 8, 2026. The procedure was deemed necessary after months of attempting to rehabilitate the injury without surgical intervention.
The injury, which was initially reported as “undisclosed” when he was pulled from the road last summer, is the second significant setback for the British star since joining the main roster. In 2023, he spent several months on the shelf due to a separated shoulder, which the company turned into a comedic “Road to Recovery” storyline. However, this current neck issue is far more serious and is expected to keep him out of action for the foreseeable future.
Elton issued the following statement:
“Back in May I took a bad landing in the ring, the top of my head hit the mat and what felt like burning hot electricity exploded through my neck and my arms, I lost control of my hands as all my fingers curled in and were stuck for a moment. It was pretty terrifying and what followed has been 7 months of tests, questions and well pain. But thanks to the efforts of the WWE medical staff and Dr Kanter, Gina and the Hoag team we found the problem and yesterday I successfully underwent a 2 level neck fusion.
Not exactly where I hoped to be at 28 but we are owed nothing in this life and I am just grateful to be on the road to recovery. I want to thank everybody who has messaged or commented to ask how and where I am its been nice to not feel forgotten and I will try my hardest to overcome all the obstacles and get back in the ring for you.
But my focus right now is just getting healthy and reclaiming the basics like being able to be the best dad I can be for my daughter as @kellykincaid_wwe is long overdue a good nights sleep! I Can’t thank her enough for the support and help during all this and while im recovering im excited to watch my brother @kitwilson_pd crush everything he does and get a well deserved spotlight shone on him ⭐️
#eltonstrong”
During Prince’s absence, his tag team partner Kit Wilson has transitioned into a singles role, recently debuting a new theme song, “Man Up,” and finding success as a sympathetic fan favorite on the blue brand.
While there were early fears that the duo might be split permanently, Sean Ross Sapp indicates that WWE still views Pretty Deadly as a valuable tag team and plans to reunite them once Prince is cleared to return.
For now, Prince begins a long road to recovery, while Wilson continues to establish himself as a breakout singles star in the early months of 2026.
