The current NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa underwent a successful neck surgery this past Thursday in Birmingham, Alabama, WWE has confirmed.

The company posted some graphic photos of Ciampa’s anterior cervical fusion surgery on their website which you can check out below.

While they have not provided any update on his recovery yet, the usual recovery time for similar operations is 3-6 months, which means he could return in time for a SummerSlam feud.

As noted before, prior to his injury Tommaso Ciampa along with his DIY partner Johnny Gargano seem to be entering in a feud with the Raw Tag Team Champions the Revival.

Though with Ciampa being out of action for a considerable time, this feud is obviously off and it appears that Aleister Black and Ricochet could be given this spot instead.

As far as his NXT Championship goes, the title holder is expected to drop the belt at next Wednesday’s TV tapings from Full Sail.

There is no word yet on what the company is planning for Tommaso Ciampa upon his return. It’d be interesting to see if he returns to NXT or ends up becoming a regular on the main roster once he is cleared to compete.