Steph De Lander has proudly displayed her heavily battered and bruised chest in a new photo shared alongside an emotional tweet, embracing the visible marks of war from her long-awaited return to singles competition. Facing powerhouse Megan Bayne, widely viewed as the current measuring stick for female wrestlers on the indies, the former WWE and TNA star described the aching, bruised sensation as one she had deeply missed during her two-year hiatus. Time away from the ring has clearly not diminished her drive, suggesting she should remain on fans’ radars.
After suffering a serious neck injury in 2024 that required cervical spinal fusion surgery on her C5-C6 vertebrae, 29-year-old Steph De Lander was fully cleared by her surgeon and WWE medical team, leading most to presume she would be returning to TNA. However, during a phone call with TNA President Carlos Silva, she was told that the company was not comfortable with her returning to wrestling despite medical clearance. Feeling that the decision was personal, De Lander therefore chose to quit the promotion, along with her husband, Mance Warner, who joined her solidarity.
