Santos Escobar is reportedly set to undergo surgery following an injury that worsened in recent weeks.

The AAA and WWE star competed in the Rey de Reyes tournament final just days ago, sharing the ring with El Grande Americano II and La Parka. Despite the high-profile match, a new report indicates that Escobar was already dealing with a significant injury going into the bout.

Santos Escobar Injured, Surgery Required

According to Fightful Select, Escobar worked through the injury during the AAA Rey de Reyes final, but the condition worsened as a result of the match. It has now been confirmed that he suffered a torn tricep and will require surgery.

The report states that the injury originally occurred a couple of months ago during an NXT house show tour. Escobar was said to have been working with Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. over Royal Rumble weekend when the issue first happened. At the time, there was concern about the injury, but it was not initially believed to be a torn tricep.

Further evaluation later confirmed the severity of the damage. Escobar is now scheduled to undergo surgery on Thursday, March 19, 2026.

The injury situation also impacts his recent storyline activity. During the Rey de Reyes final, Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. interfered in the match, costing Escobar the victory and continuing their on-screen feud. However, with surgery now confirmed, those plans are expected to be put on hold.

Escobar’s absence will likely affect both WWE and AAA programming in the coming weeks, as he had been featured across multiple storylines. Recovery timelines for a torn tricep can vary, but the injury typically requires several months of rehabilitation before a return to in-ring action.

For now, Escobar’s focus will shift to surgery and recovery, as he looks to return to action once fully cleared.

Santos Escobar Injured, Surgery Required

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News & Notes form March 17 NXT Episode in Houston – The March 17 episode of WWE NXT delivered several key developments as the brand continues building toward Stand & Deliver 2026.

News & Notes form March 17 NXT Episode in Houston

The show featured the start of a tournament to determine new contenders for the NXT Tag Team Titles. Birthright became the first team to advance after defeating Hank and Tank. The match saw interference from other members of the Birthright group, creating enough distraction for Uriah Connors and Stacks to secure the win and move on in the bracket.

The winners of this tournament will go on to challenge The Vanity Project at Stand & Deliver, raising the stakes for the coming weeks.

Another first-round match is already set for next week, which will take place at the WWE Performance Center. Eli Knight is scheduled to team with Elio LeFleur against The Culling. The pairing comes after an injury angle involving Shawn Legacy, who appeared on crutches during Tuesday’s broadcast. Legacy was said to have been hurt during last week’s three-way match involving himself, Knight, and Jasper Troy. As a result, LeFleur stepped in to keep Knight active in the tournament.

In a separate segment that originally took place last week but aired during this episode, William Regal was shown speaking with Robert Stone. Regal praised Stone for his recent work running NXT and stated that he plans to speak with Shawn Michaels about making Stone the permanent General Manager of the brand.

The main event featured Tatum Paxley defending the Women’s North American Championship against Izzi Dame. Paxley retained the title after hitting her finishing move, the cemetery drive, to secure the victory.

The show appeared to end on a positive note, with Paxley celebrating on the entrance ramp. However, the situation quickly changed. A hand suddenly emerged from beneath the stage and pulled Paxley down through an opening, creating a shocking final moment.

Moments later, Blake Monroe appeared from the same opening holding the Women’s North American Championship. Monroe posed with the title as the show went off the air, signaling a likely new feud moving forward.

With multiple storylines advancing, the March 17 episode set the stage for key developments heading into Stand & Deliver.

News & Notes form March 17 NXT Episode in Houston

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The March 13 episode of WWE SmackDown saw an increase in both total viewership and key demographic ratings.

According to Programming Insider, the show drew 1.419 million viewers on USA Network. This marks a clear improvement from the March 6 episode, which brought in 1.19 million viewers. The week-to-week gain reflects stronger audience interest as WWE continues to build toward upcoming events.

In the 18-49 demographic, SmackDown posted a 0.32 rating. This is also up from the 0.27 rating recorded the previous Friday. The rise in the key demo is an important metric, as it reflects increased engagement among the audience most valued by advertisers.

Despite the growth in both categories, SmackDown finished fourth overall for the night on cable. The show trailed behind coverage of the Big 12 college basketball tournament on ESPN, which dominated the top spots for the evening.

The increase in viewership comes at a key time, as WWE continues to develop major storylines across its weekly programming. Gains in both total viewers and the 18-49 demographic suggest that SmackDown is maintaining steady momentum, even while facing strong sports competition on cable television.

Weekly fluctuations in ratings are common, especially when major sporting events air at the same time. However, the March 13 numbers indicate that SmackDown was able to attract a larger audience compared to the previous week.

As WWE moves deeper into March, maintaining this upward trend will be important, particularly with WrestleMania 42 on the horizon. The latest data provides a positive sign for SmackDown’s short-term performance on USA Network.

Most Viewed WWE SmackDown (3/13) Videos on YouTube

• FULL SEGMENT: Randy Orton shockingly ATTACKS Cody Rhodes (2.8 million views)
• Drew McIntyre QUITS WWE (932K views)
• Drew McIntyre helps Trick Williams defeat Jacob Fatu (489K views)
• Rhea Ripley vows to make Jade Cargill her b**** (398K views)
• Bella Twins cost Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair their match (334K views)

WWE SmackDown Viewership Rises on March 13 Episode

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