Julia Hart is glad to be back.
Hart missed several months with a torn labrum after she lost the TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale at AEW Dynasty 2024. She returned at AEW Collision: Winter is Coming, and she had her first match back at AEW Dynamite: Fight For The Fallen, where she faced Jamie Hayter.
Speaking with Zack Heydorn for The Takedown on SI, Julia Hart was asked to comment on how she felt following her return.
“I feel fine. I didn’t even think about my shoulder with the match with Jamie. I had a torn labrum in my right shoulder, and I didn’t even think about it in the match. I was just so focused on beating up Jamie. If anything, my back hurt, but that was nothing to do with my shoulder, so I felt really good," Hart said.
Hart was then asked to reflect on her approach to rehab, and she noted that she was doing the best she could. Hart said that she could have returned sooner, but she was glad that she waited until she was 1000% ready.
"I think I just was doing the best that I could. I actually was pretty healthy at the end of September. I was almost 100%. I wasn’t back to full strength, but mobility-wise, I was pretty good. But I think it was better that I took more time just to relax and to make sure I was 1000% than just hopping back in right away in September because that would have only been three months out. I’m lucky that I’m young and I fixed it now instead of down the line, have more problems. So yeah, I just worked really hard to get that strength back up and have mobility, and it paid off. I’m glad I took more time than I needed so I was I00%," Hart said.
When asked about her return, Hart stated that it felt good, as she missed the adrenaline she got right before she went out in front of the crowd. Hart recalled how she tried hard not to smile because she was so happy to be back.
“It felt so good. I think the one thing I craved the most was the adrenaline right before you go out. That was definitely the one thing I was dreaming about coming back. Right before the music hits, you feel like you’re gonna throw up, and then you get out there and it’s this whoosh of emotions, and you’re just so excited. The day I came back, I think you could tell I was trying so hard not to smile, but I was so happy just to be back in the ring. It was great," Hart said.
Hart previously discussed her return from injury. Check out her comments here.
Hart is set to face Jamie Hayter on the January 22nd episode of AEW Dynamite.
Fightful will have coverage of AEW Dynamite as it airs on January 22nd, as well as a post-show podcast on our YouTube channel.
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