Elayna Black, who wrestled in WWE under the name Cora Jade, recently appeared on INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet to offer her perspective on her release from WWE and reflect on important advice received during her career. In a detailed conversation, she touched on her feelings leading up to her release, her achievements and regrets in WWE, thoughts about AEW, her dream opponents, and the most impactful lesson she took from CM Punk. The focus keyword, CM Punk advice to Elayna Black after WWE release, is central to her narrative about moving forward following the challenges she faced.
Throughout the interview, Elayna Black spoke candidly about her journey, the role of intuition in her career changes, and the importance of staying true to one’s identity in the wrestling world. The discussion, which referenced friends like Roxanne and colleagues such as Bayley and Mercedes Mone, took place as the wrestling community speculated on her future moves, including a potential shift to AEW.
Anticipating the WWE Departure
Elayna Black opened up about sensing her WWE release before it became public knowledge. She described an unexplainable intuition, noting moments during WrestleMania week and the aftermath where she strongly felt change was imminent.
“I don’t know. I feel like people have asked me that a few times, and I don’t know exactly what it is. Nothing specific happened. I’ve just always kind of been like that. I feel like a handful of my friends that I had talked to, I specifically remember talking to Roxanne, she’s my best friend, and I was like, I know I’m gonna be gone, and [she said] ‘You’re crazy, no no.’ But I always know, in my intuition, when something is happening. I don’t know what that is, I just had that feeling. And at the end of Vegas, we had that whole WrestleMania week. I remember on my flight back, I was just like, well, that’s a wrap. That was it. I just knew. And then what was it? I got fired on May 2. It was two weeks later, after Mania, it was like, well I already knew that was happening.”
—Elayna Black, Pro Wrestler
Her remarks reveal the emotional complexity surrounding career transitions for wrestling talent, emphasizing how close relationships and personal instincts inform readiness for industry changes. Friends such as Roxanne provided support during this period, adding a personal dimension to what, for many, is an unpredictable and public professional landscape.
Reflecting on Achievements and Regrets in WWE
Despite the sudden end to her WWE tenure, Elayna Black expressed gratitude for what she achieved during her time with the organization. She highlighted the fulfillment of childhood dreams and the opportunities gained, while acknowledging certain missed milestones—such as not wrestling at WrestleMania or winning the NXT Championship.
“I feel like, obviously, there are things that I didn’t get to do. But at the same time, like you said, that was my dream. I was eight years old, I watched wrestling and I immediately wanted to be a WWE superstar. Then I would look at all my little notebooks, I would have these bucket lists, little lists, and I would cross them off every time I would do something. It would say, get an action figure, have merchandise, wrestle this person, wrestle here, do all this stuff. And then I looked and I was crossing off so many of those things. Really, the only one I didn’t cross off was wrestling at WrestleMania, or winning the NXT Championship, or obviously any other championship. But I had gotten to do so many things that my little eight-year-old self [could only dream of]. I would lay in my bed and dream of doing those things at night. So again, obviously there are things that were disappointing and stuff like that, but never will I sh*t on WWE or trash WWE. I loved my time there. Obviously, when you care about something and you’re passionate about something, things are going to bother you. It’s because I care, it’s not because I’m like, oh f*ck this, whatever. I care about wrestling so much, and I love wrestling so much, and it is my dream and it is my passion. So yes, things did bother me, and things did upset me, because I’m only human, and I’m a human who cares about my passion, my job. So obviously, that’s gonna come up. But at the same time, I can’t say enough good things about the people I got to work with, the things I got to do, all the dreams I got to accomplish. I loved my time at WWE so much, and especially those last six months. I got to do it with Roxanne, with Bayley, with Giulia, Stephanie, all these girls I became so close with and I got to travel with them and do all these great matches and storylines with them. I loved my time at WWE so much. Were there things that upset me? Yes. Am I bitter or anything like that? Absolutely not. I’m only 24 years old. Who knows what the future holds? I’ll never burn a bridge because I don’t know what the future holds. I don’t know if I’ll be back there one day. I don’t know where I’ll end up. But all I know is that I loved WWE, and I loved my time there, and I have no bad things to say about them.”
—Elayna Black, Pro Wrestler
Her reflections show a mature approach to professional setbacks. By recalling the positives—such as working with talents like Bayley, Giulia, and others—Black highlighted the enriching aspects of her time in WWE, reinforcing her passion for wrestling even in moments of disappointment or uncertainty.
Future Possibilities and Interest in AEW
With her WWE chapter closed, speculation has swirled among fans and industry figures about where Elayna Black will next sign. She addressed the topic directly, describing her openness to new opportunities and desire to enjoy the present without rushing into commitments.
“I’m open to whatever. I’m not in any rush to sign anywhere right now. I’m not like sitting here waiting for that. Because I feel like for the first time in my life, I’m trying to be present and just enjoy life now and what’s happening now. Because I feel like a lot of times I was always worried about what’s next, and this business is so go, go, go, go, go. It’s hard to sit and be present. So I feel like I’m trying to just enjoy where I’m at right now and not worry about that. But if the call came, I would definitely be open to talking and whatever. I’ve watched all the AEW shows since 2020, I never stopped watching them. Just couldn’t talk about it. I love AEW. I love wrestling. I want to continue to wrestle, wherever that is. If the call comes, hey, I’m here, but if it doesn’t for a few months or never, I don’t know. I’m not sitting here stressing about it, but I’m open to it.”
—Elayna Black, Pro Wrestler
Her stance makes it clear that she values flexibility and personal well-being after years of the high-paced wrestling lifestyle. Interest in All Elite Wrestling is evident, as is her ongoing dedication to growing within the sports entertainment field, whether in AEW or elsewhere.
Dream Match Aspirations With Mercedes Mone
Elayna Black shared her admiration for members of the Horsewomen, particularly Mercedes Mone and Bayley, and explained her desire to wrestle Mone as a dream scenario. Drawing parallels in their career journeys and personal habits, Black described how that matchup now represents the pinnacle of her aspirations.
“That’s my current dream match. I feel like her and Bayley were my favorites out of the four Horsewomen. I loved all of them, but I feel like I really, really looked up to them two specifically. I feel like I just felt the most connected to them two because Mercedes was always writing in her notebook too. And I feel like I look at her and see aspects of myself too. So to be able to wrestle her now, where we both have had our time in WWE and we’re both doing our own thing now and doing whatever we want creatively, I feel like that is the ultimate dream match.”
—Elayna Black, Pro Wrestler
This ambition reflects her continued drive to test her skills against top competitors and reinforces her respect for legends within the wrestling world. The possibility of creative freedom and storytelling outside WWE is particularly compelling for her at this stage of her career.
CM Punk’s Key Advice for Coping With Public Scrutiny
CM Punk, an influential figure for many wrestlers, played a significant advisory role for Elayna Black. She recalled the most meaningful lesson he imparted, specifically addressing the challenge of facing criticism and the importance of personal authenticity. This insight is at the core of the CM Punk advice to Elayna Black after WWE release topic.
“I feel like he’s told me a lot of things in very different situations. But I feel like the number one thing is to just drown out what everyone else is saying, because I feel like he knows it better than anybody. Everyone has an opinion on him, whether you absolutely love him, or you absolutely hate him, everyone has an opinion on CM Punk. I’ve always wondered, how does he just continue to be himself and not give a sh*t when there’s a million different opinions from a million different places. But he’s really, really always helped me just understand that it doesn’t matter. People are always going to say something. They’re going to love you or they’re going to hate you, and either way, it doesn’t matter, because you just have to be you and do what you feel is right and stay true to yourself and if people support you, great. That’s great motivation. But if they don’t, and they don’t like you, and they don’t want to watch what you do, or they want to watch what you do and criticize it, that’s still your name in their mouth, and someone’s talking about you and you’re doing something right.”
—Elayna Black, Pro Wrestler
CM Punk’s perspective, relayed through Elayna Black’s words, underscores the necessity for mental toughness and personal conviction, particularly in an industry where every move can prompt divided reactions from fans and insiders.
Impact and Outlook for Elayna Black
Elayna Black’s candid reflections resonate with both aspiring and established wrestlers navigating the high-pressure world of professional wrestling. Drawing on lessons from her time in WWE, her desire for new challenges, and the practical advice from mentors like CM Punk, she approaches the next phase of her career armed with renewed confidence and openness to the unknown.
The ongoing speculation around her possible debut in AEW and a potential dream matchup with Mercedes Mone keeps fans invested in her story. As the wrestling industry continues to evolve, Elayna Black’s journey serves as an example of balancing ambition with authenticity, and addressing setbacks with gratitude and resilience. For the community and fellow stars like Bayley, Mercedes Mone, and Roxanne, her progression after WWE will be watched with keen interest as she decides her next direction.
