After being released from WWE in November 2021, Nia Jax never considered wrestling for any other promotion. The Smackdown star stayed completely away from the wrestling industry until she reappeared in WWE during the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble, reaffirming her commitment to the company. Her choice to return exclusively to WWE reflects her deep connection to the brand and her desire to continue her wrestling career there.
Reflecting on Her Time Away and the Thought Process Behind Staying
During a conversation on Insight With Chris Van Vliet, Jax explained that despite wanting to keep wrestling, she did not entertain the idea of competing outside WWE. She described the shock of her release as a major turning point where she had to reassess her life and career path. Jax emphasized that wrestling had been her entire life, and considering a future beyond WWE was difficult since the company had been her sole professional home for so long.
“Not really. I didn’t think that I wanted to wrestle anywhere else, but I did know that I wanted to still wrestle. I didn’t even know if I was gonna come back to the WWE honestly, it was just kind of, like I said, it was my whole life at the time. So when I was released, it was kind of a shock. Or it was like, What is my life? It’s kind of like I had to reset. I’m like, What is my life right now? Because my whole life has been WWE and I really didn’t think about an after, which, you know, a lot of wrestlers get caught up in that. Because it happens to be like that. When we’re on the road five days a week, you don’t really think about the after. So I didn’t think about wrestling anywhere else. I, you know, everybody kept saying, try here and go there.”
?Nia Jax, WWE Wrestler
How a Break Helped Nia Jax Improve Her Skills
Jax described her time away as an opportunity for personal and professional growth. She believes that the break allowed her to elevate her wrestling skills more than during her initial WWE run. The different schedule and time off gave her space to reassess her abilities, refocus, and make positive changes to her in-ring performance and approach to her career.
“Because I had that break. I feel like I changed in a better way. I got better and I elevated my game a little bit more. Not that I didn’t think I had the opportunity in my first part, but I think because it was a different schedule, and I wasn’t really locked in as I could have been when I had the break, and I was able to see what I could improve on. I was able to change it coming back.”
?Nia Jax, WWE Wrestler
Comparing Her Initial WWE Tenure with Her Current Run
Nia Jax highlighted a significant difference between her first period with WWE and her current stay. In her earlier WWE career, she felt restricted by certain expectations about what she could and could not do due to her size and image. The environment had imposed limitations, creating a sense of fear about stepping outside those boundaries.
In contrast, her recent tenure under new leadership has empowered her to embrace her individuality and showcase her true capabilities. With encouragement from WWE executive Hunter, Jax feels she can express herself more authentically and integrate her personality into her wrestling character, breaking free from the previously imposed constraints.
“I feel as though before, I was taught a certain way, ‘You’re a certain size. You can’t do these things. Stay away from this. Don’t let them do this to you.’ So I was kind of like pigeon-holed into a little bit of a [situation where] I was afraid to get out of it, because the person telling me is somebody who runs the show, you work for an audience of one. So this time around, Hunter was more like, ‘Be you. You show them what you can do, because I know what you’re capable of.’ So I feel like the difference is just me kind of like being myself a little bit more. I’m more adding who I am into my character, instead of I gotta stay here and make sure that somebody’s happy.”
?Nia Jax, WWE Wrestler
Impact of Nia Jax’s WWE Return and What to Expect Next
Nia Jax’s commitment to WWE and her growth since returning have contributed to a more favorable reception from fans compared to her original run. Her story underlines the potential for transformation and reinvention within professional wrestling when wrestlers find encouragement to express their authentic selves. With her renewed confidence and skill set, Jax’s second WWE tenure positions her as a notable figure moving forward in the women’s division. Fans and observers can expect to see an even stronger and more self-assured competitor in upcoming WWE events.
