Jade Cargill Explains Why She Had To Leave AEW And Join WWE

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Jade Cargill is well on her way to being one of WWE's quickest successes, with an appearance in the Royal Rumble, and a match at WrestleMania 40 where she scored the pin. Cargill left AEW in September 2023 and days later signed a multi-year deal with WWE. 

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"The Storm" made multiple media appearances ahead of her WrestleMania match, and spoke with "Busted Open Radio" about leaving the fledgling company to join WWE. She said multiple factors led to her decision to leave AEW and join WWE.

"The machine is ridiculous over here [in WWE], the connections, the history, the legacy, it's one of one," Cargill said. "AEW was a new company, obviously they're still figuring things out. But that happens in every company, right? You have to figure out what's good and what's bad. I'm 31. I don't really have time to grow with a company at my age. I have to be in an established company and I have to go over there and let that be known, because you can't do this forever. As a woman, especially when you're in your 30s, the majority of the fanbase is like, 'Okay, it's time for her to go about her way, what's next for her?'"

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Cargill said that she wants to be known as a big fish in a big pond. She said she knows she can swim, mentioning having her first match alongside Shaquille O'Neal against Cody Rhodes in AEW. Cargill admitted she "had no business" being in that match and didn't know what she was doing, but accomplished it and continues to learn.

"I have that draw. I have that charisma," she said. "I have that aura that a lot of people don't have. That comes naturally. That's not something that's taught and everything else is taught. Again, I put my head down. I do the work. I'm very respectful. I go to work. I leave it all on the mat."