WWE NXT's Kelani Jordan Talks CM Punk, The CW Debut, TNA Partnership, And More

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As "WWE NXT" prepares to debut on The CW Network Tuesday night, there are a few athletes CW viewers should get used to seeing on a regular basis, and one of them is NXT Women's North American Champion Kelani Jordan. Not even a year after her first televised match, Jordan began her conquest of 2024 by sharing a six-woman tag team win at Stand & Deliver; she hasn't missed an "NXT" premium live event since, becoming the inaugural women's North American champion at Battleground and successfully defending it at both Heatwave and No Mercy, with three more TV title defenses for good measure. She hasn't lost a singles match in five months — including a non-title win against former TNA Knockouts World Champion Rosemary as part of the recent WWE-TNA partnership — and is positioned to be a cornerstone of "NXT's" "stacked" women's division as the developmental promotion kicks off its latest chapter.

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In this exclusive interview with Wrestling Inc. Senior Lead News Editor Miles Schneiderman, Jordan talks working with TNA, the women's division getting some big new arrivals, her favorite matches, the recent "NXT" presence of CM Punk, and more!

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Miles Schneiderman: There's been so many really interesting changes happening around "NXT" lately. You've been, I think, most involved with the TNA partnership. What has that been like for you as an experience, and specifically wrestling someone like Rosemary?

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Kelani Jordan: It was awesome. I think it's cool to be able to have the crossover because I'm able to experience different talent, and I actually really enjoyed my match with Rosemary. I was not expecting Rosemary to come through the ramp, but I'm happy out there now. She's a bit scary. She's a bit scary, but it was a fun and cool experience.

There's a big discourse about that spooky thing in wrestling, whether or not it belongs in wrestling or not. What do you think about that?

I think it's cool, I think it does belong in wrestling. I think it can definitely appeal to a lot of people, and I think that's what's cool about wrestling is that we have people of all sorts, and I think everyone can be represented, so I think why not?

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What have the vibes been like recently with some of the newcomers? You've got your Stephanie Vaquers and your Giulias coming in, how has that changed things backstage?

Honestly, I think it just ups the competition in a good way. I think [the] "NXT" women's division is absolutely stacked, so bringing people with experience who are also incredible in the ring, it just helps us grow even more, not only as individuals, but as a woman's roster. So I'm excited. I hope I can get in the ring with one of them one day and other people on the roster. So I feel like it hasn't necessarily changed it in a bad way. I think if anything, it's helped it like, oh, more competition. This is a healthy competition. So I think it just pushes people to get that much better.

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Does people like them coming in make "NXT" more of a place where you want to stay and hang around in for a while as opposed to making a very fast jump to the main roster? Or is that still really the goal?

I would say main roster is the goal, but for me right now, personally, I'm happy being in "NXT." I feel like I'm growing. I feel like I'm evolving. I have the NXT Women's North American Championship, so that's my primary focus. So main roster will happen when it happens, but right now my focus is on defending this title and there's no rush for me. Like I said, I'm just focusing on keeping this title on my shoulder.

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You debut in August 2022, I want to say. Or at least you signed in August 2022?

Yes, but I started October 2022.

Do you have any memories of that first match?

My first [televised] match was "Level Up" in May of 2023, so I started wrestling in October 2022. Not my first match, but my first match on "Level Up" was actually against Wendy Choo, May, yeah, May of 2023. And I loved it. That's when I knew wrestling this was something that I wanted to do. This is something that I just love. Yes, it hurts, but I love the feeling I get when I'm walking out, when I hear the fans just cheering for me and also just enjoying their time being at the show. So I do feel like my passion for wrestling has grown more than even gymnastics. So I'm happy and I'm loving learning more and more each day.

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I was going to ask you about that, because a lot of people say that they don't think wrestling is going to be for them or whatever, and they try it and all of a sudden you're just hooked. Was that your experience? Is this a long-term thing in your mind right now?

Oh, yes, long-tmer. Because I plan on keeping this title for a while! But definitely long-term, because there's so many people that I want to work, like Bianca, Naomi, Charlotte, and I think I'm still very much so in beginner stages. I'm still getting my feet wet, so I feel like I have ... I'm praying that I have a long, long time in the business. But some people ... don't think wrestling is for them. Personally, I never felt that because right when I stepped into the performance center and just seeing everyone training, being with the amazing coaches we have, Norman Smiley, Robbie Brookside, and all these people, I was like, "Wow. Yeah, I love it. I feel like this is for me."

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For a long time. I know women in "NXT" were trained by Sara Amato, who indie wrestling fans know as Sara Del Rey. I don't really know what her status is. Have you worked with her at all?

Of course. She's actually my coach.

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Oh, is she your primary coach?

Yes. Coach Amato has been my coach for the last year. She's amazing. Honestly, she has so much insight and so much knowledge, not only in the ring, but outside the ring, being a woman in wrestling. And she's helped me so much, she's helped me be the champion that I am today, be the wrestler that I am today, and I owe a lot of praise to her and thanks to her, and she continues to help me. She helped me today in class today, get better, clean up my skills.

Who's someone else who's helped you a lot backstage?

Oh, Coach Smiley, Coach Norman Smiley. He was my first ever wrestling coach, so he taught me all my fundamentals. He still helps me continuously. And then honestly, all the coaches there are amazing and giving me feedback. Coach Fit Finlay, "HBK" Shawn Michaels, Coach Bloom, everyone. Amazing.

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You've had several matches at this point. Do you have a favorite or is there one you think is the best so far?

Yes! So I have two favorites My first favorite is the match, my title defense against Sol [Ruca] at Heatwave, one of my favorites because I thought it was just two athletes just going at it. And I think we are very similar because we have the same personalities, but also we both come from a gymnastics background, so we knew what each other were going to go for, but then we countered it and then add something else. So I think that's one of my favorite matches. And it also pushed me out of my comfort zone.

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But then my other favorite match is the Iron Survivor Challenge Match at Deadline. That match is insane. You need a good gas tank for that match.

Just because it goes so long?

It's just a long match. So it's like you better be ready. If you're the first person out, you better have some stamina, but you could have an advantage be the last one out, or maybe you don't because other people had time. So I think it's strategic, but it's also, I don't know, I just feel like it's a strategic, but it's also just a crazy match.

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We were talking about when you came in ... they pair you up with Dana Brooke at first, you two are both gymnasts together, hanging out, and then she abruptly leaves. She gets released. And I imagine that was a little bit jarring on your end. What was your experience from that side of things?

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I would say I just talked to her and she was in high spirits and she was very supportive of me, and she was proud of me because I was going into the Breakout Tournament. So yes, it's hard from the human perspective, but at the end of the day, she was okay and she encouraged me, so everything was good. And she's killing it at TNA, Ash by Elegance. Sometimes things happen for a reason, and she's absolutely crushing it. And now we're crossing over, so who knows? I may meet her again.

Have you spoken to her at all since the partnership started? Because she goes from "NXT" to Impact and then you all start working together.

Yes, I saw her at Battleground. She came out during Roxy's and Jordynne Grace's match. So yeah, I saw her and she's like my big sis, literally in real life ... I hope maybe we can have a matchup one day.

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You've talked a lot about people you have wrestled. Who has been your favorite person to work with in the ring?

Honestly, I like working everyone, but I would say Sol, Lash [Legend]. I love working Lash as well.

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Why do you love working Lash?

I love working with her because she brings up the intensity in me because she's a big, and I'm considered a smaller person, so I know I have to be ready. I have to really use my agility and my high-flying to knock her down because she's super strong, she's super powerful. So I really love working Lash. And then someone else is, I really love working Lola because she's a striker, but I'm more of like a acro-agility. So I think our styles mesh because they're so different.

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You talked about how you're totally fine hanging out in "NXT" for a while. I'm curious if you have a next goal beyond just defending your title, obviously, is there something you have your sights set on for the more immediate future?

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Yes. So of course, one day I want to become the NXT Women's Champion.

Obviously.

So that would be, yes, that would be my next goal. Besides defending this, honestly, why not just have both?

That makes sense.

One for each arm.

Other people do it all the time.

Yeah, that would be iconic actually.

That would be.

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CM Punk has been in "NXT" lately. He'll be there again on Tuesday, and he's been at least a little bit involved in the women's division. What's it been like having him around? Have you had any interactions with him at all?

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CM Punk is absolutely incredible. He's amazing. Not only does he have so much experience, but he willingly offers that knowledge to you. He gives me personally so much advice where wrestling, promos, because obviously he's great at wrestling and promo, so he gives me that advice, but he also just gives me encouragement, gives me motivation, reminds me, hey, you're so new at this. Don't be so hard on yourself. It's going to come with reps, it's going to come with time, it's going to come with experience. Just keep being Kelani and it's all going to come together. And I think that's been amazing and has helped me so much. So I'm excited to see him ref the Ethan Page and Trick match because I know that's going to be a good one. And I'm excited for The CW. And what better way to start it off with Punk being there right in Chicago?

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What's your feelings about moving to that network next week?

Oh, I'm pumped. I'm pumped, because not only did I get to make history with the Woman's North American Championship, but I'm able to be part of history as a company in "NXT," as a brand, moving to CW because it's the first time in history that we're going to go to a broadcast channel. But also it's a chance for us to appeal to an even bigger audience, an even younger audience. And "NXT" is so diverse in all ways, shapes and forms, and we have so many incredible people. And I think being able to showcase that talent on an even bigger scale is amazing, and I couldn't be happier.