Aleah James has been ready to get back in the ring and show what she’s all about.
WrestleZone’s Ella Jay spoke with Aleah James about her NXT UK run, her departure, and what’s next for her career. During the conversation, James explained how things unfolded before she left the company. James recently confirmed she was a free agent, but she has not wrestled since March 2022.
Aleah James was asked about the five-month period between her last match and NXT UK’s shutdown. James says she was supposed to wrestle in April 2022 but an injury kept her sidelined.
“Well, actually, I was due to wrestle in April, but I fractured my shoulder [during training],” she noted. “So that’s why I was just cleared just before the whole brand shutdown. So that whole [five] months that I was off was from an injury.”
James said she was still under contract with WWE for months after the shutdown, and she only recently became a free agent. Now, she wants to focus on getting back in the ring.
“So obviously a lot of plans change, and ideas change and whatnot. So, I was still under contract until I announced that I was a free agent. I’m assuming under the guise of NXT Europe, which hasn’t happened,” James said. “So, I just think it’s within everyone’s best interest to just let people do what they want to do and wrestle.
“I already hadn’t wrestled since March, so for me, I just want to get back to doing what I love,” she added. “Having this time off, it’s been great and I’ve been able to train and been able to work on my character and my fitness and everything. I’m always going to be grateful for this time, but I’m just ready to wrestle and I’m not waiting for anyone. I’m not waiting for anything.”
Finding My Stride
Ella Jay followed up on James’ comment about plans changing. James confirmed there were originally plans for her to join the NXT brand in the United States.
“Yes, that was originally planned,” James confirmed. “Then it was [NXT] Europe, then it was whatever was happening with that.”
Aleah James has several confirmed bookings, including a match for Z-Force Wrestling on September 22. James says she’s been ready to step in the squared circle again, but she’s not ruling out a potential return to WWE if NXT Europe eventually opens.
“Yeah. I’m assuming [I could return] unless I do something completely crazy in this time frame. But as much as that would also be amazing, and I’m never gonna say no to anything unless the situation asks for it. But I’m just happy and excited to do my own thing for now,” James explained, “to just figure out who I am in the ring and what I bring to the scene. Because when I was doing the independents, that was really fun for me.
“Just before I signed, I was really finding my stride. Nerves were just starting to settle before and I wasn’t like wanting to be sick and stuff. So, it’d be cool to just finally, with all the knowledge that I’ve got from working with WWE and working with the people that I’ve wrestled,” she added, “to bring that now to this next run. It will be fun because I know what it felt like before. So I wonder if it will feel the same or different. It’s an exciting thought of what’s going to happen next.”
Watch our full interview with Aleah James below:
