Former WWE announcer Jonathan Coachman didn’t hold back on his criticism of Nia Jax during a recent “Behind The Turnbuckle: The Last Word” podcast. Coachman, who briefly returned to WWE in 2018, claimed Jax wasn’t a fan of his during that stint, allegedly due to her close friendship with Renee Young, who was replaced by Coachman in a commentary role.
“She was very critical of me when I came back in 2018,” Coachman stated, suggesting Jax’s disapproval stemmed from her loyalty to Young. However, Coachman insisted his critique of Jax’s in-ring performance wasn’t influenced by this past friction.
“I never thought she was very good,” he declared, “She’s always been protected by being in the family with The Rock.” Coachman went on to argue that Jax, despite her lengthy tenure and championship reign in WWE, hasn’t demonstrated the necessary skills or dedication to be a top star.
He drew a sharp contrast between Jax and Liv Morgan, who he hailed as the “MVP of 2024” for her storyline with Dominik and strong merchandise sales during Rhea Ripley’s absence. “On the other show, SmackDown, what did Nia Jax do? Nothing, because that’s what she’s always done,” Coachman quipped.
The former announcer further criticized Jax’s acting abilities and her perceived hypocrisy regarding criticism of female wrestlers. “These women want to be looked at the same as men…They want to be criticized. Oh no, they don’t want to be criticized. They want it both ways,” he argued.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Behind The Turnbuckle with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.