Kayla Braxton has heard the theory that any star who leaves WWE must be bound for AEW, and on the latest episode of TMZ Inside the Ring, she made clear once again that was never the plan for her.
Braxton, who now goes by Kayla Becker, left WWE in 2024 and shot down rumors of a jump to another promotion at the time. Asked whether AEW had ever come calling, she reiterated that she was always moving away from wrestling entirely.
“When I left WWE, I made it very clear I was not going to AEW or any other wrestling company. I think I quoted and said this on Twitter,” Braxton said. “Why would I leave the biggest wrestling company in the world to go to another? Obviously, I want to do something else besides wrestling. It’s funny, the internet still doesn’t get it.”
Braxton said the bulk of the internet wrestling community has been supportive, but that a small portion continues to take shots at her new ventures. “85% of them are amazing. There’s that 15%,” she said, recalling a recent example after she promoted her new show. “Someone’s like, ‘Oh really, you left WWE to go do some no-name startup show?’ I’m like, ‘What is your problem? What are you doing today?'”
She added that she has tried to stop engaging with the negativity, even if she enjoys a good comeback. “I’m trying not to go after them anymore, because I used to do it a lot. You can’t win,” Braxton said. “I always react comedically. It’s never a mad thing. I love clapping back.” She noted the irony that the people she fires back at often turn friendly afterward. “Now it’s funny, the ones I responded to, they think we’re buddies now.”
If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit TMZ Inside the Ring with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
