WWE NXT and Performance Center talent Jin Tala (Leigh Laurel) has opened up about her recent release from the company.
Tala, who was a part of the first season of the WWE reality series LFG, was one of a number of developmental talents released on Friday. In her post, she reflected on her journey, her passion for the business, and her determination to continue her career, even though her time as Jin Tala has come to an end.
“I have been trying to collect my thoughts & find the right words to address my recent release. Before WWE, I’ve been a jack of all trades with many hobbies but couldn’t settle on one thing … was always missing that flame of passion,” she wrote. “With contract in hand, I kept thinking “What if … what if this was what I’ve been missing?” “I found my passion and I was all-in. I wasn’t just fascinated by the physical aspects of pro wrestling, what hooked me was the psychology … the emotions that can be expressed by wrestlers & felt by the audience.”
“So for those questioning my commitment, dedication, I can say with a hand on my heart that I didn’t falter. I knew I had weak points in my promos & wrestling, so I put 110%, fed myself with knowledge from my coaches & main roster talent who came through the pc,” she continued. “And in the past month, I saw it & I think everyone saw it. I broke down some of those big walls I had failed to break during LFG. My promos were showing range because I finally let go … My move set I recently developed in the ring showed aggression, everything the Legends were looking for. And I was able to showcase that in recent matches. And for me … that was a win.”
“Maybe it came down to timing, did I break down those walls quick enough? Maybe I was just an unrecognizable name on a list, or maybe they just don’t see what I see in myself. At the end of the day, the only person I have to prove my worth to is me. I’m not giving up, Jin Tala may be no more. But Leigh Laurel has always been a fighter,” she concluded.
Her last match for the company took place on October 4 at an NXT live event in Gainesville, Florida, where she was defeated by Tyra Mae Steele. Now, as Leigh Laurel, she will look to take the passion and the skills she developed at the WWE Performance Center and make her mark on the independent wrestling scene.
— Jin Tala (@JinTalaWWE) October 12, 2025
