Kelani Jordan has no regrets about the promo that got her booed out of the building a year ago. The NXT Women’s Champion told Justin Dhillon on The Wrestling Classic’s Casual Conversations that her “fat asses and catchphrases” line was the moment her career changed, and she still means every word of it.
Kelani Jordan Talks NXT Championship, TNA Wrestling & Her Ruthless Side
The interview lands four days before Jordan defends the NXT Women’s Championship against Wren Sinclair at NXT Halloween Havoc on Saturday, October 31. Asked about the line that launched her heel turn on the November 4, 2025 episode of NXT, Jordan said it was a turning point for both her and the character.
“That was one of the biggest turning points in my career and also the evolution of Kelani Jordan,” she said. “I still stand by that because I think people sometimes forget about the talent that’s in the ring. They’re so drawn to other things and I’m like, ‘Hello, the most elite athlete is literally standing right in front of you.’”
WWE posted the segment at the time:
Why Kelani Jordan dropped the happy-go-lucky act
Jordan spent her first two years in NXT as a smiling babyface, winning the inaugural NXT Women’s North American Championship in a ladder match at Battleground in June 2024. She said the persona had a ceiling, and that being nice in the locker room cost her.
“I realized that being kind doesn’t get you far. People walk all over you,” Jordan said. “I’m tired of being an underdog. I know what I bring to the table, I just think I need to change something and that’s when I changed. No more happy-go-lucky.”
The frustration extended to how title shots were handed out. Jordan said she had been waiting her turn before deciding that patience was the reason she kept getting passed over.
“I was patiently waiting on my turn and that’s when I realized, okay, there’s no more being nice and waiting in line because that’s how you get passed by,” she said. “All I need is the big one. I don’t need a chance for a chance. I just need the chance and I’ll get it done.”
She got it done. Jordan beat Kendal Grey for the NXT Women’s Championship at Heatwave on August 30 in Edinburg, Texas, her first singles shot at the title after lobbying for one on television. She has held the belt ever since and attacked Grey on last week’s NXT before her Halloween Havoc contract signing with Sinclair.
Main roster plans after the NXT Women’s Title reign
The heel run has already earned Jordan a look upstairs. She made her Raw in-ring debut on September 14 in a Money in the Bank qualifier against Raquel Rodriguez and Lola Vice, and Fightful Select reported days later that WWE is targeting the end of the year for her official call-up once her championship run is finished.
Jordan told Dhillon she wants that spot, but not yet. “Of course when the time is right, be able to get on the big show, whether it’s Raw or SmackDown, whatever it is,” she said. “But right now, my focus is just to have an iconic NXT Women’s Championship reign and a legacy here in NXT.”
Sinclair earned the Halloween Havoc shot by winning a 20-woman battle royal while disguised as AAA’s Lady Shani, and NXT General Manager Robert Stone reinstated her from suspension to make the match official over Jordan’s objections. If Jordan is being set up to drop the title on the way out, Saturday in Orlando is the first obvious exit ramp.
