Aleah James Says She Was Supposed To Join NXT After NXT UK Was Shut Down, ‘Plans Changed’

Aleah James comments on her stint with WWE.

In July 2023, James confirmed her departure from WWE after being inactive for over a full year. James competed in NXT UK for her entire run with the company, a brand was shut down by WWE in September 2022.

In a new interview with Fightful, James said that when she was originally slated to join NXT when NXT UK was shut down.

“Originally I was meant to be in NXT and then plans changed, then it was Europe and then… I just feel like now is the time for me to just go on my own and, if that opportunity comes again, if anything starts up or wrestling in the States, anything like that, I feel like I need to do what’s best for me and what’s best for me is to just wrestle and to get the love for it back and to just feel what it feels like to be in the ring again. Because it’s been such a long time. You sometimes forget what it is that drew you to it in the first place. Because being in a match in front of an audience is a different feeling to being in a training match or having a training session. So I’m just craving that feeling and every time I watch anyone perform, I get jealous. I’m like, ‘I just want to feel that. I remember what that feels like. I want to feel it again.’ That’s just what I want really.”

Many international fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of NXT Europe, which was originally expected to debut by the end of 2023. In July 2023, Triple H noted that the UFC/WWE merger has slowed down the creation of the brand.

James went on to talk about this topic, noting that you can’t hold your breath when it comes to business related things.

“I guess with company stuff and business stuff, there’s not really much to say or what you can do about it anyway. You just kind of have to wait and see what happens and you can’t wait forever. You can’t hold your breath. So I just kinda let those things unfold and whatever happens, happens. If I get contacted, if I don’t, that’s just what it is, to be honest. You can’t keep wishing and wanting for something if you don’t know the ins and outs of it. That’s just my opinion.”

Elsewhere in the interview, James talked more about her departure from WWE. Fans can learn more by clicking here.

Fans can see Fightful’s full interview with Aleah James linked above.