Kelani Jordan Discusses Having a Target on Her Back as Champion, Getting Her Start in WWE

During a recent interview with KRON 4’s The Finish with Kor & Tor, WWE NXT Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan hyped her title defense at tonight’s NXT Halloween Havoc and more. Below are some highlights:

Kelani Jordan on Having a Target on Her Back as Champion

“So, I’m aware that when you have a title, there’s always a target on your back. So, it’s not anything that I’m not used to before. Thankfully, I have experience with the TNA Knockouts Championship and Women’s North American. But I would say the biggest growth in my career, and learning that people are constantly going to be coming for you, was really when I was in my Knockouts era, being champion, and that’s because I think because people turned on me, and even the locker room kicked me out. I think that was the biggest eye-opening. So now that people are coming at me with this championship, I feel like I’m kind of immune to it. Like I feel like oh I’m I’m used to it. But I love it. I love people seeing or people trying to, like, come for me. But, you know, I always say it every time. I’m like, still going to be the same result.”

On How She Got Her Start in WWE

“Well, I was finishing up college. I went to Michigan State where I was doing gymnastics, finishing up my journalism degree, my master’s at that. And I got a message on Instagram, and from a recruit page, and I honestly I was like, “This kind of sounds a little sketch. I don’t know, like, why are they reaching out to me? But we did some research and stuff online. Okay, they actually are legitimately reaching out to people through social media. So then I remember I was like you know what I’m going to try like I one I still get to be I get to still be an athlete and do sports but I also get to do entertainment and so I was like and I’m only this age once so let me go for it. And also, I grew up watching wrestling with my brothers, but I never in a million years would have thought, like, oh, I can do that, or I would be in wrestling. So when the opportunity came about, I was like, you know what? Let’s go for it. Cuz at least the opportunity is like something that I’ll always remember.”

On How Wrestling Is Different From Gymnastics

“Well, one, gymnastics, gymnastics isn’t a contact sport. So, I never had to hit someone or hit my back against the ropes that hurt or fall on the mat and stuff. But the biggest thing that’s difference, as far as the physical aspect not just the contact and the aggression part of it, but everything you do, you land on your feet. And now I have to train my body to, okay, oh, now I’m landing on my back or my stomach for my finish. Like, that’s completely different. But also, when you’re talking, and you’re doing promos, it’s different because in gymnastics, you tune everyone and everything out. Whereas when you’re doing promos and you’re wrestling, you’re listening to the crowd. You’re listening to the fans. So that is a big difference. is like retraining your brain like okay like I can’t just tune everyone out. I actually have to be aware of what’s going on around me.”

Kelani Jordan defends the NXT Women’s Championship against Wren Sinclair at tonight’s WWE NXT Halloween Havoc 2026 event. The show will air live on The CW and ESPN Unlimited domestically, and it will stream on Netflix internationally.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit KRON 4’s The Finish with Kor & Tor with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.