Nia Jax On Her Reaction to WWE Release, Not Getting Vaccinated

Lina Fanene, the former Nia Jax, recently discussed getting released by WWE and her reaction to it as well as her decision not to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Jax, who was released from the company as part of their early November cuts, talked during her appearance on Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette about her release and more. You can see some highlights below, per Wrestling Inc:

On her WWE release: “It went by so fast, my break. I was like ‘Oh s**t, it’s coming up.’ I’ll never forget, I just hit Johnny up and I was like ‘Hey. I know that my break is coming up, but I just don’t feel right now. Is there any way we can kind of extend it to Rumble? I know I’ll be in a better place.’ That was on a Wednesday I hit him up about that. Then Thursday he called me, and of course, I see his name on my phone and I’m like ‘Oh, he’s calling me to talk about this. So cool.’ And then I pick up the phone and he was just like ‘Hey kid. I hate to do this.’ And instantly when I said that, I was like ‘Oh am I getting released?’ And he said ‘Yeah.’

“He said ‘I’m so sorry. Due to budget cuts.’ You know, the whole spiel. And I was just like ‘Oh okay. Well I’ll take a pay cut if that’s what’s needed.’ Just because I knew it was a whole script. And he said ‘Oh, that’s not it.’ And I was like ‘Oh, so you just want a total, different change.’ He said ‘Yeah, that’s it. We’re just going to put you under 90 days.’ And I hung up the phone and I was relieved.”

On not getting vaccinated before release: “I stood my ground on certain things that I know they weren’t happy about. I was choosing not to go and get the vaccine. And it was a personal choice, and I remember sitting down with Vince because the whole entire two years I was there we were tested every day. I never popped positive, I never caught COVID the whole time. And it was like ‘Well kid, you’re not going to be able to fulfill some of your contractual duties.’ And I was like ‘Well if that’s the case, then that’s the case.’ It’s a business and I understand you’ve got to run your business. But I made a decision for myself, and I stood by how I felt. I always go by my gut feeling. If it doesn’t feel right in my stomach, I just can’t force myself to do something I don’t feel good with. That’s just how I’ve lived my entire life.”

On if she has any regrets: “Absolutely not. I was asked to be a locker room leader, and he was like ‘You know, you’ve got to set an example. You’ve got to do this.’ I was like ‘I’m not a stooge. I’m not going to go and stooge anybody out. You want to know anybody’s personal business, go ahead and ask them.’ I don’t play by that thing that ‘Well, people are going to listen to you and follow suit by you.’ I said ‘If they do, that’s on them.’ So I sit back and think I got caught up in the blurred lines of Nia Jax. Even outside, it’s not like they run credits and say ‘Nia Jax is Lina Fanene.’ It’s Nia Jax 24/7. S**t gets blurred. I can’t sit here and be something that they want me to be just to appease them. At the end of the day, am I going to feel good for myself? There are plenty of other stooges in the locker room.”