Nia Jax Reveals How Her 2023 Royal Rumble Return Came About

Nia Jax made a one-off return to WWE as the #30 entrant in the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble match.

Speaking on the “Ring The Belle” podcast, Jax credited TJ Wilson (Tyson Kidd) as the reason she made her return. Jax, who often trains with TJ Wilson and Natalya, revealed that it was Wilson who made the pitch to have her return.

You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:

On how she ended up in the ring at the 2023 Royal Rumble: “Tamina was telling me, ‘I’m not sure how many more Royal Rumbles I’m going to have.’ I was told by somebody, ‘We’re not really calling many girls back.’ I was like, ‘That’s weird, a Rumble with no returns. That’s going to be awkward.’ I thought for sure they were going to be calling in some of the girls that left and they’d be coming in. I was like, ‘You know what, what I really truly miss is getting in the ring and performing.’ I love the fact that I’m not traveling as much and I get to be at home with my family. I’m such a family person, but I miss performing. I said to myself, ‘If they call me, I’ll say yes.’ That’s if they call me. It was two and a half weeks before Rumble. I was in California at my mom’s house. I wasn’t expecting to be back in Orlando or get in the ring. I didn’t have any gear, nothing. I get a call from the office and they’re just like, ‘Hey, we are planning to have you in the Rumble.’ ‘What? Are you asking me or are you telling me?’ I love TJ [Tyson Kidd]. He’s, hands down, one of the best producers. Fit Finlay and TJ have been huge in making Nia Jax who she is, or was. They are so incredible. TJ pitched me for it because TJ and I are really cool. When he said that, I’m guessing because he assumed TJ and I are so cool, I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do this. Let’s go.’ I called my gear people, my boot person, ‘We gotta expedite this.’”

On her mistimed entry at Royal Rumble: “I’m going to chalk it up…I talked to the person that hit my music. I talked to the person and we’re super cool, we laughed about it. I was like, ‘Are you just so excited that I’m back?’ He was so sorry and apologized profusely. He’s one of the coolest people. ‘I’m just going to chalk it up that you’re so excited to see me back.’ He was, when I saw him, we hugged and stuff. ‘You just couldn’t help but hit my music.’ Plus, Nia Jax does her own thing. She doesn’t need to wait for a stupid countdown. I’ve been waiting back that whole time to show up, what am I going to wait for the five-second countdown? You get ready when I’m ready.”

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