Cora Jade opens up on WWE release, body-shaming within the company: 'It was just constant'
An NXT prospect on the rise, the 24-year-old Black came as a surprise to see on the list of names receiving their walking papers from WWE in May. Having completed her 30-day non-compete clause, Black was able to speak on her experiences with the company for the first time Monday.
Advertisement
"In November, I kind of had a feeling that, like, I was going to be gone," Black said of her release on Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Show." "It's always up and down. Maybe two weeks before the cuts, it was in Vegas, I was like, 'I'm going to make it good because I'm not coming back here.' I just had that gut feeling. Obviously, you don't want that to be right, so don't manifest it.
"That day, I was going to hang out with Bea Priestly (formerly Blair Davenport), and she called me and said, 'Josh [Terry, aka WWE's Riley Osborne] just got fired.' Her husband. So I was like, 'OK, I'll keep my ringer on.' And sure as hell, two minutes later I got the call."
Black's WWE run began in 2021 and saw her immediately align with Gigi Dolin, who was also let go from the company in May's same batch of releases. Unfortunately for Black, the latter years of her time in WWE were marred by injury after she tore several ligaments in her knee, resulting in a significant amount of time lost to recovery in 2024.
Advertisement
There were some things Black wishes would've played out differently, but ultimately her regrets are minimal.
"I had a conversation with somebody who I won't name, but someone I feel I would have had a better experience there if it wasn't for [them] — and not Shawn [Michaels] or Hunter [Paul Levesque] or anybody," Black said. "I can't praise them enough, and my time there, and everything like that, but there was a conversation with somebody where I was kind of like, 'OK, this is probably going to be weird in a few months.' And it was.
"At times [it was unsettling]. I could look at it and think about things I could have changed or what I could have done different, then I guess when you think about it there really is nothing, because I feel like — I was there every day. I was cleaning up the locker rooms with Roxanne [Perez] after the shows because we're from indie wrestling, that's what you do. Until the day I was gone, that's just what you do.
"You can always look at it and think what could have been different, but at the end of the day, I feel comfortable in the fact that I got to do so much stuff," Black continued. "I got to meet my best friend, so many of my best friends, and I feel confident that I stood on my morals. Things that I spoke up about that maybe other people wouldn't have."
Advertisement
Regarding some of the more problematic experiences Black had, one in particular was frustrating enough that she took to social media within the past month, teasing smoke to a fire. She opened up more on the matter on Monday, indicating that she had been body-shamed into improving her physical appearance.
"I don't want this to be 'bash WWE' because it was my dream," Black said. "It still is my dream. I have no doubt maybe one day in the near future I'll be there again. But it just is what it is.
Cora Jade makes her entrance during NXT TV at the WWE Performance Center on March 4, 2025, in Orlando, Florida. (Eric Johnson/WWE via Getty Images)
(WWE via Getty Images)
'I definitely think things could've went differently if it weren't for certain things like the body-shaming thing. I came in at 19 years old, I was like 110 pounds, I was so small. It was just constant comments, whether it was from guys who think they're being funny, or, I'm not going to name names again, but I remember specifically being told that I wasn't and wouldn't be champion in that company because I looked like I couldn't crack an egg. Multiple conversations about my body, which I don't think anyone, especially another man, should be saying that to a female. I was so young and it created a lot of issues for me body-wise. But, obviously, I gained so much muscle after that. I worked my ass off."
Advertisement
Although the knee injury was one of Black's most notable setbacks in recent years, it wasn't her only health scare. The Chicagoan recalled being scheduled to wrestle Lyra Valkyria at the end of January 2023 — until things unexpectedly took a turn for the worse.
"I ended up in emergency surgery in the hospital the night before," Black reflected. "Literally almost dying and bleeding out because I had an ectopic pregnancy that had failed, and it exploded and made me internally bleed. I was rushed into emergency surgery because I was this close to bleeding out. Thank God I went, because I was literally thinking, 'I just have to get through the match tomorrow.' I knew something wasn't right, but I just thought I had to get through the match, but I'm bleeding.
"What happened was, I had an IUD birth control. It's inserted into you. It's a 99.9% success rate, it's a five-year thing, you protect your eggs for five years. They warn you of ectopic pregnancy beforehand. It's where the egg is implanted outside of the uterus in the fallopian tube, and that causes the fallopian tube to explode, you internally bleed, and it's extremely life-threatening to the baby and woman. I was always scared of that in general, because I have health anxiety anyway, so I was always worried about that."
Black knew something was off as soon as she started feeling discomfort ahead of her match. The emergency surgery was successful, but the cost was her left fallopian tube, which was removed.
Advertisement
Despite the horrific process, Black was still upset she didn't get to perform at NXT: Stand & Deliver 2023 as planned. The toll of everything left the wrestler in a dark place for the ensuing several months.
"Nothing has ever happened to me like that before. I never realized the effects of it," Black said. "After I came back those few months, I was the most mentally depressed I have ever been in my entire life.
"I remember calling one of the WWE doctors and being like, 'I need to go somewhere. I'm not OK. This is not OK.' I don't know what it was because nothing was really wrong, but I learned later — you deal with postpartum depression, and it's so intense. I was 23 years old, and [it was] the craziest thing I had ever experienced. I went back to work and I was not there mentally. Nothing to do with work. I literally didn't realize the toll that takes on you as a person.
Advertisement
"I needed to go away and take time off or I don't know what was going to happen to me. Mentally, I needed to take that time off. ... I took that time to get myself mentally right, I felt good, I was ready to go, I was so excited. I felt good mentally, physically and emotionally. It was probably the best I ever felt. Then I came back, I had just went through a really bad breakup, it was my birthday — and I tore my knee. It was back-to-back-to-back. I was so excited and — boom, boom, boom."
Black is already gearing up to stay as busy as possible in her post-WWE life. She has several indie bookings lined up, starting with a match against Rachel Armstrong at a Black Label Pro show on June 14.
Considering her age, there are still plenty of possibilities left for the one-time NXT Tag Team Champion in the wrestling world. Because of how recently her non-compete clause has ended, she hasn't had any discussions with a major promotion like AEW or TNA, but she's certainly open to returns in either.
"I would definitely be open to going to AEW. I loved my time there. I have a lot of friends there. I watch all the shows," she said. "I love the fact that they have as much creative freedom as they do. I'm so much for storylines and character, so I feel like they are very creatively free in that way. So it's definitely something I'd be open to.
"I'm not closed off to [TNA] by any means. I just feel that my only hang-up is I feel like I was just there. Now they're kind of doing WWE and TNA, so it almost feels like I need to step away from that world for a second. I love TNA, I would definitely work there again in the future. Just right now, in my time, I feel they're too close-knit together. It'll be better for me to branch off and just kind of figure it out."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
16 minutes ago
- USA Today
We hit 19 in our Raiders countdown to kickoff. Who wore it best and who's wearing it now
We've reached 19 days until the Raiders season opener at Foxboro against the Patriots, With our countdown at 19 days we take a look at who currently dons the number in Silver & Black and who has brought it the most distinction. No. 19 Who's wearing it now: WR Tommy Mellott Mellott was one of the Raiders sixth round picks. He played quarterback at Montana State and led the Bobcats to the FCS National title game. But his best shot at the NFL level is as a wide receiver and special teams ace. The learning curve is steep though, so he has a ways to go in his position change. Who wore it best: QB Cotton Davidson Davidson joined the Raiders in 1962. The journeyman QB started the season in place of Tom Flores who was out with Tuberculosis. He and Flores split QB duties over the next two seasons, with Davidson making the Pro Bowl in 1963. They would split duties again in 1966, this time with Flores making the Pro Bowl.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
5 dead, 108 sickened in New York City Legionnaires' disease outbreak
The death toll in New York City's Legionnaires' disease outbreak has risen to five with more 100 cases confirmed across five ZIP codes in Central Harlem, local health officials announced. Since the outbreak began on July 25, the New York City Health Department has reported 108 cases of Legionnaires' disease in Central Harlem — a historically Black neighborhood in Upper Manhattan. The latest death was reported on Aug. 18 after health officials concluded that a person with the disease who died before mid-August was associated with the Central Harlem cluster. "Based on epidemiological evidence, remediation efforts have been effective as new cases continue to decrease," Dr. Michelle Morse, acting commissioner of the city health department, said in a statement on X. "The Health Department is continuing our investigation." As of Aug. 19, the city health department said 14 people with the disease were currently hospitalized as officials continued investigating the community cluster of the disease in ZIP codes: 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, and 10039. The city health department reiterated that the risk to most residents in these ZIP codes remains low but urged those who work or live in the area to immediately see a health care provider if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms. Legionnaires' disease is a severe pneumonia caused by a type of bacteria called Legionella, which grows in warm or hot water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms, which can develop up to 14 days after exposure, include cough, fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, and shortness of breath. NYC Legionnaires' disease outbreak: An obscure disease keeps spreading through air conditioning Where does the Legionnaires' disease outbreak stem from? The outbreak in Central Harlem has been linked to cooling towers in the area, according to the city health department. Cooling towers are heat exchangers that use fans and water to cool down buildings. In an update on Aug. 19, the city health department said it has sampled and tested water from all cooling towers in the five ZIP codes. On Aug. 14, health officials confirmed that 12 cooling towers in the area had positive results for the Legionella bacteria. Remediation of the towers have since been completed. Health officials have noted that the outbreak is not related to buildings' hot or cold water supply, and that the plumbing system was separate from the cooling tower system. People should continue to use air conditioning, including window units, and other appliances that use water, the city health department said. "Any cooling towers with initial positive results for Legionella bacteria have completed the treatment required by the Health Department," according to to the the city health department. "We are continuing to monitor and let buildings know if additional treatment is needed." USA TODAY previously reported that the Central Harlem cluster is already the largest outbreak of the disease in the city in a decade. Typically, clusters have been concentrated in lower-income and non-White communities. The city saw its largest recent outbreak in 2015, when 138 cases and 16 deaths were linked to a single cooling tower in the South Bronx. In 2022, the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx had a cluster of 30 people diagnosed with the disease, according to a city health department report. What is Legionnaires' disease? The disease takes its name from a 1976 outbreak at a state convention of the American Legion veterans organization in a Philadelphia hotel. More than 180 people contracted the disease, and 29 died. Though it is considered a rare disease, the American Lung Association says Legionnaires' disease is a growing health concern. It has steadily become more common nationwide in recent decades, according to the CDC, and research has shown that hotter, more humid temperatures have contributed to the increase of cases. Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia caused by consuming water or breathing in water vapor contaminated with Legionella bacteria, according to the CDC. The disease can be caused by plumbing systems where conditions are favorable for bacteria growth, such as cooling towers, whirlpool spas, hot tubs, humidifiers, hot water tanks, and evaporative condensers of large air-conditioning systems. Legionnaires' disease cannot be spread from person to person and can be treated with antibiotics, the CDC says. Most healthy people who get infected usually get better, but about one in 10 people who get the disease die due to complications from it. The best way to prevent Legionnaires' disease is by cleaning pipes and devices that use water, according to the CDC. And health officials have urged people at higher risk — including those ages 50 and older, cigarette smokers, and people with chronic lung disease or compromised immune systems — to immediately seek medical care if they have symptoms. "Legionnaires' disease can be effectively treated if diagnosed early, but New Yorkers at higher risk, like adults aged 50 and older and those who smoke or have chronic lung conditions, should be especially mindful of their symptoms and seek care as soon as symptoms begin," Morse said in a statement on Aug. 4. Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas and Melina Khan, USA TODAY
Boston Globe
2 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Trump says Smithsonian focuses too much on ‘how bad slavery was'
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'It's the epitome of dumbness to criticize the Smithsonian for dealing with the reality of slavery in America,' said Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian. 'It's what led to our Civil War and is a defining aspect of our national history. And the Smithsonian deals in a robust way with what slavery was, but it also deals with human rights and civil rights in equal abundance.' Advertisement Since taking office, Trump has led an effort to purge diversity, equity and inclusion policies from the federal government and threatened to investigate companies and schools that adopt such policies. He has tried to reframe the country's past involving racism and discrimination by de-emphasizing that history, preferring to instead spotlight a sanitized, rosy depiction of America. Advertisement The administration has worked to scrub or minimize government references to the contributions of Black heroes, from the Tuskegee Airmen, who fought in World War II, to Harriet Tubman, who guided enslaved people along the Underground Railroad. Trump commemorated Juneteenth, the celebration of the end of slavery in the United States that became a federal holiday in 2021, by complaining that there were too many non-working holidays in America. He has called for the return of Confederate insignia and statues honoring those who fought to preserve slavery. And he has previously attacked the exhibits on race at the Smithsonian, which has traditionally operated as an independent institution that regards itself as outside the purview of the executive branch, as 'divisive, race-centered ideology.' Trump's comments also ignore the breadth of the displays in Smithsonian museums. While the National Museum of African American History and Culture, for example, does include exhibits on the Middle Passage and slavery, it also showcases civil rights and cultural icons in Black history. The director of that museum, Kevin Young, stepped down this spring as Trump increasingly targeted the Smithsonian and its museum intended to tell the African American story for all Americans. Trump has often stoked divisions in the United States by tapping into white grievance and framing himself as a protector of white people both in the United States and overseas. Quentin James, a co-founder of the Collective, which aims to elect Black officials in America, said Trump's comments about the museums were an attempt to protect 'white fragility.' Advertisement 'For all of us, it's an assault on our history and an assault on what we know to be true,' James said, while for Trump it is about 'white grievance and him exerting his authority.' The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Trump added in the social media post that he had instructed his lawyers 'to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities.' His administration has pursued an effort to investigate universities that have adopted diversity, equity and inclusion programs, leading to court fights, funding battles and, in many cases, the removal of diversity initiatives. This article originally appeared in .
