Elayna Black Admits She Was “Terrified” Before TNA Return

Elayna Black didn’t know if fans even remembered her. After nearly seven months away from the ring, the former WWE NXT star returned to wrestling on TNA’s AMC debut episode, and the pressure was real. In a raw conversation on Busted Open Radio, she laid out just how shaken she was behind the curtain—until the crowd gave her a pop that changed everything. The moment wasn’t just about coming back. It was about proving to herself that the wrestling world hadn’t moved on without her.

“Yeah, thank God. Because I was worried that it was gonna be silent.”

Black opened up about the anxiety she was carrying backstage. Despite years in the business, the nerves never truly leave—especially when you’re stepping back in after time off and dealing with harsh online noise.

“I’ve been wrestling for so long now, it doesn’t matter how long I do it, I just—I'm still so nervous. I think it’s just—I just care a little bit too much sometimes.”

And this wasn’t just a normal comeback match. Elayna hadn’t wrestled since July, and she wasn’t sure if anyone even wanted her back.

“I was very nervous, like I always am. But more so—even more nervous because I haven’t been—I took off time from wrestling in, like, July. So it was like six, seven months now that I haven’t wrestled. So, number one, that was scary.”

“And number two, everyone has their own opinions. And I think I’m a bit controversial at times with the Internet. And they all have their opinions. So I was very curious if people were going to accept me into wrestling or if they had kind of written me off, which is fine if they have. But I was curious to see if anyone was even going to care when I did come back to wrestling.”

Then the music hit. The curtain opened. And the crowd erupted.

“To hear the pop was very, very, very comforting in a way, but also very motivating. And made me be like: okay, like, this is where I’m meant to be. Like it’s—it’s go time.”

That reaction didn’t just erase the doubt. It reignited her passion. For Elayna Black, it was the moment she realized she wasn’t forgotten—she was welcomed back, loud and clear. Her return pop on TNA’s national TV debut wasn’t just noise—it was validation. The industry watched her get released. Now they’re watching her rise all over again.

Did Elayna Black’s return moment prove she’s right where she belongs—or is the real test still ahead? Let us know what you think in the comments.