Nia Jax walked into her WWE tryout convinced that her size was going to cost her an opportunity with the company. But instead of being told to lose weight or change her appearance, she received a completely different reaction from WWE’s coaches.
During an appearance on the Keep It Aloha podcast, Jax opened up about the insecurities she experienced when she first tried to break into professional wrestling. At the time, she was surrounded by women who came from fitness modeling, cheerleading and competitive athletic backgrounds, leaving her feeling like she didn’t belong. Jax admitted that simply looking around the room made her question whether WWE would even consider hiring someone with her body type.
“So when I walked into my tryout every single girl there was a fitness girl, fitness model, like either a cheerleader or they literally were in like a competition. So I was totally out of my element there and thought oh for sure I’m not going to be picked.”
However, things took an unexpected turn once WWE’s coaches started evaluating her. Jax specifically credited Joey Mercury, Billy Gunn and Sarah Amato for recognizing that her size could actually be an advantage in the wrestling business. Rather than encouraging her to slim down and look like everyone else, they wanted her to embrace what made her different. According to Jax, not once did anyone tell her she needed to lose weight.
“So I had that leg up that I didn’t realize when I first came in. I was like, ‘Oh, no. I got to lose all this weight. I got to be this. I got to be that.’ But they were like, ‘No.’ Not once did they ever tell me you got to lose weight. They were like, ‘No, you’re perfect. Like, we love this. This is the way you are.'”
For Jax, that encouragement meant more than simply getting through a WWE tryout. She explained that growing up in California had already made her conscious of being bigger than many of the girls around her. While attending school in Carlsbad, she remembered comparing herself to the surfer girls she grew up with and realizing she couldn’t wear the same clothing sizes. Those differences once made her insecure, but she now sees them as part of her strength.
“Like, I grew up with a lot of white girls who were just like beautiful. We’re all they’re all, you know, surfer girls, but I was you know, I couldn’t fit into the sizes they were fitting into. I couldn’t do it, but you know, now I say it’s such a it’s such a power.”
Jax also discussed how her Polynesian heritage shaped the way she views her body. She explained that being physically strong was something she grew up embracing within her culture, and she now appreciates being able to represent women who don’t fit a traditional fitness-model image.
That mindset eventually became a major part of her WWE presentation. Rather than trying to look like the other women on the roster, Jax built her identity around being bigger, stronger and physically imposing — qualities that helped establish her as the Irresistible Force.
Her comments offer an interesting look at WWE’s approach to her development, especially considering the pressure women in entertainment often face regarding their appearance. Jax went into her tryout expecting to be told she needed to change, only to discover that the coaches wanted her exactly as she was.
What do you think about WWE encouraging Nia Jax to embrace her natural size instead of asking her to lose weight? Do you think her unique look helped her stand out in the women’s division? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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