Nia Jax wasn’t about to let people backstage run their mouths and ruin her second shot in WWE. When she returned in 2023, she had finally figured out what made her tick in the ring, and she wasn’t interested in hearing from anyone who had a problem with her. That was a big change from the Nia Jax fans saw during her first run.
During an appearance on the Battleground Podcast, Jax was asked what she understood about herself when WWE brought her back in September 2023. She admitted that during her first run, she didn’t even realize how much power she had as a performer.
“I don’t think I understood the power of my of who I was like in the ring.”
Jax said she spent years trying to figure out her character, and she wasn’t alone. Even some wrestling legends have told her it took them nearly a decade before they felt comfortable with what they were doing. She explained that it’s something she still talks about with other women backstage.
“I didn’t you know, I was still trying to get like feel things out. Like I always when we talk about it backstage, I tell girls like sometimes it takes like a full 10 years to understand your character and know like who you are. Some girls get it immediately and they feel it, but some of sometimes like even the men, I mean, I’ve had conversations with some legends and they’re like, yeah, it took me like 10 years to even like feel right in the ring.”
But by the time Jax got another chance in WWE, she wasn’t trying to figure anything out anymore. She knew exactly what she brought to the table, and that meant she didn’t have to worry about the people backstage talking trash. Jax even had a name for those people — the “chirpers.”
“And so I think for, you know, me coming back, I was just like, oh, I I know who I am. I know what I bring to the table. Like I don’t have to worry about like any of the the, you know, the chirpers in the back who want to talk smack. Like I know what I bring to the table. So like I’m going to put it all out there and they’re going to love it. And that’s what it was.”
Jax didn’t name any of those backstage critics, and she didn’t say what they had been saying about her. She was released from WWE in November 2021 before returning in September 2023, so she had plenty of time away from the company. Whatever changed during that time, Jax made it clear that she came back with a lot more confidence and wasn’t worried about getting everybody’s approval.
Jax has never been everybody’s favorite wrestler, but she’s not trying to be. After getting another chance in WWE, she finally felt like she knew exactly what she was doing. As for anyone backstage who wants to talk smack, it sounds like Jax is perfectly happy letting them waste their breath.
Do you think Nia Jax has become a better performer since returning to WWE in 2023, or do you think her critics still have a point? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
