“I wasn't doing much anymore”: Kayla Braxton gives reasons behind WWE departure

Kayla Braxton is a well-known name among WWE's top interviewers and broadcasters. Widely regarded as one of the best female interviewers, she conducted backstage interviews with wrestlers on Raw, SmackDown, and Premium Live Events. After eight years with WWE, she announced her departure in June 2024. Recently, she appeared on "The Nikki & Brie Show," where she discussed why she decided to leave the company.

Kayla Braxton explains the reasons behind her WWE departure

In a recent interview on Nikki and Brie Bella's show, Kayla Braxton opened up about her decision to leave WWE. She explained, "So I was under contract. Announcers, we operate very differently. I just realized, within myself after eight years; I've done everything I can do here.” Braxton cited her desire to pursue opportunities outside of wrestling as a key factor in her departure. "You know how the schedule is at WWE. It's very hard to [accomplish] anything else you want to do. I just felt like I was starting to miss out on opportunities outside of the company." (Credit: The Nikki & Brie Show and Wrestling Inc)

She also mentioned that her role had become less fulfilling, which contributed to her decision. "I wasn't doing much anymore at my former position. I just had to make the decision, not knowing necessarily what I was about to do in that moment, but I had to walk away. It was all amicable, I just knew it was time for me to peace out.” (Credit: The Nikki & Brie Show and Wrestling Inc)


Kayla Braxton has decided to step away from WWE to explore new opportunities in her life, something she wasn't able to do due to her tight schedule with the company. After dedicating eight years to WWE, she's now seeking bigger career prospects. While there were rumors that she might join AEW, Braxton clarified that she's moving away from wrestling entirely, if she had wanted to stay in the industry, she would have remained with WWE.

During her time with WWE, Braxton served as a backstage interviewer on SmackDown and co-hosted The Bump. Since August 22, 2020, she has also been the host of Talking Smack, later renamed SmackDown LowDown, alongside Paul Heyman. On June 22, 2024, Braxton announced that she would be leaving WWE after the June 28 episode of SmackDown. By July 1, her profile had been moved to the alumni section on WWE's website.