AEW Champion Addresses Former WWE Star Girlfriend’s Future After Becoming Free Agent: ‘She’s Hungry, She’s Ready’

AEW/WWE

A current AEW champion has addressed the future of his real-life girlfriend after she recently hit the free agent market.

On August 3, TNA Wrestling confirmed the departure of the Knockouts division’s Mara Sadè (fka Jakara Jackson), who had spent a year in the company following her WWE release in May 2025.

Rumors regarding Sadè’s next steps in pro wrestling have been abound in the weeks that have followed, with All Elite Wrestling reported to potentially be her next landing spot.

While Sadè has never competed for AEW, she does have one strong connection in the company already by way of her real-life boyfriend Kevin Knight, who currently reigns as the TNT Champion.

Speaking with The Ringer, Knight was asked about Sadè’s free agent status, and while he didn’t shed light on what could be next for her, he hailed the work she’s put in to prove people wrong and continue improving.

Knight said:

“Your guess is as good as mine. The biggest thing that I could say is she’s been working hard to not only prove the people wrong but to prove herself right and to finish her story and to keep continuing on.

“From her journey first starting out in NXT, doing a year in TNA, her trajectory, her improvement has been crazy and it’s all due to her hard work.

“She didn’t sit on her laurels and feel sorry for herself. So she’s hungry, she’s ready and she has amazing charisma, and I think anybody that picks her up, it’s a gift to have.”

Knight would also comment on the stark difference in both he and Sadè’s wrestling backgrounds, with he learning the ropes at the NJPW dojo and Sadè the WWE Performance Center:

“Yeah it’s been crazy the time that we spent together because I’ll ask her something, and she’ll have no idea what I’m talking about, or she’ll have a completely different experience from me.

“She went straight to the PC and the dojo is like completely different environments, and what they teach and what they value.

“So we’re definitely sharing knowledge of our experiences and I think (it’s) another case of iron sharpens iron, and that’s what we’ve been doing.”

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We will provide updates on Mara Sadè’s future and potential move to AEW should more information arise.

As for Kevin Knight, he will be defending his TNT Championship in a Falls Count Anywhere Match against Darby Allin at AEW All In London 2026 on August 30.

For the confirmed AEW All In London match card thus far follow this link here.

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• wwe
• kevin knight
• Mara Sadè
• AEW

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