Tatum Paxley Opens Up On ‘Stepping Out Of The WWE Walls’ For Jordynne Grace TNA Match: ‘I Was Like ‘This Is Exciting, But Can I Do It?’

WWE

WWE NXT Women’s North American Champion Tatum Paxley has opened up on ‘stepping out of the walls of WWE’ for the first time.

The relationship between WWE and TNA began back in 2024, with a number of TNA stars showing up on WWE NXT television, the first being then-TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace.

A WWE star would then cross the line over to TNA for the first time at the Against All Odds event a month later, when Tatum Paxley faced Grace for the TNA Knockouts Championship on the show.

Tatum Paxley Opens Up On Mental Challenges Of First TNA Match

The match was Tatum’s first match of her career to take place outside of the confines of WWE, and she has now opened up on the match, and how it was a challenge for her mentally.

Speaking to Jimmy V3, she said:

“I’m what you call a homegrown talent in NXT, I haven’t wrestled outside of the walls of WWE, and then they pick me to be the one to start the crossover to TNA. I was like ‘oh, this is exciting, but can I do it?’

“This is gonna be a new world, new people, new producers, new wrestlers, I don’t know anybody, let alone, I only have ever wrestled WWE, I didn’t have an indie run.

“So getting to go to a company outside of WWE was very challenging for me mentally. And Jordynne, once I stepped in the ring with her, she just brings this animal out in you.

“I’m so thankful and grateful to have gotten in the ring with her under TNA. I was like ‘I can do this anywhere, with anyone’, so I’m super thankful for her for doing that with me and elevating me, and I just can’t thank her enough, and the company for allowing me to do it. I’m just over the moon grateful for it.”

If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link back to this page. 

Tatum Paxley’s Rise In WWE NXT

Tatum Paxley has been one of the bigger success stories on the NXT brand over the past year, with her competing on the Kick-Off show for Stand & Deliver in 2025, and being one of many women in a stacked division fighting for TV time.

However, with a mix of her great and still improving character and ring work, Tatum earned a lot more opportunities over the coming months, including her winning both the NXT Women’s Championship and NXT Women’s North American Championship in the span of 4 months.

Tatum recently scored a Casket match victory over Blake Monroe, which was Blake’s final match in NXT.

To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, follow us on Threads by clicking this link!

• wwe
• TNA
• jordynne grace
• Tatum Paxley

Share this article with friends