Nia Jax believes her two-year absence from WWE was essential for both her personal well-being and her evolution as an in-ring performer.
Jax was released by WWE in 2021 and made her return to the company in 2023. Now firmly reestablished on the roster, the former champion feels she has come back with a healthier mindset and a renewed understanding of balance in her career.
Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Jax reflected candidly on the pressures of her first run in WWE and how deeply the job consumed her life at the time. “Some of the girls that I came up with, we all kind of made WWE our whole lives,” Jax said. “Morning, noon, and night, storylines, talking about it all the time and worried about our bookings. Back in the day, if you got hurt, you were forgotten about. It was hard to get back in the rhythm, so we pushed through things.”
She explained that the fear of falling behind often led to unhealthy choices, including ignoring injuries and sacrificing personal milestones. “‘I’m not hurt, I’m fine,’ and I’m going to stay. I want to skip on all my friends’ weddings and baby showers,” she recalled.
Since returning, Jax says her relationship with wrestling has fundamentally changed. While her passion for WWE remains strong, she no longer allows it to dominate every aspect of her life. “Coming back, it felt different,” Jax said. “It’s like, no — WWE is my passion and I love it and I want to be a part of it, but it’s not going to be my entire life. I’m not going to make it the focal point.”
During the interview, Jax also revealed a major physical transformation, noting that she has lost 100 pounds from her highest weight — a change she credits to her improved mental and emotional outlook.
She believes the time away ultimately helped her grow as a performer. “I feel like I changed in a better way. I got better and I elevated my game a little bit more,” Jax explained. “When I had the break and I was able to see what I could improve on, I was able to change it coming back.”
Now in her second chapter with WWE, Jax feels more grounded, focused, and confident — both inside and outside the ring.
