The former Kayla Braxton further speaks about her departure from WWE.
After eight years as an on-screen host and broadcaster for WWE, Kayla Becker a.k.a. Kayla Braxton gave notice to the company that she would be leaving. She was given a send-off at Madison Square Garden by Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.
Becker is making the media rounds to speak about her future plans and her time with WWE. Her most recent stop was on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
She reiterated that she could see the writing on the wall in regards to her time with WWE dwindling down. She added that the split was amicable and they left the door open for her to return.
I think it’s something I’d been kind of contemplating for a while (decision to leave WWE). I think once I stepped down from The Bump, I moved to Los Angeles, it was very clear I was kind of trying to find what my next phase of life was going to be career-wise and I think the company kind of acknowledged that as well and they were very supportive. When I moved out to L.A., they put a studio in my apartment. They wanted me to continue doing The Bump until I was like, okay, I think it’s time that Megan Morant takes over this role full-time and you have your studio crew in Stamford, and then I feel like on SmackDown, it’s hard, it’s a two-hour show. So there’s not a lot of room for backstage interviews on SmackDown. You gotta get the stories in there. So I wasn’t doing much backstage at SmackDown and then I wasn’t really doing the Kickoff show panels anymore and so I was just kind of seeing the writing on the wall a little bit and just thought, you know, I feel good at where my life is outside of WWE… While everybody was getting along, everything was amicable. The company was very supportive of me stepping down; said the door is always open. It was very nice to hear. But yeah, I think it was just the perfect timing to do that.
Towards the backend of the conversation, Becker stated that she thinks she’s done in wrestling. She did not want to pigeonhole herself. Becker said there’s always the possibility of her popping back into the sport for a cameo.
Yeah, I think so (I’m done working in wrestling for now). That’s one thing about our fans too. They think, oh, you leave WWE, you must be going to AEW or OnlyFans. It’s like the only two options that they think that you have. I’m like, ‘Actually, I’m doing neither.’ I think wrestling will always be like a love of mine and always be a family of mine but, I think I just really didn’t want to pigeonhole myself as a host and a broadcaster and just see what else I can do out there. I mean, there’s always the possibility that maybe I pop back in for a fun cameo or something down the road. But yeah, I think my time is done.
In 2023, Becker shared that WWE talked to her about moving into a commentary role. She said the job is difficult and was not something she was actively leaning towards.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit Insight with Chris Van Vliet with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcription.