In the electrifying realm of WWE's NXT, Cora Jade emerges as a force to reckon with, captivating both the ring and fans' hearts. The path to NXT wasn't an easy one, as she has revealed in recent videos. With unwavering determination, she turned her childhood dream into reality, making her mark in the Dusty Classic. From grueling tryouts under the guidance of wrestling legends to navigating the love-hate relationship with passionate fans, Jade's journey is nothing short of remarkable. Amid the whirlwind rise to fame, she remains grounded, embracing the surreal moments and eagerly anticipating the future of WWE. Here’s a roundup of her latest reflections, inspired by a new swimsuit photo she posted saying, “I’m busy.”

1. Here’s how She Got Into NXT

How did she get into NXT? “Well, I started watching the WWE product when I was about eight years old because my dad and my younger brother watched it together and I was just a huge fan of it. So as soon as I saw it, I was like, this is what I want to do,” she said on the Mark Moses Show. “ So when I was about 15, 16, I started wrestling on the independent circuit around the country, but I started in Chicago because that's where I'm from. And then in the pandemic around towards the end of 2020, I got an email to come do a tryout and I did the tryout in October of 2020 and then made my debut in the Dusty Classic a few months later in January of ’21. So it's been a crazy ride, but that was how I got started and I've loved it every step of the way.”

2. Her Tryout for NXT Was Tough

Her tryout “was definitely probably one of the hardest things I've ever done,” she told Mark Moses. “But luckily one of my trainers, Kevin Quinn, he trained CM Punk, Lita, John Cena. He had a hand in so many people in wrestling and he had been to Japan and done a bunch of stuff. He ran a training school, so he would put us through these Sunday training cardio days we would call 'em, and it was just so much conditioning and it would be so much, and it was so at the time exhausting. But I think that really prepared me for the tryout because he kind of pushed us as much as we could be pushed then. So it made me feel like I could do anything. So when it came time for the tryout, I felt very prepared and everything I had down pat, I was ready to—all the drills had, I had already done them with my trainer before, so I felt like he really prepared me the best way possible. But it's so mentally and physically exhausting and just you got to be sharp in your mind and in your physical movements and everything was the craziest thing and the hardest thing I've ever done. But at the same time, I felt like I came in very prepared. I wanted to be here so bad. I knew what it took to get here.”

3. It’s a Love-Hate Relationship With Fans Sometimes

The WWE “has some of the most passionate fans I've ever witnessed in my life, but especially the NXT fans who are here, it's pretty much probably the same group of people that are here every week,” she told Moses. “They're very dedicated and they're super into it and they're a very solid fan base, so they're very passionate about who they love and who they hate. So sometimes it's a love-hate relationship.”

4. Sometimes it Feels Like a Dream

“It's definitely crazy,” she says of her rise to fame on Fightful Wrestling With Sean Ross Sapp. “Sometimes I feel like I have to kind of pull myself out of it and kind realize what I'm doing because I feel like it all moves so fast and I'm a very stressed person. I want everything to be like I'm a perfectionist and I want everything to be perfect. So sometimes I got to step back and be like, this is really cool. Literally I'm doing everything I dreamed of when I was eight years old. I literally played this out in my head and it's unfolding in front of me, so I'm very lucky and very grateful. But it is crazy sometimes to step back and be like, this is actually happening.”

5. ”Still Going Strong”

“I think 2.0 really opened up a lot of opportunities for younger people like myself, and I think that change is kind of really what helped me be able to grow and have all these opportunities. So I'm so grateful for that. But now like you said, we're moving in a bit of a different, more neutral direction, and I don't know what the future holds, but I feel like WWE is a very exciting place right now. So I can only imagine that it's only up from here and I can't wait to see what this next era is. And generation of Jade will still be going strong no matter what.”

Discover the inspiring and diverse world of female pro wrestlers as they share their unique stories of determination, strength, and self-acceptance. From Alexa Bliss's journey of embracing balance and finding self-worth beyond the scale, to Mandy Rose's unwavering dedication to recovery and rest, each wrestler brings her own wisdom and perspective on fitness and well-being. Natalya Neidhart reveals her pre-match rituals while Bianca Belair dishes out her favorite protein-packed recipes. Beyond the physical, these women offer valuable insights on overcoming body image issues, dealing with criticism, and staying motivated. As they face the demands of a challenging sport, these wrestlers prove that perseverance and self-belief are the ultimate keys to success.

1. Alexa Bliss

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Alexa Bliss opened up about her diet to Muscle and Fitness. “It’s all about balance. I don’t count calories, but I get a feel for what I can eat.” She says she does this after previous struggles with eating. “I would look at food and just cry,” Bliss says. “I was in and out of the hospital until I came to terms with who I was. Now I know there are more important things than the scale.”

2. Mandy Rose

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Mandy Rose opened up about her diet and exercise to Muscle and Fitness. She says that her recovery from matches is important to her. “Recovery is very important with how much we train,” she says. “Rest for me is No. 1, because I need my seven to eight hours of sleep every night. And whenever I can get body work done, like a massage or chiropractor session, I do it.”

3. Natalya Neidhart

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In an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Natalya Neidhart opened up about what she eats before a match. “I went to the Sky Lounge in the LaGuardia airport and had a little bit of Greek yogurt and a cappuccino with skim milk. I always like to have a little bit of coffee in the morning — it’s more of a ritual for me than the taste. I like to sit and have 15 minutes to myself to just drink my coffee and reflect and think about what my day is going to be like. They served a breakfast burrito on the plane. To be brutally honest, I don’t really love airplane food, but no matter what, you can make something out of nothing. I had a couple of bites, that that way I could feel like I was getting a little bit without all the calories. Then I just had water on the plane. Whenever I travel I try to hydrate as much as possible. I hate that dehydrated feeling, it makes me super tired. They also served some fresh fruit so I had a little bit of that. That way when I landed I didn’t feel too bloated or heavy.”

4. Carmella

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Carmella, also known as Leah Van Dale, shared her workout routine with Women Fitness. “I always warm up on the bike or treadmill for about 20-30 minutes before I lift. Stretching is something I really need to get back into my daily routine. With my schedule, it’s so hard to fit everything in. I usually only have time to train OR stretch, but I really need to start making time for both. I notice such a difference in my body when I take the time to stretch properly.”

5. Britt Baker

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Britt Baker shared her approach to exercise in an interview with Muscle and Fitness. “I’m, admittedly, a very late-night workout girl,” she said. “I’m at the gym, usually at 10pm, finishing up around 11.30pm or midnight. That’s just how it works for me now because that’s the only time I can fit in. When I’m home, in a typical day, I wake up, go to the dental office and I’m there sometimes until 7pm, come home, eat really quick, say hello to my boyfriend (who just happens to be fellow AEW superstar; Adam Cole then I go to the gym.”

6. Becky Lynch

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Becky Lynch revealed how she stays motivated in an interview with Muscle and Fitness. “Championships represent being at the top of your game. It means that you are the best of the best. Anybody who wants to take it from me better step up and be better, otherwise I can’t sit with that.”

7. Zelina Vega

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Zelina Vega shared her diet in an interview with Muscle and Fitness. “I’m also a vegan,” says Vega. “So, [that’s] an added annoyance as far as traveling goes, but I always come with my meals prepared…For me, I like to know exactly what I’m putting in my body. So, I make sure that I do bring the meals with me.”

8. Kacy Catanzaro

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In 2014, before her WWE debut, Kacy Catanzaro became the first woman to qualify for the finals of American Ninja Warrior. That year, she shared some of her diet tips with TODAY. "Usually I like to work out in the morning before I eat. After the workout I like to eat a banana and definitely some oatmeal for a little bit extra boost. I love smoothies. We make green smoothies at home. I like cucumbers, celery, ginger and kale. We use a lot of greens!"

9. Natalie Eva Marie

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Natalie Eva Marie shared some of her workout tips with Ryderwear.com. “Everyday I am constantly trying to improve mentally, physically, and spiritually. I work a 12 step program of recovery so my sobriety is my number one priority and I know without it I wouldn’t be able to do all the things that I am doing in my life. I feel extremely lucky and blessed to have the career that I have now and don’t want to lose it along with everything that I could lose if I don’t stay sober.”

10. Tenille Dashwood

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In 2018, Tenille Dashwood opened up about signing with Ring of Honor with TVInsider. “I feel revived and alive again with wrestling,” she said. “I started this because I love wrestling. Back when I was younger in Australia, I wanted to be a wrestler and loved what I did with WWE. It’s completely different now. It’s not five minutes on TV where I’m asked to do such and such. It’s having competitive singles matches every night. There are different opponents every night. I’m meeting new people and improving my own skills every time by working with different people in the ring. It got me going again.”

11. Indi Hartwell

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Indi Hartwell opened up about her career to Busted Open Radio. “I thought to myself, ‘if I get it all at once, where do I go from there?’ I’m still pretty young in this business. I’ve been wrestling for seven years, but that’s nothing compared to some people. I’m all about the slow and steady. I know it’s a marathon and not a sprint. A lot of my coaches tell me that. I just try to keep that in mind.”

12. Bianca Belair

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Bianca Belair makes sure to eat healthy. She shared some of her favorite foods with The Cut. Belair says that she gets a lot of protein in her diet. “I’m a big breakfast person. I always do protein shakes. I love oatmeal because it fills you up really quickly. And I love protein pancakes: pancake mix with protein powder.”

13. Deonna Purrazzo

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In an interview with Wrestling Epicenter, Deonna Purrazzo talked about her approach to body image, and dealing with body shamers. “I might need to lose 5 pounds. I might need to lose 6 or 7 pounds. I’m not against the losing weight part. But, I’m against calling people out for it. And I’m against people who call themselves fans thinking it is okay to criticize a woman’s body because it is more than doing squats. I do squats every day. It is a mental game as well. It is so much more than just working out. You know what I mean?”

14. Charlotte Flair

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Charlotte Flair opened up about how she approaches her wrestling career in an interview with Muscle and Fitness. “It’s about being kind to yourself,” says Flair. “How you talk to yourself really matters. I never believed that I could be on TV, or be a performer, or any of those things … Why did I tell myself that for so many years? And now, here I am, the most decorated women’s champion of all-time. Why do we tell ourselves that we can’t do something? It’s because we are scared of it. So, do what you are scared of. That biggest fear that you have…do that!”

15. Jordynne Grace

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Jordynne Grace opened up about her favorite workouts with Muscle and Fitness. “It’s very difficult to lift heavy alongside professional wrestling,” she says. “So I started taking up yoga just because in the past year or so, doing the powerlifting competitions with wrestling has just been crazy. With the yoga, I’ve been trying to get my body back into feeling better.”

16. Thunder Rosa

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Wrestling is a difficult sport. Thunder Rosa opened up about how she manages injuries on the Athletic and The Arts podcast. “I couldn't feel my legs when I got out of the ring. But I have to get out there. I couldn't let people down. So I wrestled with my hips taped for about two months, because I was wrestling all the time. So it was like, nonstop because of that drive that we have. I wanted to be the champion. I wanted to be the best. I wanted people to say that I did it, I wanted to say that I did it for myself."

17. Toni Storm

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Toni Storm opened up about changes she’s made to her lifestyle to Muscle and Fitness. “You know, in your early 20s when you are working, living a fast-paced lifestyle, like anyone, you are not constantly making the best lifestyle choices,” she says. “Sometimes there’s some bad food on the road, maybe some drinks after the shows, and that really caught up with me because I was just constantly on the road for years with no routine, not getting enough sleep. All of those things started to weigh heavy on me but now I don’t drink any alcohol. I’ve noticed an immense difference. My workouts and everything has totally changed.”

18. Sasha Banks

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Sasha Banks opened up about her diet in an interview with FOX Sports. She says that she does a lot of cooking. “It’s probably saving me like $200 a week by making my own food. I make ground turkey, ground buffalo, chicken and vegetables. I feel like my body has changed completely knowing what ingredients you’re putting in your body.”

19. Nikki Bella

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In an interview with Us Weekly, Nikki Bella opened up about finding self-acceptance. She says that she knows who she is, which helps her be confident. “You get reminded of your age in the entertainment industry. But I know what I want out of life, and I know where I’m going and I know who Nikki Garcia is. And that feels pretty damn good.”

20. Brie Bella

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Nikki’s twin sister, Brie Bella, also opened up about self-acceptance in the same Us Weekly interview. Bella says that becoming a mother has helped her overcome insecurities. “When I look in the mirror and start to get negative, I look at my kids running around. They’re healthy. This is the body that birthed them. I feel blessed.”

Cora Jade is one of the hottest new young female wrestlers in the WWE. She recently linked up with her friend and fellow WWE wrestler, Jacy Jayne. The two enjoyed a day at the lake. Both wore swimsuits that showed off their figures. Jade captioned the post, “Two girls on a boat.” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Cora Jade stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. She Worked Hard

Jade is a hard worker. She told Daily DDT that this is how she got to WWE. “I worked very hard and a lot of people helped me along the way, but this is kind of exactly how I envisioned my career going just because I was so passionate about it from such a young age. You never know when you’ll get your time to shine. I definitely didn’t expect it to be so soon, but I’m incredibly grateful that it is and I’m learning so much.

2. She Doesn’t Care About Haters

Jade has to deal with haters and critics. However, she told Daily DDT that she’s learned to ignore them. “Fans can be really wishy-washy for any business, but it’s very fun to experiment with what people like and what they don’t like,” she said. “Seeing all the reactions and feedback… sometimes it’s tough criticism, but I obviously was a wrestling fan and there were things I’d watch and say, ‘Oh, I really like that,” or, ‘I really don’t like that.’ I think it’s cool to be on the other side of it and you understand why certain things the way that they are and how they operate.

3. She Worked With A Trainer

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Jade shared the training process that got her to the WWE to The Mark Moses Show. She says that she worked with trainers to help her get in shape. “It was definitely probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but luckily one of my trainers, Kevin Quinn, he trained CM Punk, Lita, John Cena. He had a hand in so many people in wrestling, and he had been to Japan and done a bunch of stuff. He ran a training school.

4. She Did Cardio

In her Mark Moses interview, Jade revealed that Quinn made her do a lot of cardio work. “He would put us through these Sunday training cardio days he would call them. It was so much conditioning, it would be so much, and at the time it was so exhausting, but I think that really prepared me for the tryout because he kind of pushed us as much as we could be pushed then.”

5. She Pushes Herself

When it comes to wrestling, Jade makes sure to push herself. “I feel like sometimes in wrestling, it works differently: what you’re closest to can be uncomfortable and you have to step out of your comfort zone,” Jade said to Daily DDT. “Maybe I don’t speak for everybody, but for myself and all of my friends, we come from quiet, introverted, nerdy vibes and we’re into the same stuff and we’re all little introverted weirdos. To be larger than life on a different stage, you have to be something bigger than yourself.”