Summary
- Ash was released by WWE in Sept 2023 and briefly contemplated quitting wrestling.
- She reinvented herself as Ash By Elegance after joining TNA in Jan 2023
- She captured the TNA Knockouts World Title at NXT Heatwave, earning praise from Bayley.
When dreams are dashed, it can be hard to get back up. The current TNA Knockouts Champion, Ash By Elegance, has opened up about when she was released from WWE after being with the company for over ten years. WWE released her at the same time as Dolph Ziggler, Mustafa Ali, Elias, and Shelton Benjamin.
The Former Dana Brooke Almost Left Wrestling For Good
During an interview with Metro UK, Ash opened up about her release in September 2023 and how it made her question if she was in the right business. She told the outlet:
“There was that feeling again where I’m like, maybe I’m just not made for this. Maybe I should hang my boots up, call it quits, and just figure out a different path.”
Of course, things changed for the former WWE Superstar when she joined TNA Wrestling in January 2024. She made her debut at the Hard To Kill pay-per-view, showing off her new appearance. Brooke would reinvent herself as a new character, the glamorous blonde Ash By Elegance. It seemed to give her a new lease on her career, too.
Ash also spoke about capturing the TNA Knockouts Title on WWE NXT and how it was important to her. She became the new TNA Knockouts Champion at the NXT PLE Heatwave on August 24 after defeating then-champion Jacy Jayne and Masha Slamovich. She said:
“‘Here I am!’ My hard worked showed two years later. I wasn’t watching as a young kid, I started here [in NXT]. I grinded my way from the bottom all the way to the top, then to be able to come back and capture this title.”
Ash made her televised NXT in-ring debut on the April 15, 2015, episode, where she defeated Blue Pants. She joined NXT in 2013. Ash would make her main roster debut on the May 9, 2016, episode of RAW in an attack on Becky Lynch. Ash would return to NXT in 2023 before her WWE release.
Bayley Congratulated Her After Winning The Knockouts Title
During the interview, the former bodybuilder shared that she got a message from a former rival, WWE Superstar Bayley. Bayley told her that she was proud of her and hinting at a possible title match in the future. As noted, TNA and WWE’s partnership began in January 2025. She said:
“Bayley sent me such a cool message. She’s like, ‘I just want to let you know I’m so proud of you and you’re so effing cool’ I’ve always wanted to hold a TNA Title.’‘
During her WWE career, Ash never held a WWE Women’s World Title, so her winning in TNA is no doubt a big deal. The only title she had was the WWE 24/7 Championship, which she won a total of 14 times. Now she can add TNA Knockouts World Champion to her resume.
