Formerly known as Cora Jade during her tenure with WWE from 2021 to 2025, Elayna Black has emerged as a prominent star since joining TNA Wrestling in 2026. Following her departure from the world’s largest promotion, Black made a highly anticipated full-time transition to TNA, aligning herself with the company during its landmark debut broadcast on AMC.
In a recent appearance on the *I Love Wrestling* podcast, the 25-year-old opened up about the crucial factors that led to her decision to sign with TNA, highlighting the immense influence of former TNA veteran Tommy Dreamer. Black explained that taking a step back from the wrestling industry was essential for her mental well-being, allowing her to clear her mind and gain a direct vision for her future.
“I took a break for a little bit, and I’ve said this before. I’m so glad that I did because I think I needed to take a step outside of everything and just be a normal human being without wrestling for a few months. And then in doing so, it was able to kind of clear my head and clear my mind and kind of give me a direct vision of where I want to be and why I want to be there,” Black shared.
After careful consideration and discussions with various industry professionals, Black felt TNA offered the ideal environment for her growth. She credited Tommy Dreamer, with whom she collaborated during her previous NXT-TNA crossover, as a key figure who believed in her potential when she needed it most.
“Tommy [Dreamer] and I had developed a great working relationship, and he’s someone I’m so thankful for because I think he kind of saw something in me that maybe I didn’t see in myself at the time, or maybe other people didn’t see in me at the time. And he had that confidence in me, and not only that, but he wanted me to be a part of TNA after I left WWE as well.”
“So I think he really helped me out a lot, and I’m very grateful for him. But honestly, I had friends at TNA. I had always heard about how great the locker room was and how much of a family it kind of is. And I feel like you hear that a lot and it’s really not, or sometimes it is, but TNA really truly is that,” Black continued.
Struggling mentally during her transition away from WWE, Black was determined not to fall out of love with the sport. The strong recommendations regarding TNA’s supportive locker room culture, creative freedom, and family-oriented environment made it the perfect place for her to rekindle her passion.
“They were debuting on AMC, a big thing for TNA. When I was a kid, I was watching TNA on Spike on Thursdays. So I think it was great that they got a new TV deal and I wanted to be a part of it and try to help TNA grow and be a part of the TNA locker room and try to be a leader of the division and, like I said, help TNA grow as much as possible.”
“So I think at the end of the day, it just came down to really thinking about where I was going to end up that truly made me love wrestling again. And TNA has definitely done that. So I’m very glad that I came to TNA,” she finished.
The 25-year-old recently faced Xia Brookside at TNA Lockdown 2026 for the Knockouts Championship, marking another major milestone in her new chapter.
