By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Insight With Chris Van Vliet with guest Kayla Becker (a/k/aKayla Braxton)
Host: Chris Van Vliet
Podcast available via Podcasts.Apple.com
On life after WWE: “I feel really good. I think anytime you’re somewhere for so long and it becomes such a big part of your life, I think it was difficult for me to know how I was going to feel when I stepped away. I’ve had a little bit of FOMO when I see the show is on, or see my friends posting about their matches and stuff backstage, but I feel really good. I think I made the right decision. It was definitely time for me to go. There was nothing negative about my reason for leaving. It was just done everything I can do there, I’ve hit the ceiling at this time. At that point, I was just kind of wasting my time, and I think everybody else’s time. Someone else could be moving into my spot, and then I could be moving on to the next part of my life. So I’m really at peace with it.”
On choosing to leave WWE: “I think it’s something I’ve been kind of contemplating for a while. 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. 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 kick-off show panels anymore. 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. So I just thought it was [time], and while everybody was getting long, everything was amicable. The company was very supportive of me stepping down too, the door is always open. It was very nice to hear. But yeah, everything was just the perfect timing to do that.”
On being done with wrestling: “Yeah, I think so. That’s one thing about our fans too. They think, oh you leave WWE, you must be going to AEW or Only Fans, 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 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.”
On her WWE name: “When I was getting hired, they were like, Okay, we need a new last name for you. Can you help us choose one? [At least they let you keep Kayla]. I know, that would have been a harder thing to transition out of. But I was okay, I just want to keep my initials. I want to keep KB. So I gave them, a list of 10 B names, and they didn’t choose any of them. They said, All right, you’re Kayla Braxton. I’m like, what? Why did you even ask my opinion? But no, it’s a good name. It’s a strong name. I definitely don’t hate it. But it’s hard, even now I catch myself saying I’m Kayla Braxton. No, I’m Kayla Becker. It’s so hard to get back into it.”
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