Kelani Jordan Explains Why Early Contact With WWE Didn't Feel Real

Kelani Jordan is quickly climbing the ranks of the "NXT" women's division after signing with WWE in 2022. Thanks to her background in gymnastics, Jordan's unique in-ring style has captivated many, and it's clear the sky's the limit for the 25-year-old.

It goes without saying the last few years for Jordan have been surreal after going from a career in gymnastics at Michigan State University to the WWE. In a recent interview with Denise Salcedo of the Wrestling Observer, Jordan discussed how her journey to the WWE started when the company's social media team reached out to gauge her interest. The rest was history, and Jordan hasn't looked back.

"So I was finishing up my fifth year at Michigan State in gymnastics, and I got a message on Instagram from the WWE recruit page asking me, 'Hey, would you like to come to a tryout at SummerSlam?'" Jordan said. "This was the Nashville one, so in '22, and at first I'm like, 'Is this real? There's no way that WWE is contacting me.' And I was like, 'You know what? I'm going to go for it.'

"So I went down to Nashville, I did the tryout, and thankfully I was blessed with the opportunity for a Triple H himself to offer me to come to the performance center and start training. That's how I got into pro wrestling. I never would've thought in a million years that I would be a WWE superstar. So being here is so surreal."

A huge part of what has aided Jordan's success in the ring is her time as a gymnast, which prepared her for performing in a high-pressure environment. She discussed this with Salcedo, too, as well as how frequent reps in the ring have helped her confidence.

"I definitely think it's been a rollercoaster of emotions, because it's amazing how fast I've come, but also with moving on that fast comes a lot of pressure," Jordan said. "I love pressure because of gymnastics, and I'm used to performing under pressure. I thrive under pressure. So there's definitely times where I'm really nervous out there, but then when I get into the ring, I'm like, 'Deep breath. Okay, now it's go time.' And then that confidence comes out.

"But I would be lying if I said I wasn't ever nervous or sometimes like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm in here with the best of the best,' because that wouldn't be realistic. So it's definitely ups and downs, but overall, the more reps I get and the more I get out there, I really feel like my confidence is growing each time."

The fast-rising star recently participated in "NXT's" Deadline pay-per-view event as a participant in the women's Iron Survivor Challenge. While Blair Davenport was the winner, it seems likely that Jordan will eventually get her time to shine, and will be one of the top women on the "NXT" roster to watch in 2024.