Referee Jessika Carr Gets WWE NXT Farewell Ahead Of Full-Time SmackDown Role (Video)

Referee Jessika Carr is headed to WWE SmackDown to call matches.

As seen above, Tommaso Ciampa spoke to the crowd after last night's WWE NXT episode at the NXT Arena to reveal that Carr is leaving the brand to work SmackDown. Ciampa praised Carr and led a "Thank you Jess" chant as the other NXT referees hugged her. Ciampa called her move to SmackDown a "lateral move" as fans broke out in a "you deserve it!" chant.

Ciampa continued to praise Carr for breaking down barriers and invited her into the ring for a proper farewell from the crowd. Carr talked about her journey in the business, and said when she started 10 years ago, she never thought she would be the first female WWE official. Carr recalled how on her first night of wrestling training, she refereed a match and was told that she was the worst referee he'd seen, and that she should quit the business then. Carr went on to praise NXT's "team of zebras" and pose with them to end the farewell. Triple H also watched the farewell from the ramp and applauded Carr.

Formerly known as Kennadi Brink on the indies, WWE hired Carr in 2017, to work as a referee. Her TV debut came during the 2017 Mae Young Classic and she's been a regular since then. She did make her SmackDown debut back in August, calling the Ember Moon vs. Natalya match.