Kayla Braxton details WWE’s relaxed approach to on-screen presentation
Former WWE interviewer and broadcaster Kayla Braxton highlighted the changing landscape in the company’s approach and relaxation of rules on presentation. She pointed to their more relaxed approach to showcase authenticity.
Braxton emphasized on the evolution of WWE’s backstage presentation on TMZ’s Inside The Ring. She noted the company’s leniency on pulling back the curtain and lifting restraints allowing personalities to shine through in interviews and interactions.
“To be honest, I think all that started happening on my way out where they’re allowing the curtain to be pulled back a little bit more. I think maybe that was it. I think Triple H and the powers that be probably saw ‘Oh, we’re getting a lot of good reaction from these fans who have been a part of us for so many years.’ They’re feeling like they get to kind of peek in now and it’s really good for the fans.”
“Back then we kept things very tight closed now you can’t know what, anything’s happening. No breaking character I remember even me if I, there were sometimes it was very hard for me to keep my composure when I was interviewing some of these guys and when I was new I remember being told like ‘You cannot break, do not smirk, do not blink, do not breathe.’ And then it got to a point I think after The Bump and people started seeing that I have a personality and a rapport with these people, they allowed it. So sometimes you will see a little smirk or it’s hard to keep down the laugh ‘cause how do you not laugh at some of these people? How do you not laugh at Paul Heyman screaming and spitting in your face?”
“In NXT that was a big thing where they’re like, when I was working for NXT they’re like ‘You cannot, you cannot break (character)’. I’m like ‘Yu should not have said that now all I’m gonna be thinking about is laughing.'”
Braxton made her WWE debut in 2016 as host and in-ring announcer for NXT. She officially moved to the main roster nearly three years later. Braxton was also involved in a few on-screen storylines, most notably with Paul Heyman amid her varied attempts to get a response and interact with Roman Reigns and The Bloodline during his Universal Championship reign.
Rosanne Raphael is a wrestling writer with over three and a half years of experience covering all things related to the industry. From a kindergarten teacher to PR Associate to turning her lifelong passion for the industry into a career, Rosanne is currently writing for F4W Online where she focuses on wrestling news, analysis, and storytelling.
Rosanne previously contributed to Sportskeeda as an Assistant Content Manager.
When not consumed by wrestling, Rosanne is a musician and an aspiring artist.