Blake Monroe joined WWE for the ‘challenge’
WWE NXT Superstar Blake Monroe has opened up on her decision to join WWE NXT.
Last year, following a successful run in AEW and a rivalry against Toni Storm, Monroe (formerly known as Mariah May) jumped ship and joined WWE.
Recently speaking on The Wrestling Classic, Monroe explained her decision and revealed that she joined WWE for the ‘challenge.’
“Well, as you can see, it’s challenging me in a lot of ways, but I came to WWE for the challenge. I came because I felt like everything I’ve done in my career, I’ve given my everything to, and I feel like, in a sense, I completed it, and I left with my heart full. With WWE, the women’s division is so deep. We have three brands, we have so many championships,” Monroe said.
“We have so many women from different backgrounds, so right now I’m in NXT. There are anything from influencers to gold medalist Olympians coming up, so you have such a broad spectrum, and everybody has something different, and the one thing I will say about Jaida (Parker) is she has an attitude I have never seen before,” she further continued.
“She has a charisma and an energy that I feel in that ring, since coming to NXT, that’s the most I’ve felt it. That crowd gets behind her and everything she says, she truly believes, and I respect that. So, it’s very exciting. It’s definitely a challenge, but it’s making me elevate different levels of my game. I come from independent wrestling, I come from Japan, I’ve traveled the world. I wasn’t a D1 athlete, I didn’t train like that, so there’s something I could learn from them. There’s a lot they can learn from me, and I think mixing that up is why NXT is such a chaotic and exciting show every Tuesday.“
A former WWE NXT Women’s North American Champion, Monroe is now scheduled to face Jaida Parker at NXT Vengeance Day on March 7th, 2026.
Shounak Chakrabarti is an experienced sports journalist with a lifelong passion for athletics and storytelling. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Journalism from the University of Leeds and joined F4WOnline in 2025.
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