Kelani Jordan may be the reigning NXT Women’s Champion, but she has not forgotten who helped her get there. In a new interview with Kron 4, the former gymnast turned wrestling star credited Roxanne Perez and Lyra Valkyria as two of the wrestlers who helped her “a lot” in the ring.
Kelani Jordan (Credits: Fightful)
Kelani Jordan Credits Roxanne Perez and Lyra Valkyria
Jordan, like several athletes who have transitioned into wrestling, has taken to the sport with obvious natural ability. But when asked who she has learned the most from in the ring, the champion pointed to her coaches and fellow NXT roster members.
“Yeah, so besides, of course, the coaches here at the Performance Center, we have amazing coaches, and Coach Smiley helped me a lot beginning off,” Jordan said. “But some of the talent that helped me a lot, of course, Melo helped me a lot in the ring. Not just, like, actual rings, but also just brain, like, getting my brain right for what we do. But Roxy (Roxanne Perez) helped me a lot in the ring. Lyra (Valkyria) would train with me a lot in the ring, especially when I was first starting off, and we all were here in NXT.”
From Gymnastics to NXT Women’s Champion
Jordan’s journey from collegiate gymnast to NXT Women’s Champion has been one of the fastest rises in recent NXT history. Training alongside Perez and Valkyria — both of whom went on to main-roster success — clearly accelerated her development in those crucial early months at the Performance Center.
Elsewhere in the same Kron 4 interview, Jordan also spoke about how much she still looks up to Bianca Belair, another former NXT standout who has become one of WWE’s biggest stars. For the current NXT Women’s Champion, the message is clear: behind every overnight success is a training room full of people who helped build it.
Also Read: WWE NXT Halloween Havoc 2026 Start Time, How To Watch, Full Match Card For October 31
Source: Fightful — read the full story there.
