Ash By Elegance has addressed being “forced into retirement” in September 2025, her return to competition four months later and her future aim to reclaim the TNA Wrestling Knockouts World Championship.
At TNA Victory Road in September 2025, Ash By Elegance saw her first world championship run of her career abruptly cut short little over a month after it began, with the former WWE star relinquishing the gold and retiring from the ring due to undisclosed health issues.
Appearing on the Humble Roses Podcast, Elegance discussed her “full circle” return to her hometown of Cleveland, OH for The Elegance Brand’s upcoming match at TNA Rebellion against Mickie James, ODB & Taryn Terrell.
“It’s like a full circle moment because I left Cleveland, this was like my comfort base, this is where I went to school, grade school, high school, college, everything has been in Cleveland.
“My family still lives in Cleveland, my sister teaches here in Cleveland. I left Cleveland out of my comfort zone to start my wrestling career with WWE and NXT. I left Cleveland, moved to Orlando, started WWE and NXT there. I say I’m like LeBron James, I started in Cleveland, took my talents south and made it all the way to Miami, I still live in Miami.”
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Ash said returning home for Rebellion “gives her goosebumps” considering she was “forced into retirement” last year:
“Coming back home is awesome because I had to relinquish my title. I was kind of forced into retirement with some health issues.
“But working my way out of that because wrestling is my passion. Wrestling is absolutely what I love to do. That’s my motivation, that’s my drive and I wanted to get back into the ring.
“So, kind of coming out of retirement and this being my biggest feud, it’s just a blessing cuz it’s like God put me here in my hometown to come out of retirement and be on this pay-per-view. I have goosebumps thinking about it.”
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Ash would then discuss her goal to win back the TNA Knockouts World Championship, saying that she will “come after” whoever wins between Arianna Grace and Lei Ying Lee at Rebellion, even if that means going back to NXT.
“Of course, I never lost it I’ve just had obstacles put in my path before I could really put my eyes on the prize. Let these girls warm it up for me, we have a great TNA roster full of amazing women.
“The title has been bounced back-and-forth from TNA to NXT, NXT back to TNA. I’ll go anywhere that I have to get it. Wherever it is I’m going to go after it.
“But let me get these so-called legends out of the way and then we’ll see who holds the title after this week at Rebellion cuz I know it is Arianna Grace vs. Lei Ying Lee.
“I’ve been in the ring many times with Ying and I’ve been asked this many times before: do I think Arianna Grace has what it takes? She’s a great performer, great competitor, but I think she has a long way to go as far as being a champion and holding that title. She wants to take it back to NXT and do whatever with it, ok fine I’m coming after her if that’s what it is.”
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