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Jordynne Grace Remembers TNA Wake Up Call Moment That Changed Her Career Trajectory

The Juggernaut recalls the day she knew that something had to change in her pro wrestling career.
Rick Ucchino|
Jordynne Grace at NXT Battleground
Jordynne Grace at NXT Battleground | WWE.com

If recent reports are to be believed, Jordynne Grace is just days away from being called up to the main roster.

The former TNA Knockouts Champion last competed at NXT Battleground where she came up short in her bid to win the NXT Women's Championship from Stephanie Vaquer. The result may have been shocking to some, especially after the Dark Angel dropped the title on the next episode of NXT television to Jacy Jayne, but the Juggernaut has bigger things ahead for her.

Grace is reportedly set to join to the SmackDown Women's Division, where she has the size, strength, physique and star power to be a major player. Size and strength are attributes she's had throughout her entire pro wrestling career. Her current super hero-esque physique is a different story.

"I've been lifting for years, since I was 15 years old, but I never dieted and I never really did cardio at all," Grace told Yahoo Sports. "Honestly, those are two of the main things that you have to do, unfortunately, to get your body to look in any type of way you want it to look like."

During a recent conversation with Cameron Hawkins of Uncrowned, Grace remembered her wake-up call moment during her days in TNA Wrestling. It happened on the night she first lost the Knockouts Championship, which came at Slammiversary XVIII in August of 2020.

"I had just won the Knockouts Championship for the first time, and Deonna Purrazzo had come over to TNA, and she won the title from me her very first weekend there. And I remember feeling so expendable and so just off-put by that, I just thought to myself, ‘Well, something has to change, because if someone can just come in here and just take my spot, I have to do something. I have to change something in order for that not to happen ever again.' ... I actually got my first [fitness] coach that following week."

Jordynne would go on to have two more reigns with the TNA Knockouts Title, totaling 495 days as the champion. She lost it for the final time to Masha Slamovich at Bound For Glory 2024, before officially signing with WWE this past February.

Grace told Hawkins that every sacrifice she's made over the past several years has led her to WWE, and within reach of achieving her career gold of winning the WWE Women's Championship.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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