Kelani Jordan sees no reason for the NXT women’s division to downplay the praise Grayson Waller offered during his surprise return to the brand. In fact, the NXT Women’s Champion believes Waller’s comments reflected what the roster and its audience have been seeing for some time: the women have become one of the most consistently compelling parts of weekly NXT programming.
Waller returned on the July 28 episode of WWE NXT and immediately made his presence felt with pointed comments toward the men’s division. The outspoken Australian star aired frustrations over his own lack of use on WWE’s main roster across the previous two years, while also arguing that NXT’s women had surpassed their male counterparts. It was the kind of statement built to generate a reaction, particularly from the men he directly challenged.
But from Jordan’s perspective, Waller’s assessment was not an insult to be brushed aside. It was recognition.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Jordan said the women’s side of NXT welcomed Waller’s message.
For more background on this topic, read Blake Monroe Teases ‘Something Better’ for WWE Main Roster Entrance.
“On the women’s side, we think what Grayson said was awesome,” Jordan said. “He put over the women and said we are killing it. He gave us our props.”
Jordan is scheduled to put that division-leading role into action on Tuesday’s episode of NXT, when she defends the NXT Women’s Championship against Jaida Parker. The title match comes at a notable time for the champion, whose comments place the focus not only on her upcoming challenger but also on the broader standard the women’s roster believes it has established.
Waller’s Promo Creates a New Point of Tension
Waller has long been comfortable making himself the center of a conversation, whether through his in-ring promos, talk-show segments, or confrontations with opponents. His July 28 return followed that familiar pattern. He did not simply celebrate the women’s division; he used its success as a measuring stick against the men’s locker room.
Jordan acknowledged that the men have every reason to take that personally. In her view, Waller’s words should provide motivation for anybody who feels targeted by them.
“If I were a male in the division, I’d be a little pissed and hurt,” Jordan said. “I’d have a bigger chip on my shoulder going into any match or promo with Grayson. I’d be ready to prove him wrong.”
That response captures the dual effect of Waller’s remarks. For the women, it is validation. For the men, it is a public provocation from a performer who knows exactly how to stir a locker room. Jordan also made clear that nobody should be especially shocked that Waller chose that approach.
“He has ruffled a lot of feathers, but are we surprised? It’s Grayson. I’m not surprised.”
The question now is whether the comments remain a memorable part of Waller’s return promo or become a recurring issue in NXT. His frustration with his own WWE situation and his criticism of the men’s division give him clear material moving forward. If wrestlers on the men’s side take up Jordan’s challenge and seek to answer him in the ring or on the microphone, Waller has already succeeded in creating conflict.
At the same time, Jordan’s support adds weight to what could otherwise be dismissed as standard Waller antagonism. The reigning NXT Women’s Champion is not treating the statement as empty praise. She is framing it as an accurate description of a division that has earned increased trust and visibility.
Jordan Sees Pride in More Than a Women’s Wrestling Label
Jordan’s strongest point was not simply that NXT’s women are performing well within their own division. She argued that the roster should be evaluated as a group of elite wrestlers, without the limiting qualifier that they are only impressive in comparison to other women’s matches.
“It’s a huge sense of pride because not only do I feel like the women’s division is killing it, but we’re not just good wrestlers for women; we’re just great wrestlers in general,” Jordan said.
That distinction matters in the current WWE landscape. Women’s wrestling has continued to gain more prominent placement on television, including major match time and main-event opportunities. Jordan pointed to the audience response as an important part of that growth, noting that fans increasingly identify the women’s division as a specific reason to tune in.
“We’ve been able to show that time and time again,” Jordan continued. “It feels good being a woman and having the men suffer over there while we’re thriving. People are like, ‘I’m tuning in for the women.’”
Jordan’s wording was playful in the context of Waller’s challenge to the men, but the underlying message was serious. Attention is not being handed to the NXT women’s division merely as a symbolic gesture. Jordan sees it as the result of performances that have built credibility with viewers and with WWE leadership.
That credibility is reflected in how NXT has used women’s matches in prominent positions. Jordan specifically highlighted the increasing frequency of women main-eventing shows, a development she described as exciting when considered alongside the longer history of women fighting for time, opportunity, and equal billing.
“The fact that the women are main eventing so many shows now,” Jordan said. “It’s so cool to see the evolution of women’s wrestling throughout the years.”
Match Time as a Sign of Trust
Jordan also pointed to a recent extended match as evidence of the confidence NXT decision-makers have in the roster. She referenced going 23 minutes with Kendal and said that level of time carries significance beyond the length listed on a results sheet.
“Kendal and I went 23 minutes, and it’s super cool to know Shawn trusts us to go that long,” Jordan said.
The reference to Shawn is a clear reflection of the trust Jordan feels the women have earned within NXT’s creative and production structure. Longer matches allow wrestlers to establish a story, adapt to crowd reactions, and demonstrate the endurance and pacing necessary for higher-profile bouts. For a champion, being entrusted with that kind of platform also raises expectations.
Jordan’s remarks suggest she welcomes those expectations. As champion, she is not only tasked with winning title defenses but also with representing a division she believes is thriving at a particularly strong moment. Her match with Parker will give her another opportunity to reinforce that position.
Jordan also connected the current environment to conversations she has had with Natalya, known as Nattie, about how much NXT has changed. Natalya’s long WWE career gives her perspective on different eras of women’s wrestling, and Jordan said those discussions have underscored the increased time and opportunities available to women today.
For Jordan, that history makes the present moment more meaningful. The evolution is visible in match placement, in-ring time, crowd investment, and the confidence to let women carry major portions of a program. She sees the NXT division not as a finished product but as a group continuing to prove it belongs at the center of the show.
Jaida Parker Awaits the Champion
While Waller’s comments have opened a wider debate about the state of the NXT roster, Jordan’s immediate focus has to be Jaida Parker. Tuesday’s NXT Women’s Championship defense places the champion’s confidence and momentum directly in front of her next challenger.
Parker has the chance to change the conversation by taking the championship, while Jordan has the chance to extend her reign and further support her claim that the women’s division is delivering at a high level. The match also arrives with Jordan publicly embracing the responsibility that comes with being the division’s titleholder.
Waller may have supplied the spark for the discussion, and Kevin Owens has also agreed with Waller’s assessment of the NXT women. But Jordan’s response keeps the spotlight on the performers who must continue delivering every week. She welcomed the props, accepted the pride that comes with them, and made no apology for enjoying the women’s success while Waller’s comments leave the men’s division with something to answer.
Whether the men respond to Waller or not, Jordan and Parker will have a more immediate statement to make in the ring. With the NXT Women’s Championship on the line, the division Jordan says fans are tuning in to see will once again receive a major opportunity to show why it has earned that attention.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.