For the last couple of years, NXT has truly been the place for anyone in the world of professional wrestling. Stephanie Vaquer, Giulia, Roxanne Perez, Trick Williams, Oba Femi, and more have all been doing the best of work of their careers as of recently. Another name that cannot be forgotten is the rising star that is Kelani Jordan.
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Jordan has quickly risen through the ranks on the black and silver brand. She consistently displays incredible athleticism and has grown a lot with her character. Jordan is going to be a name that fans need to watch in the coming years in WWE. With all of that being said, let’s learn more about Kelani Jordan.
She Has A Few Inspirations
Jordan Has Cited Rob Van Dam, Bianca Belair, And Bryan Danielson
- RVD is a former WWE Champion.
- Bryan Danielson ended his full-time career in AEW.
- Bianca Belair is one half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
Everyone has been inspired by someone else in the world of professional wrestling. When it comes to Jordan, she has spoken on the competitors that have directly inspired her work in the ring. Speaking to Denise Salcedo, she said:
In-ring-wise, I would say RVD is someone whose style I absolutely love. I love also how authentic he is, how unapologetically himself he is. That’s something that I want to strive to be. I want people to be able to relate to me. Then also, Bianca Belair is someone because she’s so elegant, but she’s also so powerful. She has this sass to her where she doesn’t let anyone walk over her. So those are people who I studied. Then for promo-wise, I love hearing Daniel Bryan cut his promos. He’s very energetic and it’s cool to see even his evolution of how he started promos to where he was doing promos. (h/t Wrestling Inc)
Jordan Debuted For WWE In 2022
She Never Wrestled Before
- Jordan signed to WWE in 2022.
- Her first match was a battle royal.
- She made her televised debut in 2023.
Prior to WWE, Jordan had never competed in the professional wrestling business. She signed to the promotion in 2022. That same year, she made her in-ring debut competing at an NXT live event.
At the NXT live event, she was one of many competitors in a battle royal to determine the number one contender to the NXT Women’s Championship. While she wasn’t successful, that did not stop her at all. She later made her on-screen debut in 2023.
She Made History In NXT
Jordan Was The Inaugural NXT Women’s North American Champion
- The NXT Women’s North American Title was introduced on April 6, 2024.
- The match to crown the first holder included Jordan, Sol Ruca, Lash Legend, Fallon Henley, Jaida Parker, and Michin.
- She held the title for 140 days.
Jordan steadily grew more and more in her momentum as time went on. In a pretty short amount of time, she became one of the best in-ring competitors on the NXT roster. So, it was no surprise that this was rewarded at NXT Battleground 2024.
Jordan was one of six women to compete in a ladder match to determine the inaugural NXT Women’s North American Champion. In a truly hard-hitting match, Jordan stood tall and became the first wrestler to claim the title.
Jordan Is 26 Years Old
She Is Originally From Florida
- Jordan is one the younger competitors in WWE.
- She was born on October 22, 1998.
With only a couple of years in the ring, Jordan has already been extremely impressive with her work in the ring. At only 26 years old, she still has a lot more to do in the business.
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Jordan was born on October 22, 1998. She is originally from Boynton Beach, Florida.
Jordan Stands At 5’5″
Her Height Has Been An Advantage
- Many WWE roster members are the same height.
- Jordan’s height is never a disadvantage.
- She is taller than many members of the NXT roster.
Standing at 5’5”, Jordan does not have the biggest advantage when it comes to height. But, that has not stopped her achieving a lot in NXT and using her height as an advantage.
However, she is far from being the shortest member of the WWE roster. Naomi and Natalya are the same height as her. In addition, fellow NXT roster members Jazmyn Nyx, Lola Vice, and Wendy Choo are all shorter than her.
Jordan Was PWI’s 2024 Rookie Of The Year
It Is A Prestigious Award
- The Rookie of the Year was established in 1972.
- Former winners include Randy Orton, Kurt Angle, Steve Austin, Charlotte Flair, Bobbly Lashley, and more.
- A few members of NXT have won it.
As mentioned, Jordan has been very impressive throughout her time in NXT so far. With her being the first-ever NXT Women’s North American Champion, doing great in the ring, and growing a lot in her character, she received acknowledgment for this.
In 2024, Jordan was awarded Rookie of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Previous winners in recent years include NXT’s Sol Ruca in 2023, AEW’s Hook in 2022, Jade Cargill in 2021, and Dominik Mysterio in 2020.
Keilani Jordan Is In A Relationship With Carmelo Hayes
She Is With The Current SmackDown Star
- Hayes was drafted to SmackDown in 2024.
- He is a multi-time champion in NXT.
- The two often post on social media together.
Many WWE wrestlers are currently in relationships with other competitors. For Jordan, she is in a relationship with a current member of the SmackDown roster.
Jordan has been dating Carmelo Hayes since 2023. Hayes, in his own right, was also very accomplished as a member of the NXT roster. He is a former NXT Champion, NXT North American Champion, and NXT Cruiserweight Champion.
She Attended Michigan State
The Spartan Participated In Gymnastics
- Jordan spent five seasons with Michigan State.
- The school gave her a shout out when she won her first title in NXT.
As mentioned, Jordan did not have any experience in professional wrestling prior to joining WWE. However, she did do a lot as a gymnast before she stepped into the squared circle.
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Jordan had participated in gymnastics at Michigan State University. She spent five seasons with the school in their program. When she won the NXT Women’s North American Title, Michigan State Athletics shared a post of her on their X account.
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