One of the voices of WWE’s time with the company has come to an end, with Kayla Braxton announcing that she’s leaving the pro wrestling giant.
Braxton’s final show will be Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown, which will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“After nearly 8 years holding the microphone on WWE television, I am setting it down to pursue my next chapter,” Braxton, whose real name is Kayla Becker, wrote on X. “Next week at the world’s most famous arena, I will officially be signing off.
“During my years with WWE, I was able to master the arts of the backstage interview. I hope I was able to turn minutes into moments for you who watched week to week and maybe even ushered in a new fan base. My banter with Paul Heyman became the stuff of legend, and I am so thankful for all he has done to elevate my career. I gained a wealth of knowledge from the Wise man, and for that, I’ll be eternally grateful.”
Braxton noted that she has been “offered new opportunities that will further utilize the skills I gained working for the largest sports entertainment company in the world.” In addition to Heyman, she thanked WWE lead announcer Michael Cole, WWE president Nick Khan and WWE chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque.
🥹🥰🙏🏽 THANK YOU @WWE. I 🫶🏽 U 4 EVA !!! pic.twitter.com/kcvfa9UIMz
— Kayla Becker (@kaylabecker_tv) June 22, 2024
Originally hired by WWE in 2016, Braxton proved to be one of the company’s most versatile announcers. During her time with the company, she served as a ring announcer, backstage interviewer, and host of the weekly program The Bump. As she alluded to, she became well known for her on-air chemistry with Heyman, who routinely antagonized her for her journalistic efforts.
Kayla Braxton has announced she is leaving WWE.
Her backstage segments with Roman Reigns & Paul Heyman will be missed 💔
Good luck Kayla 🙏 pic.twitter.com/i1TT6ZI1bA
— TribaI Wrestling (@TribalMegastar) June 22, 2024
The part of the #TalkingSmack rundown sheet that says “@KaylaBraxtonWWE briefly banters with @HeymanHustle” at the top has to be the part she dreads most 😂
Case in point: Heyman questioning if she knows what the finger poke of doom is this week. pic.twitter.com/7I0QDCStJB
— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) February 13, 2021
With Braxton headed elsewhere, WWE’s stable of backstage announcers currently includes Jackie Redmond on Raw and Cathy Kelley on SmackDown. As for Braxton, it will be interesting to see where she goes from here, as she is the type of on-air talent who could certainly transcend the pro wrestling world.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.