Cora Jade reveals emergency surgery led to her missing NXT Stand & Deliver 2023

Elayna Black (FKA Cora Jade) opened up about her time in WWE and several personal obstacles during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show on Monday.

The 24-year-old was part of the company’s roster cuts on May 2, something she told Helwani she saw coming.

“So, maybe November I kind of had a feeling that I was going to be gone,” Black said. 

She later mentioned that a conversation with someone in WWE led her to believe she would be cut. 

“I had a conversation with somebody who I won’t name, but someone I feel I would have had a better experience there if it wasn’t for, and not Shawn or Hunter or anybody. I can’t praise them enough and my time there and everything like that. But there was a conversation with somebody where I was kind of like, this is probably going to be weird in a few months.”

Black also spoke about being bodyshamed by people in WWE and the impact it had on her.

“I was like 110lbs, I was so small and it was just constant comments, whether it was from guys who think they’re being funny or I remember specifically being told that I wouldn’t be champion in that company because I looked like I couldn’t crack an egg.”

“Yeah, multiple conversations about my body. I don’t think anyone especially a man should be saying that to a female, especially… I was so young and it created like a lot of issues for me body wise.”

Black also revealed that she experienced a serious health scare in January 2023 that led to her missing Stand & Deliver.

“I was supposed to wrestle Lyra Valkyria on TV on Tuesday. And long story short, I’ll spare you the details. I ended up in emergency surgery in the hospital the night before literally almost dying and bleeding out because I had had an ectopic pregnancy that had failed, and it exploded and made me internally bleed.”

“I had to have emergency surgery. They ended up having to remove my left fallopian tube because it was that bad. I was just bummed about missing Stand & Deliver.”

Black returned to the ring in mid-April that year, but then was away from late-July to December 2023. She says she used that time to recover from postpartum depression, in addition to having cosmetic surgery.

“I went back to work and I was just not there mentally. Nothing to do with work, I just literally didn’t realize the toll that that takes on you as a person. I had always wanted to get my boobs done and I’m not going to sit here and say I didn’t but I needed to go away and take time off or I don’t know what was going to happen to me. Mentally I needed to take that time off.”

Black also addressed potential next stops for her wrestling career. She noted that she doesn’t believe the timing is right for her to go to TNA Wrestling, but is interested in AEW.

“I would definitely be open to go to AEW. I loved my time there. I have a lot of friends there. I watch all the shows. I love the fact that they have as much creative freedom as they do.”

Black’s full appearance on the show is available below: