Blake Monroe Reflects On Her Journey To WWE, ‘I’ve Had The Most Amazing Journey. I’m So Grateful’

Blake Monroe joined WWE in June 2025, making a surprise appearance on NXT TV and introducing herself to the WWE universe.

Monroe wrestled under the name Mariah May at AEW, and was the AEW Women’s Champion from August 2024 to March 2025.

In her latest vlog, which was recorded before her NXT TV debut at NXT Great American Bash, Monroe reflected on her wrestling journey.

“I can only do my best. The people who love me are going to love me, and the people who hate me are going to hate me, no matter what. I feel so overwhelmed about it. I left my house five or six years ago with this dream of being a WWE superstar [tears up]. I used to go to all the WWE shows, save all my money, and travel to go to WrestleMania and Royal Rumble. I don’t even want to talk about stuff because I feel like every single thing I say gets yanked and taken out of context for these articles and Twitter. I made a vlog before my debut to try and speak about these things, and I feel I’m scared to talk about it because people take it the wrong way or take me as ungrateful or anything, but I’ve had the most amazing wrestling journey. I’m so lucky. I’ve been able to travel the world and wrestle some of the best wrestlers, tell amazing stories, work with amazing writers, work with amazing people, have people take a chance on me and not for one second would I ever change anything or am I ungrateful. I’m so grateful.

“I’ve given 110% of my life and myself to every single wrestling job no matter what. I can say that and retire one day knowing that. If you watch my work, you can see that. I don’t want anything to be misconstrued, though I know it typically will. My wrestling journey was also not easy. It is not easy to leave home and leave behind your family, friends, and support system, and live in a foreign country by yourself and chase this crazy dream. For me, to be in WWE, this is something I wanted as a little kid, so actually living this, some things are super familiar. Filming a vignette, doing a meet and greet, I’m used to this and it feels normal to me. Moments like seeing myself on the wall in the Evolution store or being on shirts with Nikki Bella and Trish Stratus and these amazing women, that’s a pinch me moment. I feel really proud of the kid who wanted to do this, and the teenager who had a really hard time wanting to do this, and the young adult who grew up and traveled the world and wrestled for like nothing on the indies, drove everywhere, moved to Japan, and scrubbed dojo floors. Japan was like the best time of my life, but it wasn’t easy.

“Moving to America, I thought, would be the easiest, but it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I don’t know if it was the age I was or knowing that this was hopefully, potentially, forever, realizing it was just going to be me for the rest of my life in this foreign place. It hasn’t been easy, but to be able to look at that girl and be like, ‘You did it. You are going to wrestle on WWE.’ It’s crazy. Everything I’ve done in my career, there are some really big and special things that I’ve done. I’m so grateful and really proud of her for not giving up because a lot of people wanted me to and sometimes I felt, not like giving up, but really unhappy. To be able to be here, I’m exhausted because I’m so emotional, but to be here and be able to talk to you guys before my debut is a dream come true. I’m really proud, and I wish I could find 17-year-old Mariah and be like, ‘You’re gonna actually do it. It’s definitely not going to be easy, but it’s going to be amazing and I’m proud of you.'”

Monroe teamed with Jordynne Grace to defeat Fatal Influence (Jayne and Fallon Henley) at NXT Great American Bash. Monroe would turn on Grace one night later at WWE Evolution.

Blake Monroe will face Grace at NXT Heatwave.

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