Blake Monroe & Jacy Jayne WWE

WWE Legend Offers High Praise For NXT Champion Blake Monroe

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Jon Alba | Last updated Nov 3, 2025 11:01 AM ET

When Blake Monroe came over to WWE NXT from AEW, there were high expectations that she would immediately become a major player in the company. One WWE legend believes she is doing just that.

Leilani Kai was a staple of the WWE women's division for nearly all of the 1980s, winning the WWE Women's Championship once and the original WWE Women's Tag Team Championship twice during her run. She would go on to make a brief return to the company in the 1990s, and has recently shown her face around many of the NXT women's division backstage.

Speaking with legendary wrestling writer Bill Apter, Kai expressed interest in working with WWE NXT on a more full-time basis.

"Right now, I'm so interested in NXT. I want to be a coach there so bad," Kai said. "I try to go to all the events I can go to, just to be able to watch them. That's really the only thing I care about, is NXT really."

High Praise For Blake Monroe

WWE

The WWE NXT Women's North American Champion Monroe came over to WWE from AEW earlier this year. There, she had one of the company's most memorable feuds, first aligning with, then sparring with "Timeless" Toni Storm for more than a year. She would win the AEW Women's World Championship, and is one of a select group of women to have held both AEW and WWE gold.

Discussing "The Glamour," Kai had high praise for the 27-year-old and even said she has personally taken a vested interest in her.

"Yes, she is [incredible]," the Pro Wrestling Hall of Famer said. "I gave her some little pearls. It's just my little 'Glamour Girl' thing I had, I had a few pieces of jewelry I wanted her to have."

"I'm just so proud of her. I watch everything she does," Kai said.

Monroe would respond to Kai on social media on Monday morning, thanking the WWE legend for her kind gesture and words.

glamour is forever ❤️

thank you!!!!Blake Monroe On X

glamour is forever ❤️

thank you!!!! https://t.co/9KZw9CCDBa
— blakey ♡ (@BlakeMonroeWWE) November 3, 2025

Monroe was set to face Sol Ruca at NXT Halloween Havoc last month for the WWE NXT North American Women's Championship, but Ruca suffered an injury that kept her out of action. Instead, Zaria would defend the title on her behalf, dropping the belt to Monroe.

It is Monroe's first championship in WWE so far. She is also a former Goddesses of Stardom Champion alongside longtime friend and former AEW ally Mina Shirakawa.

H/T WrestleTalk for partial transcript assistance.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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