WWE Star Called Up Following SmackDown; Fans Slam 'Horrendous' NXT Run

Jordynne Grace made a surprise appearance on SmackDown, first in a segment with general manager Nick Aldis and United States Women's Champion Chelsea Green. The Juggernaut put Green on notice after Aldis said he had plans for the former TNA star.

The 29-year-old later encountered WWE Women's Champion Jade Cargill and was warned to stay away from "her show." Grace told her she wanted to take a good look at her options and whether she would sign with SmackDown.

It appears Grace is now a member of WWE's main roster amid a report from Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select. He said that sources have confirmed that her appearance on the blue brand was effectively her call-up.

Grace has been with WWE since January 2025, when she signed with the promotion after making sporadic appearances on NXT as a TNA star. She also made her debut for the company in the 2024 Women's Royal Rumble match.

The former TNA Knockouts Champion suggested at the end of 2025 that she was being patient regarding a potential call-up. But it seems WWE is ready to bring her to RAW or SmackDown, and given her interactions with Green and Cargill, it might not be long before she's challenging for a title.

Fans Disappointed With Grace's NXT Run

If Grace has indeed been called up, it brings an end to an ultimately brief spell in NXT where she didn't manage to win a title. Many expected her to be pushed as one of the developmental brand's top stars, but that didn't happen.

The consensus amongst fans in response to her call-up is that she wasn't used well on Tuesday nights. One fan wrote in response to the above report:

"What a horrendous NXT run."

Another was surprised that she has seemingly been called up despite a lack of NXT championship gold:

"I just don't understand how Jordynne Grace hasn't won a Championship on NXT but is already on Smackdown."

One added:

"Good cause NXT wasted her time but didn’t they just book her."

Another took aim at her booking:

"Finally Jordynne Grace is on main roster. Let's hope she gets booked right because Shawn did her dirty in NXT."

Grace's highest-profile program during her time in NXT was a feud with Blake Monroe, following the latter's arrival after leaving AEW. Her final match on Tuesday nights may have occurred in early December when Kelani Jordon defeated her.