Ex-NXT Star Officially Joins WWE SmackDown Roster

A wrestler who was a regular on the NXT has apparently made the move to WWE SmackDown for good.

In early 2025, right around the Royal Rumble, Jordynne Grace officially became a WWE superstar after a great run in TNA, where she won the Knockouts Title three times.

With WWE SmackDown moving to three hours to start 2026 (just as it did in the first half of 2025), it was expected that some NXT wrestlers would be called up to the main roster to strengthen the roste,r since they will need more wrestlers around to fill the time.

SmackDown in Buffalo saw former NXT Champion Trick Williams officially join the blue brand. At the same time, a familiar face, Matt Cardona, officially re-signed with WWE after being away from the company for the past six years. Veterans like Randy Orton and Sami Zayn are also back in the mix after being off for a few months.

That’s not all, because Jordynne Grace was in a backstage segment with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis, who told the powerhouse wrestler that he wanted her on SmackDown. The former Women’s US Champion, Chelsea Green, rudely interrupted, and Grace left at that point.

Later in the show, the WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill was interviewed by Cathy Kelley. Kelley mentioned that Michin suffered a shoulder injury against Cargill, who claimed it was an intentional attack to injure Michin’s shoulder (just a storyline thing to make Jade heelish). Jade said that injuries happen. Jordynne Grace approached Jade, saying she has to decide if she wants to sign with SmackDown. Jade said that she should sign somewhere else because this is Jade’s show and she is that bi**h. Jordynne said she’s Jordynne Grace, and Jade is definitely one of those – a bi**h. Grace left.

WWE Has Moved Jordynne Grace To The Main Roster

Fightful Select has reported that Jordynne Grace’s appearance on SmackDown was her main roster call-up, so she’s considered a member of the SmackDown roster now.

It was added by Fightful that even though Grace signed with WWE a year ago and appeared on NXT, her contract was a “main roster level contract” meaning she was likely being paid similar to what main roster wrestlers were getting.

During her one year on the NXT roster, Grace failed to win a championship even though she was in multiple title matches. She had long-standing feuds with Blake Monroe and Kelani Jordan, and recently, Grace appeared as an ally of Thea Hail as well.