The recently released Jin Tala issued a statement after she was cut by WWE in the latest round on Friday.
Tala (real name Leigh Laurel) was signed by WWE last year and appeared on the first season of LFG. She competed on the show under her real name and was renamed Jin Tala when appearing on Evolve.
In a statement posted on Sunday, the former WWE talent stated:
I wasn’t just fascinated by the physical aspects of pro wrestling, what hooked me was the psychology… the emotions that can be expressed by wrestlers & felt by the audience.
So for those questioning my commitment, dedication… I can say with a hand on my heart that I didn’t falter. I knew I had weak points, so I put 110%, fed myself with knowledge from my coaches & main roster talent who came through the pc.
Laurel felt she was making progress regarding her promos and displaying more aggression inside the ring.
Despite only having seventeen matches, she is indicating that she will be pursuing pro wrestling after her release:
Maybe it came down to timing, did I break down those walls quick enough? Maybe I was just an unrecognizable name on a list, or maybe they just don’t see what I see in myself. At the end of the day, the only person I have to prove my worth to is me. I’m not giving up, Jin Tala may be no more. But Leigh Laurel has always been a fighter.
As Jin Tala, she wrestled on several episodes of Evolve, including facing women’s champion Kali Armstrong in July. She recently performed on the October 4 NXT live event in Gainesville against Olympic gold medalist Tyra Mae Steele.
Tala was among the multiple cuts this past Friday and included many performers from both seasons of LFG.
