Since her release from WWE earlier this year, Elayna Black—formerly known to WWE NXT fans as Cora Jade—has returned to the independent wrestling scene with renewed perspective, confidence, and a name that first made waves across promotions like GCW and SHIMMER.
As Elayna Black continues her journey beyond the WWE Performance Center, she’s carrying with her a key piece of advice from one of wrestling’s most polarizing and respected figures: CM Punk.
During her recent appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Black opened up about the guidance she’s received from the multi-time world champion, sharing how his advice helped shape the way she views the business—and herself within it.
“I feel like he’s told me a lot of things in very different situations. But I feel like the number one thing is to just drown out what everyone else is saying, because I feel like he knows it better than anybody. Everyone has an opinion on him, whether you absolutely love him, or you absolutely hate him, everyone has an opinion on CM Punk.”
Elayna, who grew up in Chicago just like Punk, spoke with genuine admiration about how he’s stayed true to himself throughout his controversial, often headline-making career.
“I’ve always wondered, how does he just continue to be himself and not give a sh*t when there’s a million different opinions from a million different places. But he’s really, really always helped me just understand that it doesn’t matter. People are always going to say something.”
For the 24-year-old, Punk’s advice wasn’t just about navigating social media or wrestling critics—it was about staying grounded in authenticity.
“They’re going to love you or they’re going to hate you, and either way, it doesn’t matter, because you just have to be you and do what you feel is right and stay true to yourself. And if people support you, great. That’s great motivation. But if they don’t, and they don’t like you, and they don’t want to watch what you do, or they want to watch what you do and criticize it, that’s still your name in their mouth, and someone’s talking about you and you’re doing something right.”
Throughout her time in WWE, Jade was often considered one of NXT’s most compelling characters, blending gritty authenticity with undeniable in-ring talent. Now that she’s returned to wrestling under her original identity, it’s clear she’s embracing that same mindset Punk encouraged: unapologetically being herself, no matter who’s watching.
As Elayna Black charts her post-WWE path, one thing is certain—she’s not just stepping back into familiar territory. She’s stepping forward with a stronger sense of purpose, armed with hard-earned experience, and guided by the wisdom of someone who’s seen it all.
You can check out the entire interview with Elayna Black on Insight with Chris Van Vliet below.
Stick with Bodyslam.net for continued coverage on Elayna Black and all the stories shaping the wrestling world today.
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