Former WWE NXT talent Jin Tala, known off-screen as Leigh Laurel, has spoken publicly for the first time since being released from her contract.

Tala was among several NXT and WWE ID names, including Wes Lee and Stevie Turner, who recently departed the company. Before joining NXT, she appeared on WWE’s reality project LFG before making her in-ring debut with EVOLVE in May.

Taking to Instagram, Tala shared an emotional message reflecting on her release and her journey so far in professional wrestling:

“I have been trying to collect my thoughts & find the right words to address my recent release. Before WWE, Ive been a jack of all trades with many hobbies but couldn’t settle on one thing… was always missing that flame of passion.

With contract in hand, I kept thinking ‘What if… what if this was what I’ve been missing?’

I found my passion and I was all-in. 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.

And in the past month, I saw it… & I think everyone saw it. I broke down some of those big walls I had failed to break during LFG. My promos were showing range because I finally let go… My move set I recently developed in the ring showed aggression, everything the Legends were looking for. And I was able to showcase that in recent matches. And for me… that was a win.

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.”

Tala’s final match took place on October 4 at an NXT live event in Gainesville, Florida, where she was defeated by Tyra Mae Steel. Her last EVOLVE appearance came in July, where she fell short in a Women’s Championship opportunity against Kali Armstrong.

As previously reported by Bryan Alvarez, the recent round of talent releases were not related to budget cuts. Instead, they were described as part of WWE’s approach to maintaining space for new talent within its developmental system, which currently includes over 130 performers.