Kendal Grey Details Road To WWE Evolve Title

In the present day, Kendal Grey (real name Peyton Prussin) reigns as the WWE Evolve Champion, with the NXT Women's Championship also in potential reach following her recent Women's Iron Survivor Challenge win. Long before she stepped into a professional wrestling ring, though, Grey wowed spectators as an amateur wrestler at Life University. During an interview with Denise Salcedo, Grey explained how she eventually arrived at the major leagues of WWE.

According to Grey, "WWE Raw" star and fellow former amateur wrestler Julius Creed first put WWE on her radar as a post-college destination. "When I kind of got in contact with WWE, it was through the NIL program. NIL, not just with WWE, but it's more common for them to look at the best top athletes at NCAA level. So NAIA is not really looked at too much," she said. "I have to give credit to Julius Creed because with wrestling community, he wrestled in college, the wrestling community is kind of small. So after I won my second or third national title, he was like, 'Oh, when you're done, WWE next.'

"I thought he was joking," Grey continued. "I did not know this would be an opportunity, so I was like, 'Yeah, totally.' He's like, 'No, I'm being so like for real. If you're interested, I'll get you in contact with them.' It kind of took off through there."

WWE announced Grey's signing through the NIL program in January 2023. Her respective class consisted of 15 collegiate athletes from across the United States. Sometime in late 2023, Grey then inked a full-time deal, paving the way for her WWE television debut the following year.

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Grey Pursued WWE On A Full-Time Basis After Careful Consideration

Prior to signing a full-time contract with WWE, Grey said she seriously considered its pros and cons, with one con being that it would take away the opportunity for her to try out for the Olympics. Still, she ultimately opted to pursue WWE.

"I came and tried out, and ever since then, I loved it," Grey said. "I'm so grateful to be here. I'm so grateful for the opportunity. Wrestling is a weight cut sport; I was wrestling at 109 pounds, very small. I am still small. I'm still trying to gain weight and still get bigger, but I was super small. So when I came to my tryout, I know there was concerns like she's really small, maybe her wrist can break. I'm like, 'No, I swear. I promise.'"

Since the age of 11, Grey had cut weight out of necessity for her various athletic ventures, including amateur wrestling. Armed with a desire to join WWE on a permanent basis, however, she vowed to bulk up at that point.

"I want to get bigger. I want to do this,'" Grey said, "so I think I had to bet on myself and they kind of had to take a risk on me to see like can she handle it? Can she handle stepping into the ring? I feel like they took a risk. But I hope I'm showing that I am taking this serious, I love this, and I'm so passionate about it."

Two years removed from her WWE tryout, Grey has made major strides in the professional wrestling world. Come time for "WWE NXT" New Year's Evil, she could now possibly reach the highest peak in "NXT." 

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Denise Salcedo with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.