Nia Jax has responded to the nepotism claims that have followed her throughout her career due to her ties to The Rock and the Anoa’i family.
Appearing on the Battleground Podcast, Jax said that the debate doesn’t bother her and that she believes nepotism is a good thing in wrestling.
“I mean, people always get upset, like, ‘Oh, nepotism,’” Jax said. “It’s like, well, nepotism is a great thing, you know what I mean? I’m not going to sit there and negate all the accomplishments my family has made in this business.”
Jax stated that she got a WWE tryout “just like everybody else does.” At the time, she tried to hide who she was related to so she could earn a contract on her own.
However, in another recent interview, on the Keep It Aloha podcast with Kamaka Dias, Jax herself revealed that The Rock got her the tryout. He made it clear that his help would end there.
“Hey, I can get you a tryout, but that’s it,” Jax recalled The Rock telling her. The Rock also advised her to keep it a secret that they were related.
Jax acknowledged that her family played a part in her getting into the company, but she noted that she did the rest on her own.
“Of course I’m here because my family’s in it,” Jax said. “But I’m also doing it myself, and they’re not getting in the ring for me. They’re not traveling for me. They’re not getting injured for me.”
Jax pointed to the 2019 men’s Royal Rumble as the moment she felt she had established her own identity apart from The Rock. In that match, she attacked R-Truth, who was set to be the 30th entrant, and took his spot. She became only the fourth woman to compete in the men’s Rumble match, after Chyna, Beth Phoenix and Kharma.
Jax explained that she never felt the need to join The Bloodline, saying she preferred to build her own legacy in the WWE women’s division.
When it comes to Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, Jax said that growing up in the business is an advantage, as wrestling families learn early on how the industry works.