# Kiana James

Kayla Klingensmith (née Inlay; born May 23, 1997) is an American professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE where she performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Kiana James, but is currently inactive due to a leg injury. She is a former one-time NXT Women's Tag Team Champion.

## Early life

Kayla Inlay was born in Sioux City, Iowa. She completed her secondary education at East High School and later graduated from Morningside University in 2019 with a degree in science.

## Professional wrestling career
### Early career (2021–2022)

Inlay trained to become a professional wrestler at the Flatbacks Wrestling school in Apopka, Florida under Tyler Breeze and Shawn Spears. On the September 21, 2021 episode of AEW Dark, she made her in-ring debut under the name Xtina Kay, losing to The Bunny.

### WWE
#### NXT (2022–2024)

Inlay made her WWE debut under her real name on the February 1, 2022 episode of NXT, losing to Sarray. Inlay was repackaged as Kiana James and took on a heel businesswoman gimmick, debuting in the NXT Women's Breakout Tournament on May 17, losing to Roxanne Perez in the first round. James would have her first televised win on the June 24 episode of NXT Level Up by defeating Brooklyn Barlow. On the July 19 episode of NXT, James competed in a 20-woman battle royal to determine the number one contender for the NXT Women's Championship, eliminating Fallon Henley but was eliminated by Nikkita Lyons. James then feuded with Lyons after insulting her looks but lost to her on the August 9 episode of NXT and in a tag match alongside Arianna Grace against Lyons and Zoey Stark on the September 13 episode of NXT. James would have a short feud with Dana Brooke on Main Event, defeating her on November 3. James would start a feud against Henley with whom she would bet her parents' bar against the offer that James offered her. On the November 29 episode of NXT, James defeated Henley. At NXT Deadline, James competed in the Women's Iron Survivor Challenge to determine the number one contender to Mandy Rose's NXT Women's Championship, which was won by Perez. On the December 27 episode of NXT, James ended her feud with Henley after losing to her in a Battle for the Bar.
At NXT: New Year's Evil on January 10, 2023, James competed in a 20-woman battle royal to determine the number one contender to Roxanne Perez's NXT Women's Championship, being eliminated by Lyra Valkyria. On February 5, at NXT Vengeance Day, James and Fallon Henley defeated Katana Chance and Kayden Carter to win the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship, making it the first title in James' career, and turning face in the process. On April 1, at NXT Stand & Deliver, James and Henley lost the tag titles to Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn. On the April 25 episode of NXT, After James and Jensen were defeated by Josh Briggs and Fallon Henley, James walked out on Jensen causing Jensen to go back to Briggs and Henley, thus reverting James back to a heel. On the May 9 episode of NXT, in the first round of the tournament for the vacated NXT Women's Championship, James was eliminated by Lyra Valkyria. James would then succeed in winning a fatal four-way number one contender's match for the title on the August 29 episode of NXT. The following week, she would be defeated by champion Tiffany Stratton.
Onward, she would begin a short rivalry with new NXT Women's Champion Becky Lynch, even as so far as to aid Tiffany Stratton in their attacks. They eventually lost to Lynch and Lyra Valkyria in a tag team match on the September 19 episode of NXT. She then started a feud with Roxanne Perez, after attacking her when she lost to Asuka on the October 10 episode of NXT, only for Shotzi to emerge from commentary and fend off James. The following week, James lost to Shotzi. That same night, Perez challenged James to a Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal Devil's Playground match on Night 1 of NXT: Halloween Havoc, in which Perez was victorious. On the November 14 episode of NXT, James interfered in Perez's qualifying match for the Women's Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline, helping Lash Legend gain the victory. Two weeks later, James lost her qualifying match against Kelani Jordan, with Perez causing the distraction. At NXT Deadline on December 9, James defeated Perez in a Steel Cage match, with assistance from Izzi Dame. At NXT Stand & Deliver on April 6, 2024, James and Dame teamed up with Jacy Jayne in her feud against Chase University's Thea Hail, who teamed up with Fallon Henley and Kelani Jordan, where the latter team won in a six-woman tag team match. On the following episode of NXT, James and Dame defeated Henley and Jordan in a tag team match in James' final match for NXT.

#### Raw (2024–present)

At the Night 1 of the WWE Draft on the April 26, 2024 episode of SmackDown, James was drafted to the Raw brand. On the June 3 episode of Raw, James defeated Natalya in her main roster debut match.

## Championships and accomplishments

* WWE
** NXT Women's Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Fallon Henley
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
** Ranked No. 166 of the top 250 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Women's 250 in 2023