Kiana James

James made her WWE debut under the ring name **Kayla Inlay** on the February 1, 2022 episode of *NXT*, losing to Sarray. She was soon repackaged as **Kiana James** and took on a 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 twenty-woman battle royal to determine the number one contender for the NXT Women's Championship, eliminating Fallon Henley but being eliminated herself 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 *WWE Main Event*, defeating her on November 3. James would then 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 Roxanne 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 New Year's Evil on January 10, 2023, James competed in a twenty-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. 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 Brooks Jensen were defeated by Josh Briggs and Fallon Henley, James walked out on Jensen, causing him to go back to Briggs and Henley. 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.

James would then begin a short rivalry with new NXT Women's Champion Becky Lynch, going so far as to aid Tiffany Stratton in her attack against Lynch. 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 one of 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 Deadline, helping Lash Legend gain the victory. Two weeks later, James lost her qualifying match against Kelani Jordan, with Perez causing the distraction. At Deadline on December 9, James defeated Perez in a steel cage match, with assistance from Izzi Dame.