Cora Jade Will Be The AJ Lee Of WWE's Modern Era
Christopher Ramos
Updated on September 25, 2026
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There may be a lot of issues with the WWE women’s division on the main roster right now with the chaos of the seemingly defunct tag team titles once held by Sasha Banks and Naomi, along with the absences of Charlotte and Bayley, and the lukewarm response to Ronda Rousey, but you won’t find similar problems in NXT. Mandy Rose has been a dominating champion and the women seem to get just as much time if not more than the men every week. There’s also a lot of potential to be found in the stars of tomorrow. No woman has more than Cora Jade, who reminds many of AJ Lee, who dominated the WWE women’s division a decade ago.
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AJ Lee And Cora Jade Have A Similar Look And Style
When AJ Lee debuted on the competition show era of NXT in 2010, fans were taken in by her passion for wrestling. At only 5’2” tall and 115 pounds, she was the smallest competitor, but she made up for it with her heart. She wasn’t bigger than everyone else, but she wanted it more than everyone else. So, even though she didn’t win the competition, it was no surprise that WWE believed in her anyway.
Lee debuted on the main roster in 2011. Her four-year run was notable for her crazed gimmick, her storylines with Daniel Bryan, John Cena, and future husband CM Punk, and her Divas title reigns that helped to usher in the Women’s Revolution. What made Lee stand out was her style. She didn’t look or dress like a wrestler. With her cutoff t-shirt, denim shorts, and Chuck Taylor tennis shoes, she looked like a cool fan who had lucked out into the greatest gig.
A decade later, Cora Jade reminds many of AJ just based on looks alone. Cora is taller than AJ Lee but has the same slender build and long, dark hair. She also employs a similar dressing style. You’ll often find her in Chuck Taylor-type shoes, and while she doesn’t wear denim, she makes up for it by many times coming to the ring in a beanie cap and carrying a skateboard. Just as AJ Lee did, Cora comes across as one of us, a fan who struck gold. In fact, she is.
RELATED: Cora Jade: Age, Height, Relationship Status And Other Things To Know About Her
AJ Lee And Cora Jade Are Both Known For Meeting Their Idols As Kids
It’s been reported many times over the years about how big a fan of WWE AJ Lee was growing up. There’s a famous video that shows her in awe and crying in front of Lita at an autograph signing. It’s a shame that the two never got to share the ring together.
Cora Jade has a similar story of being a WWE-obsessed youth. It was shown through a photo depicting a younger Jade once getting a photo taken with Natalya. Unlike AJ Lee, Cora Jade was lucky enough to share the ring with the wrestler she looked up to when she and Natalya recently had a feud in NXT.
Fans Love Cora Jade Like They Loved AJ Lee
There are other similarities between the two. Jade is from Chicago, and of course, AJ now lives there due to her husband. Outside of that, both are loved by fans for being passionate outsiders who made it when maybe they shouldn’t have.
AJ Lee shouldn’t have been a huge star. She didn’t have a long track record as a wrestler. NXT was looked down upon then, and she didn’t make it even through that. Women’s wrestling in her time started as an afterthought with some very embarrassing moments. And in a world full of blondes and bigger women like Beth Phoenix, she was too small, too normal. However, her determination and talent took her to the top. Her everywoman story made her the most popular woman of her era.
The same could be said of Cora Jade. Jade does have more experience, having already briefly worked with both Impact Wrestling and AEW, but she’s still a newbie. Mandy Rose is a well-known veteran and a physical fitness specimen. The emerging Nikkita Lyons is a powerhouse. Io Shirai has done it all in NXT. Ask anyone who the future is, though, and many will name Cora Jade. At only twenty-one, she has nothing but time to conquer the women’s division. Just as with AJ Lee, it looks to all be hers one day.
