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World Wrestling Entertainment announced the signing of former All Elite Wrestling TBS champion Jade Cargill on Tuesday (September 26) via ESPN.
"WWE today announced it has signed Jade Cargill to a multi-year contract. The news was first reported by ESPN," the company wrote on its official website. "Cargill, a standout performer who has earned accolades as an industry-renowned talent, will begin training today at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando."
Cargill, 31, a fitness model and former collegiate basketball player, initially participated in a tryout with WWE's developmental program NXT in 2019 before instead signing with AEW and making her in-ring debut alongside Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal in a tag-team match against Cody Rhodes -- who has also since signed with WWE -- and Red Velvet in November 2020.
The Florida native went on to win a single-elimination tournament to become the inaugural AEW TBS Champion on October 6, 2021, a title she held until May 28, 2023, when she lost to a returning Kris Statlander, ending her 60-0 undefeated streak. Cargill made a brief return earlier this month to challenge Statlander for the TBS title, which resulted in a losing effort on Rampage amid speculation of WWE's interest following the conclusion of her contract.
Cargill is widely considered to be a rising star in the professional wrestling industry despite having only wrestled for two years. The former Jacksonville University basketball player has nearly 1 million Instagram followers and owns a Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF) team, the Texas Smoke, alongside her life partner, former Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips.