Kiana James

Kiana James is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE where she is a member of the NXT roster. Her real name is Kayla Klingensmith. In WWE, she is a former NXT Women's Tag Team Champion alongside Fallon Henley. Before joining WWE, James had a very brief stint in AEW (All Elite Wrestling).

Kiana James Early Life

Kiana James' real name is Kayla Klingensmith. She was born on the 23rd of May, 1997 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. James did her schooling at East High School, in Iowa. She did her graduation from the Morningside University in 2019 with a degree in Science.

Kiana James Wrestling Career

AEW (2021)

Kiana James made her in-ring debut in AEW. On the September 21, 2021, episode of AEW Dark, she made her first appearance in the company under the ring name Xtina Kay. She lost to The Bunny in that match. She then got selected to the WWE Performance Center and was trained by the likes of former WWE Superstars Tyler Breeze. Former WWE Superstar and current AEW Superstar and trainer Shawn Spears has also trained James and has helped her shine her pro-wrestling skills.

WWE (2022-Present)

Kiana James didn't burst onto the NXT scene with a bang. She made her debut under her real name and lost to Sarray in February 2022. She donned the persona of a "businesswoman in the ring" and was given her current name Kiana James. She then entered the NXT Women's Breakout Tournament. However, the eventual winner Roxanne Perez stopped her run early.

She secured her first televised victory against Brooklyn Barlow in June on an episode of NXT Level Up. She then feuded against the likes of Dana Brooke and Fallon Henley. She defeated Henley in November 2022. James then partook in the inaugural Women's Iron Survivor Challenge Match at NXT Deadline. However, Roxanne Perez won the match. She then lost to Fallon Henley on December 27 and the feud came to an end.

After failing to secure a championship shot in January's battle royal, Kiana James surprised everyone by teaming up with Fallon Henley. At NXT Vengeance Day, the unlikely alliance defeated Katana Chance and Kayden Carter to win the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships. Their reign came to an end at Stand & Deliver at the hands of Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn. A bitter betrayal by her tag partner, Jensen, sent Kiana back to her villainous roots. Now, fresh off a number one contender win, Kiana stands poised to challenge Tiffany Stratton for the NXT Women's Championship. Will she finally claim the gold, or will another setback send her back down the ladder? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure: Kiana James never gives up.

Over the next week, James lost to the likes of Lyra Valkyria, Tiffany Stratton, Becky Lynch, Asuka, Shotzi and Roxanne Perez on the episodes of NXT and at Halloween Havoc. Her feud with Perez continued to another match at NXT Deadline, where she defeated Perez in a Steel Cage Match.

Kiana James Net Worth

As per various online sources, Kiana James is worth around at least $120,000 in 2023. A great wrestler, the career of Kiana James holds a lot of prospect, and thus, her net worth is only going up from here in the near future.

Kiana James Partner

Kiana James is married to Zach Klingensmith. The two got married to each other on January 3, 2022. The Klingensmiths reportedly studied together in Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa, from where James graduated with a degree in science. The two had been dating each other before finally tying the knot in January 2022.

Kiana James Title History

NXT Women's Tag Team Championship

So far, Kiana James has only won the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship. In the early 2023, she started teaming up with Fallon Henley, the wrestler she wrestled the most against in late 2022. While their union wasn't what fans might have expected, it surely turned out to be fruitful. The two superstars defeated Katana Chance and Kayden Carter at NXT Vengeance Day on February 5, 2023 to win the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship before losing it to Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn at Stand & Deliver in April 2023.