When WWE announced that a dozen or so performers were released from the promotion back in September, it left more questions than answers, especially for Superstars like Dana Brooke and Mustafa Ali, who were booked for an appearance at NXT  No Mercy later that week.

Was this truly about budget cuts? Or did WWE simply not see much of a future in any of these performers, many of whom were largely stuck at the bottom of the card when booked at all?

Discussing her release in particular as part of a recent appearance on Busted Open Radio, Brooke, now going by Ash By Elegance, explained how things shook out that fateful week in September, which, needless to say, came as a pretty big surprise, considering the circumstances.

“The moment I got the call. I’m not going to lie, it was the moment I got the phone call. It was Thursday that I received the phone call, and previously, from that Monday or Tuesday, I received a call that I was going to be booked for a pay-per-view for NXT. When I got that phone call, it was a bit of confusion at first. ‘Wait a second, I was just told I was working Sunday,'” Ash told Busted Open Radio via Fightful.

“It’s fine because I felt a sigh of relief and freedom. I can’t describe this feeling of a weight lifted off of my shoulders. ‘Wow, I can control my own destiny.’ That was something I was battling with for quite some time. I felt as if, in my entire life, ever since I was a little girl, I was controlling my destiny. If I wanted to take gymnastics to that next level, I did. Fitness and bodybuilding, if you don’t bust your butt, you’re not going to get the results you want. I was grinding. I got to the point in WWE, which is an amazing platform to inspire and touch millions of people around the world, but you’re controlled, and you cannot explore freedom. That’s something I was yearning for.”

Goodness, that must have come as a pretty big shock for Ash, as she went from being prominently booked in a mid-card story on NXT to being unemployed a few days later. Fortunately, she took the opportunity in stride and decided to use this next chapter of her career to prove WWE wrong about her potential as a performer.

Ash By Elegance is ready to prove WWE wrong as a member of  TNA.

Continuing her conversation with Dave LaGreca and Bully Ray on Busted Open Radio, Ash By Elegance explained how she plans to use her newfound freedom to quiet down the haters once and for all, and prove to fans, WWE, and herself that she can be a top-tier star.

“I wanted that control of controlling my own destiny. I want to get out there and empower women on my own and not be told, ‘You’re booked to go here this weekend. You have to go here and do this. This is what you’re doing on TV and this appearance.’ I got comfortable and I feel as though that was the scary thing coming out of this. This is really happening, and I need to go get it. It was a blessing in disguise because I’m close with my family, and my parents were like, ‘Ash, you’re going to make it. Do not think WWE defines you as a person because it doesn’t. You define yourself.’ That really touched me,” Ash By Elegance explained.

“From that moment that I got the call, I felt freedom, and you best believe when I hung up the phone, I started getting on it and hustling to see where was the best fit for me because I knew it was not the time to hang up my boots and WWE was not going to be the one to tell me I’m stopping my career. TNA was the perfect fit, it was everything I was looking for. Talking with Tommy Dreamer and Gail Kim was the best, and it made me feel this is the place to be. This is where I can explore freedom and opportunity all in one.”

Will Ash By Elegance be able to accomplish her goals, proving that she can not only go in the ring but can also craft a compelling character that fans really want to see? Only time will tell, but considering she's officially signed with TNA as her new professional wrestling home, it's safe to say she will have plenty of opportunities to do just that moving forward.