On Friday, Cathy Kelley posted a note revealing that this Sunday’s TakeOver: Portland card will be her last show with the company.
Kelley noted it was her decision to leave and indicated that she needed to step away in order to grow.
The 31-year old was part of the AfterBuzz network of shows where she would discuss WWE programming and was signed by the company in February 2016. She was a backstage interviewer, primarily on NXT but had also begun appearing on Friday Night SmackDown. Her prominent work was with the WWE digital side including as host of ‘WWE Now’, which is now hosted by McKenzie Mitchell.
Below is Kelly’s message she posted on Friday morning:
I’ve typed out and deleted this about 20 times over the past few days, still unsure what to write…I have come to the decision to leave WWE, with Sunday’s NXT Takeover being my last day. If you know me, you know this was more than a job, you know how much I loved it and how difficult this decision was. But sometimes in order to have room for growth, you have to step away.
I am so thankful for getting to live out a crazy dream the past four years. Thank you to the WWE digital team for being a platform that never stifled creatively. Thank you to Stephanie McMahon for being a mentor and inspiration in every way. Thank you to Triple H for heading up the best wrestling show currently on tv and letting me be a part of it. And thank you to everyone who has supported me, whether it’s watching a video I’ve done or sending a tweet of encouragement. Words cannot begin to express how much it means.
I’m not sure yet where my next chapter will take me, but I am damn excited for it. And I promise this isn’t a goodbye, it’s just a see you later.
Cathy Kelley is one of my favorite follows on Instagram and is always seems like an absolute sweetheart of a person. I’m sure she had a crazy schedule but any time you saw her doing social media she looked like she was having a lot of fun doing what she was doing, so hopefully this is a decision she is happy with and not something forced (doesn’t seem to be the case). I could easily see her surfacing on ESPN or Fox Sports as a host or interviewer.
Not that I have to further elaborate but I find professionals in the role have two approaches to social media:
They use it as a professional promotional tool. Everything is curated to sell their job professionally. This is how I feel most influences curate their social media. (Charly Curoso is a good comparison and in a similar role)
They look like genuine humans who are enjoying what they do and sharing it with the public; I love this approach more and it makes me more a fan (Cathy Kelley).
She felt human. Not robotic. She brought personality. Not a puppet.
The other one in a role like this who is awesome is Alicia Tout and of course Renee Young.
Renee Young so much so I think WWE is beneath her at this point.
I am sure Renee loves what she is doing, but how she hasn’t been tapped to host a morning show, a sports show, heck, be a guest on The View. She’s that good IMO.
I long said Cena would become the next Michael Strahan but he opted for Hollywood. I think Renee easily becomes a household name if she wanted to transition. But I respect that she must love what she is doing. She’s so down to earth.
Hope she does something where I’ll be able to see her regularly. She seems like a really cool girl and she’s gorgeous. I’ve been a fan since before she came to WWE.
