Ash By Elegance [Dana Brooke] Details Scrapped Money In The Bank Spot; “WWE Didn’t Believe In Me”

Ash By Elegance, previously known as WWE Superstar Dana Brooke, looks back on her time in the company as she prepares to write the next chapter.

With a new name and new look, the former WWE Superstar was spotted in the crowd during the TNA Hard To Kill pay-per-view. Much like multiple ex-WWE wrestlers who were a part of the September 2023 releases, this is the first time that the former Dana Brooke has signed to another company and looks to create a new legacy with the new persona.

First competing back in 2014, Brooke had a lengthy career with the sports entertainment titan, competing in more than 450 matches while with the company. However, despite having 10 years of experience, Brooke never rose to the same heights as her peers.

Brooke would never win a Women’s Championship while with the company, with her only title reigns being the 24/7 Championship. Looking back on her career, there is a belief that higher-ups never saw Brooke as a top star.

Appearing on Busted Open Radio, the recent TNA signee looked back on her time with WWE and stated that although one of the top producers continually backed her, she never received that opportunity:

“I honestly think they didn’t believe in me. You know, producers, T.J. [Wilson] was a very big advocate for me and he would always be like, ‘Dana can do it, Dana can do it, Dana can do it’ and it just — it wasn’t happening and I wasn’t that girl. I wasn’t the girl that they were trying to push to that next level. [I] was the one that I was always given to take the pin fall and I was okay with it, thinking in my mind, there’s gonna be a shot. There’s gonna be that next time and there just never was that next time.”

In 2019, Brooke competed in the 2019 Women’s Money in the Bank match. Having an extensive background in gymnastics, Brooke pitched a unique spot to take place in the match. Unfortunately, this was denied due to safety concerns:

“It was 2018 or ‘19 in the Money in the Bank match where I wanted to hang from the briefcase and swing from it and fall and a pile of girls catch me and they’re like, ‘No, no, no. That’s a little too dangerous.’ I’m like, ‘Do you not know I was in gymnastics for 18 years?… Just let me do it’ and it would be a wow factor and I just don’t think that they had the confidence in me.”

Dana Brooke’s WWE Release Was A Surprise To Higher-Ups

Shortly before her release was announced, Brooke regularly competed on the NXT brand, being one of many main roster stars to compete on the Tuesday night show. With not everyone aware of who would be getting released in September, Dana Brooke’s sudden WWE exit affected creative plans for NXT.

Following her recent TNA debut, many have drawn comparisons between Ash By Elegance and Toni Storm. In an update on social media, the TNA signee has set the record straight.

H/t to POST Wrestling.