Kiana James Makes Triumphant WWE Comeback Following 15-Month Injury Layoff

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Kiana James made her much-anticipated return to WWE on Friday, July 18, 2025, competing in a main event match recorded before Smackdown in San Antonio, Texas. This marked her first appearance in over a year, ending a 398-day hiatus from WWE television.

James’s comeback match took place against a sewing machine in a pre-taped main event at the Frost Bank Center. The match will be broadcast before a Smackdown episode and will air every Thursday on WWE Main Event, available to stream on Hulu.

Following her return match, James made a brief on-screen appearance during Friday’s SmackDown, appearing in the background of a backstage segment with Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. This cameo sparked social media speculation about a possible new alliance between James and the two WWE superstars.

Injury and Recovery Timeline

James last competed on June 17, 2024, in a qualifying match for a triple threat bout on WWE Raw against Iyo Sky and Zelina Vega. Shortly after being drafted to the Raw brand in April 2024, she suffered a serious leg injury.

Her injury came just after being promoted from NXT to the main roster during the 2024 WWE Draft, a timing that was especially unfortunate. Before the injury, she secured a notable win on Raw against Natalia in early June.

In April 2025, James revealed she was undergoing treatment for a knee injury and was in the process of rehabilitation. Reports from over a month ago indicated she was nearing medical clearance, with fans spotting her backstage at WWE events like Evolution and a previous Smackdown in Lexington, Kentucky.

Before her injury, James had made a name for herself in NXT, where she held the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship alongside Fallon Henley. Throughout her development, she competed against top talents such as Roxanne Perez, Tiffany Stratton, Lyla Valkyria, and even Becky Lynch.

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The 28-year-old from Sioux City, Iowa, signed with WWE in 2022 and spent two years building her reputation in NXT before the call-up to the main roster.

Fan Take: Kiana James’s return is a huge boost for WWE fans eager to see fresh storylines and rivalries reignited. Her comeback signals exciting new possibilities for the women’s division, bringing renewed energy and anticipation to WWE programming.

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