Tag: Jessica McKay

The IInspiration Returns: Former WWE Tag Champs Cassie Lee & Jessica McKay Resurface at TNA Against All Odds

TNA Wrestling just got a major boost to its Knockouts tag division — and fans of women’s tag team wrestling have a big reason to get excited.

In a surprise appearance at Against All Odds, former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Cassie Lee and Jessica McKay — known collectively as The IInspiration — made their long-awaited return to the company. The duo, best known to longtime WWE fans as The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce), confronted current Knockouts Tag Team Champions Ash by Elegance and Heather by Elegance during the pre-show countdown, making their intentions crystal clear by gesturing to their waists: they’re gunning for gold.

This marks Lee and McKay’s first appearance in a wrestling ring since they quietly stepped away from the business in 2022. Their previous run in TNA (then IMPACT Wrestling) saw them quickly grab the Knockouts Tag Team Titles, cementing their place as top-tier competitors in the promotion before taking time off — both eventually becoming mothers during their hiatus.

Behind the scenes, Fightful Select reports the pair have officially signed new contracts with TNA Wrestling. The deals were finalized within the last few weeks, and while short-term (under a year), they reportedly include an option for mutual extension. Sources within the company also noted that recent regime changes helped pave the way for the duo’s return.

Lee and McKay bring both star power and championship pedigree wherever they go. After all, they shocked the world by capturing the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 35 in 2019, during a near seven-year WWE run that showcased their charisma, chemistry, and comedic timing. When they were released by WWE in 2021, they didn’t waste time rebuilding their momentum, debuting as The IInspiration at Bound for Glory later that year and immediately winning gold.

Now, with the Knockouts tag division heating up again, the return of The IInspiration adds a dose of experience, flair, and serious in-ring credibility. Don’t be surprised if their second TNA run is even more iconic than the first.

Stay tuned — the Knockouts tag scene just got a whole lot more… inspirational.

The IInspiration Announce They Will Be Stepping Away From Wrestling Indefinitely

WWE released more than 80 wrestlers in 2021, and among those let go were Peyton Royce and Billie Kay. Formerly known as The Iiconics, the Aussie pair switched things up and now go by their real names, Cassie Lee and Jessica McKay and calling themselves The IInspiration. The pair were absent for a short while before signing with Impact Wrestling, and it now seems they will be stepping away from the business for even longer after a short stay with the company.

Lee and McKay, who dubbed themselves The Iinspiration upon arriving in Impact, released a joint statement today revealing that there time with Impact has come to an end. Not only that, but they will be taking a break from wrestling entirely, writing that they will stepping away from in-ring action indefinitely.

“We will cherish these IMPACT memories forever. We are excited to start a new chapter in our lives and explore other opportunities that may come our way,” the statement reads. Lee and McKay signed with Impact in October, six months after they were part of WWE’s April 2021 cuts. The two won Impact’s Knockouts Tag Championships in there very first match.

Source: TheSportster