43-year-old star emotional after bidding farewell at WWE show; pens heartfelt message welcoming replacement

A 43-year-old WWE star recently took to social media after bidding farewell at the latest edition of NXT. The star being referred to is Alicia Taylor.

In the 2024 WWE Draft, several stars from the white and gold brand were called up to the main roster including Carmelo Hayes, Bron Breakker, and Ilja Dragunov. However, on the latest episode of the developmental brand, it was officially announced that ring announcer Alicia Taylor had been called up to SmackDown after working in NXT since December 2018.

The 43-year-old recently took to Instagram to send an emotional message. She thanked Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and the rest of her NXT family.

Taylor also welcomed Mike Rome, who was going to replace her on the white and gold brand.

"Longest Reigning 🎤 Champ of NXT. Thank you to the @wwenxt faithful that show support in #Orlando EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK. Thank you to my NXT family, HBK, Triple H, Bloom, @vicjosephwwe, the coaches, PC staff, and everyone that has made NXT so incredibly special….since I walked through the doors in December 2018. NXT is left in good hands! BIG welcome to @austinmromero 🎙️🎙️🎙️Special shout out to my @wwe tag team partner and Day One Ish @joeprado39 And now…let the BLUE BRAND BEGIN! #Smackdown … LFG!!!!!! 💙💙💙💙," Alicia Taylor shared.

Check out Alicia's Instagram post below:

What the future has in store for the 43-year-old star remains to be seen.

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WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels sent a message after Alicia Taylor was called up to SmackDown

WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels recently took to X/Twitter to send a message after Alicia Taylor was called up to the main roster. The Heartbreak Kid wrote that Taylor was an irreplaceable part of the developmental brand and thanked her for everything she did.

"An irreplaceable part of the soundtrack for countless unforgettable #WWENXT moments, and now she's bringing her unending passion to #SmackDown. @AliciaTaylorNXT, thank you for everything you've brought to the #NXTUniverse... and congratulations on your next step! #WeAreNXT," Shawn Michaels shared.

Check out his tweet below:

Alicia Taylor has proven her worth for almost five years in NXT, and she would undoubtedly be a great addition to SmackDown.