SUMMARY
- Jessica Carr became the first female main event referee in WWE at the recently held Backlash PLE in France.
- After the show, the 32-year-old referee has now shared a vintage picture with Cody Rhodes showcasing her journey.
Cody Rhodes successfully retained his Undisputed Championship against AJ Styles at WWE Backlash. As it was the first time he defended his title after finishing his story at WrestleMania 40, the victory was extra special. But the PLE was also a memorable one for Jessica Carr, as she became the first female main event referee in the promotion’s history.
During The American Nightmare‘s match against Styles in France, Jessica did the referee duties and thus registered her name in history. Amid this achievement, the 32-year-old has been the talk of the town since the special night in LDLC Arena, and just days after the event, Carr shared a rare photo with Rhodes from ages ago.
In the female fugure’s latest post on X, which has been going viral on the internet, Jessica Carr has posted two photographs with Cody. One of them was from Backlash, but the other one seemed a bit too old, as Jessica seemed almost unrecognisable in that picture. Sharing the throwback photo with the WWE Universe, the 5-foot-8 wrote, “How it started, and how it’s going. What a life.”
How it started, and how it’s going.
What a life. pic.twitter.com/gA2aiDipFg— Jessika Carr (@WWELadyRefJess) May 7, 2024
The exact year when the vintage picture was taken wasn’t mentioned in the post, and it looks like even Carr doesn’t know that. Replying to a fan who asked, “What year was the first pic?,” she said, “Honestly don’t know 2005-2010 is ballpark.” From this, it’s clear that she doesn’t remember, but her post shows how life has come full circle for the 32-year-old superstar.
Jessica Carr’s journey to becoming the first female main event referee at WWE Backlash
Born June 25, 1991, Jessica Carr has been into WWE ever since her childhood, and she has often talked about being a fan of the professional wrestling world. Carr’s love for the company eventually led her to get employed by the promotion, and she has experienced the sensational journey of being the first female main event referee at Backlash France.
The news that Jessica would be taking over the duties was shared by The American Nightmare before the event, as she also stated she’d become the first female to do so. At last, the 32-year-old eventually made history by being a part of the Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles match. But that’s not the first time she achieved something like this in the organization.
Wanted to mention this after the contract signing, (and forgive me if I’m wrong but I don’t think I am…)
It’ll also be the VERY FIRST PLE Main Event for The Undisputed @WWE Title officiated by a woman @WWELadyRefJess https://t.co/g26bva41sR
— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) May 4, 2024
Before this, Carr became WWE’s first ever female referee to make an official debut, and then the first woman to referee a match in Saudi Arabia. In addition to this, she also became the first female to referee a Hell in a Cell match in October 2021. At this year’s Elimination Chamber PLE in Australia, she became the first-ever female referee in an Elimination Chamber match, which speaks volumes about her success in the industry.
Jessica Carr started her career as an in-ring performer
The 5-foot-8 WWE star is widely recognized for being a referee in the Triple H-led promotion. But it’s important to point out that Jessica Carr started her career as an in-ring performer. She trained at Duane Gill’s Academy of Professional Wrestling in Severn, Maryland, and after that, her run as a pro wrestler started as Jessie Kaye.
Jessica did wonders in the initial years of her career, as she dominated various organizations. She won the DCW Women’s Championship, the inaugural VOW Vixen’s Championship, and also became the inaugural ECWA Women’s Champion. Amid her success on the independent circuit, she was signed by Ring of Honor in October 2016, as she made her debut as Kennadi Brink.
At this stage, she looked destined for a great career inside the ring, but she suffered a serious injury in April 2017. After this, Jessica got the opportunity to be with WWE, as she was signed as a referee by the promotion. Since signing with the company in 2017, Carr has slowly grown into one of the most important names in the organization.
Over the years, Triple H has given Jessica Carr a lot of prestigious opportunities, and it shows the kind of trust they have in her abilities. Even though she doesn’t compete inside the ring anymore, the female figure is proficient in the role she performs, and she also looks set to achieve many more accolades throughout her stint with the biggest wrestling promotion in the world.