Highlights
- Jessica McKay, formerly known as Billie Kay in WWE, was released from her contract in 202
- She and Cassie Lee, known as Peyton Royce, were known as The IIconics and were a phenomenal duo.
- McKay and Lee made a big impact in WWE, winning the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 35. However, they were never fully utilized and eventually split up.
- They then joined Impact Wrestling as The IInspiration and won the Impact Wrestling Knockouts World Tag Team Titles. They recently announced that they are leaving Impact Wrestling and taking a break from professional wrestling. McKay has been pursuing other interests and is expecting her first child.
In 2021, Jessica McKay (formerly known as Billie Kay in WWE) was released from her WWE contract. It was terrible to see, as McKay had consistently been one of the most entertaining wrestlers on the WWE roster during her time in the promotion. Alongside Cassie Lee (known in WWE as Peyton Royce), they were known as The IIconics. They were an incredibly phenomenal duo and one of the best on-screen pairings. Lee was also released on the same day as McKay. Since their WWE days, fans did have the opportunity to see them in the ring as members of the Impact Wrestling roster. In recent times, however, McKay has stepped away from active in-ring competition in professional wrestling. She has been pursuing other interests in both her professional and personal life.
RELATED: 10 Things About The IIconics' Careers That Made No Sense
The IIconics Make A Splash In WWE
During their time in WWE, McKay and Lee made their initial splash as members of the NXT roster. As The IIconics, they partook in rivalries against the likes of Liv Morgan, Ember Moon, Aliyah, and more. Their natural charisma and hilarious promo skills got them incredibly over with fans. This also translated when they were called up to the main roster. Making their first appearance on SmackDown, they made an immediate impact. When WWE introduced the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, it seemed that The IIconics would be a natural pick to win the titles. And while they were not the inaugural champions, they ended up winning the titles at WrestleMania 35. It was a tremendous moment for them, as well as the biggest of their career.
RELATED: How WWE Completely Dropped The Ball On The IIconics, Explained
However, WWE never fully utilized McKay nor Lee to their full abilities. After losing the titles, the duo ended up falling down the card. Eventually, WWE ended up splitting The IIconics. And while it was an unpopular decision, they tried to make the best of it. McKay even began a very comedic and entertaining gimmick where she was pitching her resume to different wrestlers on the roster. Unfortunately, they were never given a proper push as singles stars. They were both released on the same day in 2021.
From The IIconics To The IInspiration In Impact Wrestling
However, it did not take too long for fans to get to see McKay and Lee on television again. In Fall 2021, they made their official debut as members of the Impact Wrestling roster. Rebranding themselves as The IInspiration, they won the Impact Wrestling Knockouts World Tag Team Titles in their first match against Decay at Bound For Glory 2021. They went on to hold the titles for 133 days. During this reign, they had matches against the likes of Decay and The Influence. However, they went on to lose the titles to The Influence at Sacrifice 2022. During her time in Impact Wrestling, McKay also wrestled two singles matches. She had one win against Tenille Dashwood (Emma in WWE) and one loss against Madison Rayne.
The IInspiration’s return to professional wrestling in Impact Wrestling following their WWE release did not last long. In 2022, McKay and Lee announced that they were leaving Impact Wrestling and taking a break from professional wrestling. In a joint statement (h/t Wrestling Inc) they said, “We have had such an amazing experience, working with the incredible IMPACT staff and roster. 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.” Since then, they have made no indication of when or if either of them will return to in-ring action.
What Has Jessica McKay Done Outside The Ring?
McKay, however, has been taking advantage of her time away from professional wrestling. She and Lee hosted their own podcast called Off Her Chops. In addition, she also has her own YouTube channel series called J McKay Does. Much like many others in professional wrestling, McKay has also delved into trying her hand at acting. She took part in the 2023 film The Charisma Killers. McKay also announced on her Instagram that she is expecting her first child in December 2023.
RELATED: 10 Backstage Facts About Billie Kay Fans Need To Know
Overall, McKay has been pursuing a lot in her time away from professional wrestling across a wide variety of different media. While she and Lee had tremendous success in WWE and Impact Wrestling in the form of titles, it would be interesting to see if the day ever comes where they step back into a professional wrestling ring and what promotion they could return in. For now, McKay is pursuing things that make her happy and that she wants to do in her professional career and her personal life.
