Carmella (wrestler)

Carmella

Carmella in March 2015
Birth name Leah Van Dale[1]
Born (1987-10-23) October 23, 1987[1]
Worcester, Massachusetts, United States[1]
Residence Orlando, Florida, United States
Alma mater University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Carmella[2]
Leah Van Dale[1]
Billed height 1.65 (5 ft 5)
Billed weight 110 lb (50 kg)
Billed from Staten Island, New York[2]
Trained by Sara Amato
Paul Van Dale[3]
WWE Performance Center[3]
Debut June 2013[3]

Leah Van Dale[1] (born October 23, 1987)[1] is an American cheerleader, dancer, fitness trainer, model, valet, and professional wrestler currently signed to WWE under the ring name Carmella.[2]

In June 2013, Van Dale signed a contract with WWE, and was assigned to their Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. In October 2014, she aligned herself with Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady,[4][5] thus also becoming their valet.[6]

Early life

Van Dale grew up in a small town outside of Worcester, Massachusetts. She attended the University of Rhode Island and later transferred to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in marketing. After graduating, she became a cheerleader for the New England Patriots for three terms, ending in 2010.[3] She successfully auditioned for the Los Angeles Lakers dance team, appearing as a Los Angeles Laker Girl from 2010 to 2011.[3]

Professional wrestling career

WWE

NXT (2013–present)

In June 2013, Van Dale signed a contract with WWE,[3] and she was assigned to the company's developmental territory WWE NXT in late September.[3] In December, she announced that her new ring name was Carmella.[2]

Carmella made her debut on the September 4, 2014, episode of NXT, portraying a hairdresser in a segment with Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady.[7] Two weeks later on NXT, Carmella appeared in another segment with Amore and Cassady at the WWE Performance Center, announcing that she had lost her job as a hairdresser due to Amore and Cassady's actions, and asked for a job at NXT.[8] She made her in-ring debut on the October 16 episode of NXT, fighting a local wrestler, whom Amore and Cassady dubbed Blue Pants.[4][5] Carmella defeated Blue Pants on two occasions, but lost to her on the January 1, 2015, episode of NXT after Amore accidentally caused a distraction.[9] In March, Amore and Cassady began a rivalry with the NXT Tag Team Champions Blake and Murphy, while Blake and Murphy attempted to woo Carmella on several occasions.[10] On the May 13 episode of NXT, Blake and Murphy distracted Carmella during her match with Alexa Bliss, causing her to lose.[11] A week later, at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable, Bliss attacked Carmella, during Amore and Cassady's title match, ensuring the win for Blake and Murphy.[12] While continuing to manage Amore and Cassady, Carmella began feuding with Eva Marie,[13][14] which led to a match between the two, on the August 26 episode of NXT (taped at the NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn event), which Carmella lost.[15] On the September 23 episode of NXT, in a rematch, Carmella lost via count–out, and their rivalry quietly ended.[16]

In the beginning of January 2016, Carmella received her first singles push as she won a battle royal to become the number one contender to Bayley's NXT Women's Championship.[17][18][19] Carmella received her championship match against Bayley, on the February 10 episode of NXT, but she was unsuccessful in capturing the title. After the match, Eva Marie and Nia Jax attacked the two,[20][21] which led to a tag team match, on the February 24 episode of NXT, where Carmella and Bayley were on the losing side.[22] Carmella made her first appearance on WWE's main roster on March 12 at Roadblock, accompanying Amore and Cassady to their match against The Revival for the NXT Tag Team Championship.[23]

Personal life

Van Dale is left-handed. She is a certified fitness instructor and personal trainer. She is the daughter of Paul Van Dale, a former professional wrestler who worked as a jobber for WWE in the 1990s and also wrestled independently.[3] Her favorite wrestling personalities whilst growing up were Miss Elizabeth and Trish Stratus.[24]

Van Dale is dating fellow wrestler Bill Morrissey, better known by the ring name Colin Cassady.[25]

In wrestling

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Carmella". Online World of Wrestling.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Carmella". WWE. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Johnson, Mike. "New WWE Signing". PWInsider. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Parry, Josh. "WWE News: NXT spoilers for Oct. & November – Full Results from Thursday's TV taping at Full Sail University". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Trionfo, Richard. "WWE NXT report: one move to win a match; a Diva debuts; Zayn versus Kidd; and an update on Mojo Rawley". PWInsider. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  6. ↑ Trionfo, Richard (May 20, 2015). "LIVE ONGOING WWE NXT TAKEOVER UNSTOPPABLE REPORT: BAYLEY AND CHARLOTTE VERSUS DANA BROOKE AND EMMA". PWInsider. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  7. ↑ Namako, Jason. "WWE NXT Results – 9/4/14 (Tag Tournament Finals)". WrestleView. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  8. ↑ Namako, Jason. "WWE NXT Results – 9/18/14 (Hideo Itami in-ring debut)". WrestleView. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  9. ↑ James, Justin (January 4, 2015). "James's WWE NXT report 1/1 - Week 133: Itami & Balor vs. The Ascension, NXT tag champs, Charlotte promo; Overall Reax". Pro Wrestling Torch.
  10. ↑ James, Justin (March 25, 2015). "JAMES' WWE NXT REPORT 3/25 - Week 145: Owens vs. Balor for NXT Title, Sasha Banks defends Women's Title; Overall Reax". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  11. 1 2 3 4 James, Justin (May 13, 2015). "JAMES'S WWE NXT REPORT 5/13 - Week 161: Owens-Zayn final confrontation before Takeover, Itami & Balor vs. Breeze & Rose main event, Women's champ, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  12. ↑ Trionfo, Richard (May 20, 2015). "LIVE ONGOING WWE NXT TAKEOVER UNSTOPPABLE REPORT: BAYLEY AND CHARLOTTE VERSUS DANA BROOKE AND EMMA". PWInsider. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  13. ↑ Middleton, Marc (August 7, 2015). "WWE NXT Live Event Results From Orlando (8/7): Six-Person Match, Tyler Breeze, Apollo Crews, More". WrestlingInc. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  14. ↑ Middleton, Marc (August 8, 2015). "WWE NXT Live Event Results From Largo (8/8): Six-Man Main Event, Apollo Crews, Eva Marie, More". WrestlingInc. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  15. 1 2 Trionfo, Richard (August 26, 2015). "NXT IN BROOKLYN REPORT: FATAL FOUR WAY IN THE MAIN EVENT, BULL FIT, ENZO AND CASS GET A HEROES' WELCOME". PWInsider. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  16. 1 2 3 Melok, Bobby (September 23, 2015). "WWE NXT results: Sept. 23, 2015 - Vaudevillains and Blake & Murphy clash for Tag Team Titles, Asuka's contract signing gets crashed". WWE. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  17. ↑ Trionfo, Richard (January 13, 2016). "WWE NXT REPORT: NUMBER ONE CONTENDER IN A TWO WEEKS, NUMBER ONE CONTENDER BATTLE ROYAL, CIAMPA IN ACTION, 2015 NXT AWARD WINNDERS, AND MORE". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  18. ↑ Trionfo, Richard (January 20, 2016). "WWE NXT REPORT: THREE POSSIBLE NUMBER ONE CONTENDERS IN ACTION, CHAMPION AND CHALLENGER AS A TAG TEAM, AN NXT DEBUT, AND MORE". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  19. ↑ Trionfo, Richard (February 3, 2016). "WWE NXT REPORT: WILLIAM REGAL MAKES A DECISION ABOUT THE NUMBER ONE CONTENDER, ASUKA VERSUS SANTANA, BALOR VERSUS CREWS, AND MORE". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Richard, Trionfo (February 10, 2016). "WWE NXT REPORT: WOMEN'S TITLE MATCH . . . PLUS SOME EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, GARGANO VERSUS CORBIN, AND MORE". PWInsider. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  21. ↑ Richard, Trionfo (February 17, 2016). "WWE NXT REPORT: WHO IS THE NUMBER ONE CONTENDER?, EIGHT MAN TAG MATCH, ASUKA IN ACTION, ALEX RILEY RETURNS TO THE RING, AND MORE". PWInsider. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  22. 1 2 3 4 Richard, Trionfo (February 24, 2016). "WWE NXT REPORT: WILLIAM REGAL MAKES HIS DECISION, AMERICAN ALPHA, WOMEN'S TAG MATCH IN MAIN EVENT, AND MORE". PWInsider. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  23. ↑ Richard, Trionfo (March 12, 2016). "COMPLETE WWE ROADBLOCK COVERAGE: HAVE WRESTLEMANIA PLANS BEEN SCREWED UP?, NXT AND WWE TAG TITLE MATCHES, SAMI ZAYN IN ACTION, DIVAS TITLE MATCH, AND MORE". PWInsider. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  24. ↑ Saxton, Byron (January 22, 2015). "10-Count: Carmella". WWE. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  25. ↑ Clapp, John (December 7, 2015). "‘WWE Breaking Ground’ Season 1, Episode 6 recap: Road trip". WWE. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
  26. ↑ Howell, Nolan (November 27, 2014). "NXT: Kidd and Balor battle and brawl". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 James, Justin (September 9, 2015). "JAMES'S WWE NXT REPORT 9/9 - Week 179: Finn Balor & Samoa Joe vs. Lucha Dragons, Ciampa & Gargano also in Dusty Tag Classic match, more; Overall Reax". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Trionfo, Richard (January 20, 2016). "WWE NXT REPORT: THREE POSSIBLE NUMBER ONE CONTENDERS IN ACTION, CHAMPION AND CHALLENGER AS A TAG TEAM, AN NXT DEBUT, AND MORE". PWInsider. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Richard, Trionfo (April 27, 2016). "WWE NXT REPORT: NAKAMURA AND ASUKA IN ACTION, FOOTAGE OF LOWELL TITLE CHANGE, THE REVIVAL ARE NOT IN A GOOD MOOD, AND MORE". PWInsider. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  30. 1 2 Jason, Namako (March 11, 2015). "WWE NXT Results - 3/11/15 (Breeze vs. Itami)". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  31. 1 2 3 4 Trionfo, Richard (July 1, 2015). "WWE NXT REPORT: FINAL PART OF THE FINN BALOR VIDEO PACKAGE, JOE AND OWENS VERSUS BALOR AND RHYNO, BULL VERSUS A VENDING MACHINE, EVA WORKS OUT, AND MORE". PWInsider. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  32. 1 2 3 Trionfo, Richard (June 3, 2015). "WWE NXT REPORT: NXT TITLE MATCH ANNOUNCED FOR JAPAN, RHYNO VERSUS BALOR, SASHA BANKS VIDEO PACKAGE, A TAG TEAM RETURNS". PWInsider. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Adam, Martin (February 3, 2016). "WWE NXT Results - 2/3/16 (Balor vs. Crews headlines)". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  34. ↑ Trionfo, Richard (August 26, 2015). "NXT IN BROOKLYN REPORT: FATAL FOUR WAY IN THE MAIN EVENT, BULL FIT, ENZO AND CASS GET A HEROES' WELCOME". PWInsider. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  35. ↑ Trionfo, Richard (August 26, 2015). "NXT IN BROOKLYN REPORT: FATAL FOUR WAY IN THE MAIN EVENT, BULL FIT, ENZO AND CASS GET A HEROES' WELCOME". PWInsider. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  36. ↑ "WWE NXT results: Rhyno returns after 10-year absence at Full Sail University". Sky Sports. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  37. ↑ "WWE: Fabulous (Carmella) - Single". iTunes. April 30, 2016.
  38. ↑ "WWE: SAWFT Is a Sin (feat. Enzo Amore) - Single". iTunes. April 30, 2016.

External links

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