Leyla Hirsch (; born September 27, 1996) is a Russian-born American

professional wrestler Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...

. She is best known for her tenure in

All Elite Wrestling All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. It is owned and operated by Shahid Khan, Shahid and Tony Khan, with the latter serving as President (corporate title), president an ...

(AEW) and its sister promotion

Ring of Honor Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011; the promotion was subs ...

(ROH). Before joining AEW in 2020, Hirsh was active on the

independent circuit In professional wrestling, the independent circuit (often shortened to the indie circuit or the indies) is the collective name of independently owned promotions which are deemed to be smaller and more regionalized than major national promotions. ...

, primarily in the northeastern United States, and also performed for Japanese promotions.

Professional wrestling career

Independent circuit (2017–present)

Hirsch made her

professional wrestling Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...

debut at

Combat Zone Wrestling Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) is an American independent professional wrestling promotion founded in 1999 by John Zandig. Commonly associated with the 2000s hardcore wrestling genre, early CZW shows showcased a brand of wrestling dubbed by the p ...

's ''Dojo Wars: Super Show 4'' event on September 29, 2017, where she lost to Dojo DEEJ in a intergender match. During her time in CZW, she worked with other infamous personalities such as

Penelope Ford Olivia Hasler (born September 14, 1992) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Penelope Ford. She is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). She is also known for her work in Combat Zone Wrestling. Professional wrestling ...

, whom she faced at ''CZW Greetings From Asbury Park'' on February 23, 2018, in a losing effort. She even challenged Eran Ashe for the CZW Medal of Valor Championship in a

last man standing match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick, gimmick matches" in the Glossary of professional wrestling terms, jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick m ...

at ''CZW Dojo Wars SuperShow Seventeen'' on February 15, 2019, but unsuccessfully. Hirsch also competed in

Westside Xtreme Wrestling Westside Xtreme Wrestling, commonly shortened to wXw, is a German professional wrestling promotion based in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. wXw has been one of the leading professional wrestling promotions in Germany, and most of its event ...

, making her debut against

Valkyrie In Norse mythology, a valkyrie ( or ; from ) is one of a host of female figures who guide souls of the dead to the god Odin's hall Valhalla. There, the deceased warriors become ('single fighters' or 'once fighters').Orchard (1997:36) and Li ...

at ''wXw Road To World Tag Team Festival: Neumünster'' on September 14, 2019. She fought in the ''wXw Femmes Fatales 2019 Tournament'' where she managed to reach the final match, the prize being a

wXw Women's Championship The wXw Women's Championship was a women's professional wrestling Championship (professional wrestling), championship created and promoted by the Germany, German wrestling promotion Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw). The first champion was crowned ...

at the 19th Anniversary show. She eventually got defeated by

LuFisto Genevieve Goulet (born February 15, 1980), better known by the ring name LuFisto, is a French Canadian professional wrestler. Professional wrestling career Independent circuit (1997–present) LuFisto began training when she was 17 years old in ...

. Hirsch had a brief run with the

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

ese promotion

World Wonder Ring Stardom , is a Japanese ''joshi puroresu'' or women's professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo, Japan. Stardom was founded in September 2010 by former All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (AJW) co-producer Ross ...

, where she was a part of the Tokyo Cyber Squad stable and often fought alongside her fellow stablemates

Hana Kimura was a Japanese professional wrestler. She worked for Japanese promotions such as World Wonder Ring Stardom and Wrestle-1, in addition to making appearances for foreign companies such as Ring of Honor, Pro-Wrestling: EVE, and some independent pro ...

Jungle Kyona better known by her ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler. She is best known for her time in the joshi puroresu promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom, where she was a former three-time Artist of Stardom Champion and Goddesses of Stardo ...

and

Konami , commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...

. On August 28, 2021, Hirsch faced Kamile at NWA Empowerrr for the NWA World Women's Championship, which Hirsch lost.

All Elite Wrestling / Ring of Honor (2020–2025)

On October 21, 2020, Hirsch made her AEW debut on ''

AEW Dark ''AEW Dark'', or simply ''Dark'', is an American professional wrestling streaming television program that was produced by the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW), running from October 8, 2019, to April 25, 2023, on AEW's YouTube channel. ...

'' where she lost to Hikaru Shida. The following day on ''

AEW Dynamite ''AEW Dynamite'', also known as ''Wednesday Night Dynamite'' or simply ''Dynamite'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by the American Professional wrestling promotion, promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW). It air ...

'', she unsuccessfully challenged

Serena Deeb Serena Deeb (born June 29, 1986) is an American professional wrestler signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). She is well known for her first stint with WWE, appearing on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown WWE Brand Extension, brand and also kn ...

for the

NWA World Women's Championship The NWA Women's World Championship is a women's professional wrestling world championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). The title was first held by Mildred Burke in 195 ...

. On November 11 on AEW Dark Hirsch picked up her first win AEW win against Tesha Price. On February 4, 2021, on ''Dynamite'', she took part in the AEW Women's World Championship Eliminator Tournament, losing to

Thunder Rosa Melissa Cervantes (born July 22, 1986), known by her ring name Thunder Rosa, is a Mexican professional wrestler and Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. She is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where she is a former AEW Women's World Cham ...

in the first round. It was confirmed on March 15 by AEW president

Tony Khan Antony Rafiq Khan (born October 10, 1982) is an American businessman, sports executive, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the founder, co-owner, president, CEO, executive producer, and head booker of All Elite Wrestling ...

that Hirsch had officially signed with the company. On August 4 on ''AEW Dynamite'' ''Homecoming'', Hirsch faced The Bunny in a NWA World Women's title eliminator which Hirsch won. From December till March 2022, Hirsch feuded with Kris Statlander and Red Velvet. Hirsch would face Statlander at

Revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...

buy-in Buying in may refer to: * Buying in (poker), a tournament entrance fee *Buying in (securities), a process in which a buyer whose seller fails to deliver the securities contracted for, can "buy in" the securities from a third party *Management buy- ...

show, turning up victorious. On April 6, Hirsch suffered a torn ACL in an

AEW Dark Elevation ''AEW Dark: Elevation'', also known as ''Dark: Elevation'' or simply ''Elevation'', is an American professional wrestling streaming television program that was produced by the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW), running from March 15, 2 ...

taping. Six weeks later, she underwent surgery. On the July 6, 2023, episode of '' ROH on Honor Club'', Hirsch returned from her injury and made her debut for AEW's sister promotion

(ROH), replacing

Maria Kanellis Mary Louis Kanellis-Bennett (born February 25, 1982) is an American professional wrestler, manager, promoter, singer and model. She is best known for her tenures in WWE, TNA, All Elite Wrestling, and Ring of Honor. Outside of wrestling, she ...

in a six person tag match, where she teamed with The Kingdom ( Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) to take on The Infantry, in which Hirsch scored the victory after submitting Trish Adora. In a post-match promo, Hirsch declared that she would focus on ROH going forward. Hirsch defeated Adora again by submission on July 21, during the pre-show of Death Before Dishonor. After the match, Hirsch reapplied her submission on Adora until

Skye Blue Skylar Dolecki (born October 2, 1999) is an American professional wrestler. She is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Skye Blue. She also wrestles for Ring of Honor (ROH). Blue has also appeared on National Wrestling Al ...

made the save. On December 27, 2023, Hirsch entered the inaugural ROH Women's World Television Championship tournament and was victorious against Rachael Ellering in the first round, but was eliminated by Red Velvet in the second round. On 27 February 2025, it was reported that Hirsch would not be returning to AEW/ROH upon her contract expiring, ending her tenure with both promotions.

Personal life

Hirsch was born in

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

and lived there until being adopted by an American couple at age eight, subsequently being raised in Hillsborough Township,

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. At 15 years old, she began amateur wrestling in high school and college. On March 10, 2022, shortly after the beginning of the Russian invasion of

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

, Hirsch issued a statement on social media supporting Ukraine and calling Russian President

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...

a "brutal dictator". Hirsch is openly

lesbian A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexu ...

; she announced her engagement to her partner on October 15, 2023.

Other media

Hirsch, along with other CZW wrestlers, appeared in the music video "If I Ever See You Again" by the American rock band

Grayscale In digital photography, computer-generated imagery, and colorimetry, a greyscale (more common in Commonwealth English) or grayscale (more common in American English) image is one in which the value of each pixel is a single sample (signal), s ...

Championships and accomplishments

* ''

Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...

'' ** Ranked No. 61 of the top 150 female singles wrestlers in the '' PWI Women's 100'' in 2021 ** Ranked No. 473 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the ''

PWI 500 ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...

'' in 2020

References

External links