Arianna Grace Bio
Bianca Sophia Carelli, known professionally by her ring name Arianna Grace, is a Canadian-American professional wrestler and beauty pageant competitor. Born on June 29, 1997, in Mississauga, Ontario, she is signed to WWE and performs on the NXT brand. She also appeared in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where she served as the liaison between NXT and TNA. A second-generation performer, she is the daughter of former WWE star Santino Marella.
Before entering professional wrestling, Carelli built a background in theater, dance, and competitive pageants, winning the Miss Teen Ontario-World title in 2013. She later graduated from Western University with a Bachelor’s degree in biology and added training in judo, jiu-jitsu, and boxing to her athletic foundation.
Early Life and Background
Bianca Carelli was born in Mississauga, Ontario, to Petrina and professional wrestler Anthony Carelli, who is best known by his ring name Santino Marella. Growing up in a household connected to the wrestling industry gave her early exposure to the business, though she initially pursued other performance avenues. As a child and teenager, she took part in live theater productions, improvisation competitions, competitive dance, and beauty pageants.
At the age of 17, Carelli won the Miss Teen Ontario-World pageant in 2013, an experience that sharpened her stage presence and confidence. She went on to attend Western University in London, Ontario, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in biology. Alongside her academic work, she trained extensively in mixed martial arts, with a focus on judo, jiu-jitsu, and boxing, building a well-rounded combat sports base before turning to professional wrestling.
Path to Professional Wrestling
Carelli began her formal wrestling training in 2018 under independent wrestler Tyson Dux in Canada. She made her professional debut on June 9, 2018, working the independent circuit and gaining experience in her home country. Her early years focused on building fundamentals and learning the craft outside the major promotions.
Her biggest early national exposure came at NWA EmPowerrr in 2021, where she competed in the NWA Women’s Invitational Cup Gauntlet, a match won by Chelsea Green. Following that appearance, Carelli worked a series of independent shows in Florida, which helped sharpen her in-ring skills and prepared her for a larger stage. In March 2022, that groundwork led to a developmental contract with WWE.
Arianna Grace Career
Early Career (2018–2022)
From 2018 to early 2022, Carelli worked the Canadian and Florida independent circuits, training under Tyson Dux and steadily booking matches to improve her craft. Her appearance at NWA EmPowerrr in 2021 placed her on a national platform and showed she could hold her own in multi-woman matches against established names.
Those independent runs gave her the visibility needed to attract WWE’s attention, and on March 17, 2022, it was announced that she had signed with the company and would report to the NXT brand. The deal marked the transition from independent wrestler to developmental prospect within a major promotion.
NXT Debut and Development (2022–2023)
Carelli made her NXT debut under the ring name Arianna Grace on the April 29, 2022, episode of NXT Level Up, defeating Amari Miller in her first televised match. She was quickly entered into the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament, where she was eliminated in the first round by Nikkita Lyons on May 10. Her first televised win came on August 10 when she defeated Thea Hail on NXT.
In October 2022, Grace suffered a torn ACL injury that sidelined her for roughly a year. She returned to the ring on September 29, 2023, on NXT Level Up, losing to Fallon Henley. Later that October, she re-entered the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament with a new beauty pageant gimmick known as “Miss NXT,” defeating Brinley Reece in the first round before falling to Kelani Jordan in the semi-finals.
NXT Character Evolution (2024)
On January 16, 2024, Grace took part in an NXT Women’s Championship number one contender’s battle royal, which was won by Roxanne Perez. In March, she began a feud with Gigi Dolin under a stipulation that a win would allow Grace to give Dolin a makeover to become a “proper lady.” Grace won by disqualification after the referee caught Dolin delivering a low blow, in one of the first instances of a women’s WWE match ending that way. The angle ended abruptly when Dolin was reportedly sidelined by a serious knee injury in June.
Grace later challenged Sol Ruca for a chance at the NXT Women’s North American Championship at NXT Heatwave, but was defeated by Ruca. She was then paired with Karmen Petrovic as a tag team partner at the NXT Heatwave pre-show, where the duo defeated Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx. A post-match dispute with Petrovic led to a singles match the following week, which Grace lost. She was later reported to have suffered an undisclosed injury in August 2024.
TNA Crossover (2024–2025)
On September 5, 2024, Grace debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling on Impact!, announcing that she would serve as the new liaison between NXT and TNA. She appeared at TNA Victory Road on September 13 alongside her father, TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella, marking their first on-screen pairing. On May 29, 2025, she teamed with Marella for the first time, losing a mixed tag match to Robert Stone and Victoria Crawford.
At TNA’s Against All Odds event on June 6, Grace accompanied her father in his match victory over Robert Stone for the TNA Director of Authority position, in what was her final TNA appearance.
Return to NXT (2025)
Grace made her on-screen return at NXT Vengeance Day on February 15, 2025, appearing alongside her father Santino Marella. She returned to in-ring action on June 3 against Tyra Mae Steele on NXT, marking her first televised match since the previous year’s injury.
Style and Strengths
Grace blends the presentation of a classic beauty queen with a grounding in judo, jiu-jitsu, and boxing, giving her a striking base that suits the developmental style of NXT. Her comfort on the microphone and in character-driven segments has made her well-suited to gimmick work and storyline-heavy matches rather than purely athletic showcases.
Notable Events and Milestones
Grace’s disqualification win over Gigi Dolin in March 2024 stood out as one of the first instances of a women’s WWE match ending via a low blow. Her crossover role between NXT and TNA in late 2024 also marked a rare on-screen working relationship between the two promotions, highlighted by appearances alongside her father Santino Marella.
Arianna Grace Career Wins
Arianna Grace’s televised win list remains limited given her injury setbacks and developmental status, but she has recorded early victories on NXT Level Up and NXT. Her first televised win came over Thea Hail on August 10, 2022, and she added a tag team victory over Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx at the NXT Heatwave pre-show in 2024.
NXT Highlights
Grace’s NXT run has been defined more by character development and storyline moments than by a deep televised win record. Her victory over Thea Hail marked her first singles televised win, while her disqualification win over Gigi Dolin in March 2024 produced a notable storyline beat. Her most recent in-ring return came on June 3, 2025, against Tyra Mae Steele.
Other Wins and Performances
On the independent circuit and in NWA, Carelli competed in the 2021 NWA Women’s Invitational Cup Gauntlet at EmPowerrr, finishing as runner-up to Chelsea Green. Her pageant career also produced a Miss Teen Ontario-World title in 2013 and a top-20 finish at Miss Universe Canada in 2023.
Arianna Grace Family
Family Background and Wrestling Lineage
Carelli is the daughter of professional wrestler Anthony Carelli, known worldwide as Santino Marella, a former WWE star who later became a prominent on-screen authority figure in TNA. Her mother is Petrina, and Carelli is of Italian, Pakistani, Métis, and Finnish descent. Growing up around the wrestling industry gave her direct insight into the business from a young age.
Personal Life
Carelli became an American citizen on January 25, 2025, adding to her Canadian background. On the October 15, 2025, episode of NXT, her father Santino Marella revealed that she is engaged to fellow wrestler Mitchell LaValley, better known as Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo.
2025 Season Performance
Grace’s 2025 storyline opened with her on-screen return at NXT Vengeance Day on February 15 alongside her father Santino Marella, re-establishing her as an active member of the NXT roster. Her in-ring return on June 3 against Tyra Mae Steele marked the start of a new competitive chapter following her previous injury layoffs.
Outside of NXT, Grace closed out her TNA crossover run with an appearance at Against All Odds on June 6, 2025, where she accompanied Santino Marella in his victory over Robert Stone for the TNA Director of Authority position. That match served as her final TNA appearance as the promotion-to-promotion liaison role wound down.
Heading into the second half of 2025, Grace balances her renewed NXT in-ring work with her personal life, including her recently announced engagement to Mitchell LaValley. Her combination of pageant poise, grappling training, and family connections to wrestling keeps her positioned as a unique character-driven performer on the brand.
