Marina Shafir Bio
Marina Shafir is a Moldovan professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, born on April 14, 1988, in Soroca, Moldavian SSR. Standing 170 centimeters tall and competing at 66 kilograms, she is best known for her time in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a member of the Death Riders, a faction led by Jon Moxley. Shafir is also recognized for her earlier run in WWE’s NXT brand, where she became the first and only Moldovan performer in the promotion’s history. With a judo background developed from a young age, she transitioned from amateur fighting into both professional mixed martial arts and professional wrestling.
Signed to AEW since 2021, Shafir remains an active competitor on AEW programming and its sister promotion Ring of Honor (ROH). She also continues to appear on the independent circuit and resides in Venice, California. Her career has spanned MMA promotions such as Invicta Fighting Championships and wrestling organizations including WWE, AEW, and Game Changer Wrestling, establishing her as a versatile figure in combat sports entertainment.
Early Life and Background
Marina Shafir was born in Soroca, in what was then the Moldavian SSR of the Soviet Union. She is Jewish and grew up in a household shaped by her father’s work as a mechanic and her mother’s career as a teacher. The family moved from Moldova to the United States when Marina was five years old and eventually settled in Latham, New York, where she was raised alongside her two older brothers.
At the age of six, Shafir began training in judo, an early introduction that would become the foundation of her combat sports career. By the time she was 12, she was competing at a high level in the sport, though she eventually stopped competing in judo during her late teens. She is a graduate of Shaker High School in Latham, New York, completing her formal education before pursuing athletics full time.
Path to Professional Wrestling
Shafir’s transition into combat sports began with amateur mixed martial arts in 2012, where she quickly established herself as a submission specialist. Over a two-year amateur stretch, she remained unbeaten, winning all five of her fights by submission, including four by armbar and one by arm-triangle choke. That success convinced her to turn professional in early 2014.
Her first professional bout came on April 12, 2014, against Chandra Engel, a fight she won by submission in the first round. Later that year, she suffered her first career loss in a first-round defeat to Amanda Bell. In 2015, Shafir signed with Invicta Fighting Championships, where she competed in the women’s featherweight division before ultimately shifting her focus toward professional wrestling beginning in 2018.
Marina Shafir Career
Early Career (2012–2016)
Shafir built her foundation in amateur mixed martial arts from 2012 through 2013, compiling an unbeaten record anchored by her submission skills. Her transition to the professional ranks in 2014 produced a quick victory over Chandra Engel, signaling that her ground game was ready for higher-level competition. Losses to Amanda Bell and Amber Leibrock during her early professional years offered valuable lessons about pacing and striking defense.
Training at Glendale Fighting Club, where she was a training partner of Ronda Rousey, Shafir sharpened the grappling-heavy approach that had defined her amateur career. Her time at the gym also brought her into contact with fellow future professional wrestlers Shayna Baszler and Jessamyn Duke, friendships that would later shape her path into the scripted side of combat sports.
WWE NXT Era (2018–2021)
On May 7, 2018, WWE announced that Shafir and Jessamyn Duke had signed with the company and reported to the WWE Performance Center for training. Just months later, on October 28 at WWE Evolution, Shafir made her WWE debut alongside Duke as a heel, interfering during the NXT Women’s Championship match to help Shayna Baszler regain the title from Kairi Sane. The duo followed that with another interference at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, again assisting Baszler in retaining gold.
On December 19, 2018, Shafir and Duke made their NXT in-ring debut but were defeated by Io Shirai and Dakota Kai. They continued to appear at NXT TakeOver events, including assisting Baszler against Bianca Belair at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. After several months away from television, Shafir returned on August 17, 2020, reuniting with Baszler and Duke for a Raw Underground match. Her WWE run concluded on June 25, 2021, when she was released from her contract.
Independent Circuit and Game Changer Wrestling (2021–Present)
Following her WWE release, Shafir returned to the independent circuit, debuting at Game Changer Wrestling’s Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 7 on October 22, 2021, where she defeated Masha Slamovich by submission. She continued her winning ways at Bloodsport 8 in March 2022, defeating Zeda Zhang, and at Bloodsport 9 in March 2023, where she defeated Killer Kelly. In April 2024, she captured the Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X tournament, defeating Janai Kai and Lindsay Snow to claim the title.
On May 10, 2024, Shafir added another championship to her resume by defeating Vert Vixen at Defy Wrestling’s Here and Now event to win the Defy Women’s Championship. Her submission-based style and grappling background made her a natural fit for the Bloodsport and strong-style events, earning her a reputation as one of the most credible fighters on the indie scene.
All Elite Wrestling Era (2021–Present)
Shafir made her All Elite Wrestling debut on the December 14, 2021 episode of AEW Dark, where she was defeated by Kris Statlander. Following that loss, she went on a six-match winning streak before challenging Jade Cargill for the AEW TBS Championship on the April 22, 2022 episode of AEW Rampage in a losing effort. She also challenged Thunder Rosa for the AEW Women’s World Championship on June 8, 2022, but was again unsuccessful.
On August 28, 2024, Shafir aligned herself with Jon Moxley, and the following month at All Out, she officially joined Moxley’s Blackpool Combat Club after the group attacked Bryan Danielson. In November 2024, the faction rebranded as the Death Riders, a nod to Moxley’s nickname in NJPW. She has served as a frequent accomplice in Moxley’s AEW World Championship defenses, often carrying the briefcase holding his title belt.
Ring of Honor Appearances
Shafir made her Ring of Honor debut on January 26, 2023, at The Jay Briscoe Celebration of Life, defeating Mighty Mayra in a squash match. She challenged Athena for the ROH Women’s World Championship on January 10, 2023, but was unsuccessful in that bid. On November 17, she teamed with Ronda Rousey to defeat Athena and Billie Starkz, marking a memorable reunion for the former training partners.
Style and Strengths
Shafir’s in-ring style is built around her judo and submission grappling background, making her most dangerous on the mat where she can transition quickly into armbars and chokeholds. She is known for hard-hitting strikes and a no-nonsense, shootfighting-inspired presentation. Her work as an enforcer for the Death Riders showcases her credibility as a fighter rather than a conventional sports entertainer.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her career highlights, Shafir became the first Moldovan to compete for WWE and later won the Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X tournament and the Defy Women’s Championship. She has main-evented major multi-person matches at AEW events such as Double or Nothing and Blood & Guts as part of the Death Riders faction. Her reunion with Ronda Rousey inside the ring at ROH also stands as a milestone moment for longtime fans of her MMA journey.
Marina Shafir Career Wins
Marina Shafir’s verified mixed martial arts record includes one professional victory, both of her career losses, and three total professional bouts. Her wins in professional wrestling span promotions including AEW, Ring of Honor, Game Changer Wrestling, and Defy Wrestling, with several championships and tournament victories along the way.
Game Changer Wrestling Highlights
Shafir has built a strong reputation on the Bloodsport events, compiling submission victories over Masha Slamovich, Zeda Zhang, and Killer Kelly. She reached the peak of her Bloodsport run by winning the four-women tournament at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X in April 2024, defeating Janai Kai in the semifinals and Lindsay Snow in the finals. These wins have cemented her status as one of the promotion’s most credible grapplers.
Defy Wrestling Highlights
On May 10, 2024, Shafir defeated Vert Vixen at Defy Wrestling’s Here and Now event to capture the Defy Women’s Championship. The win added a singles championship to her resume and demonstrated her continued growth as a professional wrestler outside the major national promotions.
Marina Shafir Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Marina Shafir was raised in Latham, New York, after her family relocated from Moldova when she was five years old. Her father worked as a mechanic and her mother as a teacher, and she grew up alongside two older brothers. She is Jewish, a heritage she has spoken about publicly.
Spouse and Children
In December 2015, Shafir became engaged to professional wrestler Christopher Lindsey, better known by his ring name Roderick Strong. The couple married on November 7, 2018, and in 2017 they welcomed their first child, a son. Shafir has also shared a long-standing close friendship with Ronda Rousey, having trained together at Glendale Fighting Club and once living together in Venice, California, alongside Shayna Baszler and Jessamyn Duke.
2025 Season Performance
Throughout 2025, Marina Shafir has continued her role as a key enforcer for the Death Riders faction in All Elite Wrestling. On April 2, 2025, she teamed with Jon Moxley on Dynamite, losing to Swerve Strickland and Willow Nightingale in a mixed tornado tag team match. She was part of the Anarchy in the Arena match at Double or Nothing on May 25, where the Death Riders and The Young Bucks fell to a team led by Kenny Omega and Swerve Strickland.
On November 12, 2025, at Blood & Guts, Shafir teamed with Triangle of Madness, Megan Bayne, and Mercedes Moné to defeat a team led by Jamie Hayter and Willow Nightingale in the namesake match. Her presence in these high-profile multi-woman matches shows her continued importance to AEW’s storytelling.
With the Death Riders storyline ongoing, Shafir appears poised to remain a fixture of AEW programming as the faction continues to shape the promotion’s main event scene. Her wrestling schedule also includes independent dates, suggesting that 2025 will be another busy year for the Moldovan competitor.
