Zoey Stark Bio
Theresa Serrano, better known by the ring name Zoey Stark, is an American professional wrestler signed to WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand. A former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion, Stark has built a reputation for high-flying offense and an aggressive in-ring style that has translated from the independent circuit to the company’s main roster. Standing 173 centimeters tall, she has competed across tag team and singles divisions, establishing herself as a versatile performer in modern women’s wrestling.
Born on January 25, 1994, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Serrano began her professional career in 2013 and currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. She carries a wrestling heritage through her long-term relationship with fellow professional wrestler Tom Howard and continues to be a featured competitor on Raw heading into 2025.
Early Life and Background
Theresa Serrano was born on January 25, 1994, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and raised in a bicultural household with a Mexican American father and a Puerto Rican mother. Growing up in Salt Lake City gave her early exposure to a wide range of athletic pursuits, and she gravitated toward professional wrestling as a teenager, drawn to its combination of performance and physical competition.
From a young age, Serrano trained to develop the athletic foundation that would later support her in-ring career, including the timing and aerial coordination required for high-risk maneuvers. Her multicultural upbringing shaped her outlook and helped fuel the confident persona she would later bring to WWE programming.
Before entering the professional ranks, Serrano completed her high school education in Utah and continued to refine her craft at independent wrestling schools in the region. These formative experiences laid the groundwork for her debut on the independent circuit in 2013.
Path to Professional Wrestling
Serrano made her professional wrestling debut on June 8, 2013, at Vendetta Pro Wrestling, where she lost to Hudson Envy. Her first victory came on November 16, 2013, under the ring name Lacey Ryan, defeating Larry Butabi, and she soon captured the UCW-Zero Ultra-X Championship, holding the title until January 25, 2014.
After a multi-year break from active competition, Ryan returned to the ring on August 16, 2018, wrestling Thunder Rosa in a match that ended in a no contest. On September 29, 2019, she won the FSW Women’s Championship by defeating Taya Valkyrie, a reign that lasted until November 20, 2020, when she dropped the title to Mazzerati. These independent accomplishments positioned her for a major opportunity in early 2021.
On January 20, 2021, Serrano was reported to have signed a contract with WWE, marking her transition to the largest professional wrestling promotion in the world. Her prior indie experience and championship pedigree made her an immediate prospect within the WWE developmental system.
Zoey Stark Career
Early Career (2013-2021)
Stark’s early career unfolded across the California independent scene, where she competed under the names Lacey Ryan and, later, Serrano. Her UCW-Zero Ultra-X Championship reign and her lengthy run as FSW Women’s Champion highlighted her rapid development as a singles competitor. She faced established opponents such as Thunder Rosa, Alex Gracia, and Taya Valkyrie, gaining the kind of in-ring seasoning that prepared her for national-level television.
By the time WWE came calling in 2021, Stark had already established herself as a credible champion on the West Coast indie circuit. The combination of her amateur athletic background, her international lucha libre influences, and her hard-earned ring experience made her a logical signing for the company’s NXT brand.
NXT Breakthrough (2021-2023)
Stark debuted on the January 29, 2021, edition of 205 Live as Marina Shafir’s tag team partner in the Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, and she made her NXT debut on February 17, 2021, defeating Valentina Feroz. A non-title match against NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai established Stark as a fan favorite, and at NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, she scored a signature victory over Toni Storm.
At The Great American Bash, Stark and Io Shirai defeated The Way to win the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship, her first title in WWE. The reign ended at Halloween Havoc in a Scareway To Hell Ladder Match against Toxic Attraction and Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta, after which a legitimate torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus injury forced her off television.
Stark returned on the July 19, 2022, edition of NXT, winning a 20-Woman Battle Royal to earn an NXT Women’s Championship opportunity. She turned heel for the first time in her WWE career on November 8, 2022, attacking Nikkita Lyons after a tag team loss, and entered the 2023 Royal Rumble at number 13 before being eliminated by Sonya Deville.
Raw Era (2023-Present)
In the 2023 WWE Draft, Stark was selected by the Raw brand, and she made her main roster debut on May 8, 2023, defeating Nikki Cross. At Night of Champions, she aligned with Trish Stratus to help defeat Becky Lynch, and on June 5, 2023, she defeated Natalya to qualify for the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match. At Payback, Stark turned on Stratus after being berated, ending their alliance.
Stark later aligned with Shayna Baszler, and on Raw: Day 1, the pair defeated Tegan Nox and Natalya to become number one contenders for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. On the July 8, 2024, edition of Raw, the duo joined the returning Sonya Deville to form Pure Fusion Collective, with Deville’s departure in February 2025 reducing the group to a tag team before Baszler’s release on May 2, 2025, ended the faction.
Style and Strengths
Stark is known for her high-flying offense, highlighted by a missile dropkick that has become one of her most recognizable moves. Her athletic base, timing, and willingness to take risks make her especially effective in fast-paced matches and multi-woman fields, where her striking and aerial game can disrupt larger opponents.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her career highlights, Stark’s victory over Toni Storm at NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, her NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship win at The Great American Bash, and her qualifying victory for the Money in the Bank ladder match stand out. Her three-way pursuits of the Women’s World Championship at Crown Jewel and Survivor Series: WarGames also marked significant main-roster milestones.
Zoey Stark Career Wins
Stark’s verified championship resume includes the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship, the UCW-Zero Ultra-X Championship, and the FSW Women’s Championship, reflecting success across both tag team and singles competition.
NXT Highlights
Stark captured the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship with Io Shirai at The Great American Bash in 2021, becoming a champion in her first year with the brand. Her reign ended at Halloween Havoc, and her pursuit of the NXT Women’s Championship continued with a 20-Woman Battle Royal win in July 2022 that earned her a title opportunity.
Other Wins and Performances
Before joining WWE, Stark held the UCW-Zero Ultra-X Championship and the FSW Women’s Championship, the latter for more than a year after defeating Taya Valkyrie in 2019. On the main roster, she secured a number one contender’s spot for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship alongside Shayna Baszler on Raw: Day 1.
Zoey Stark Family
Family Background and Wrestling Lineage
Serrano was born to a Mexican American father and a Puerto Rican mother, and she has cited her bicultural upbringing as a meaningful influence on her career. While her parents are not professional wrestlers, her long-term partner Thomas Merrett Howard, known in the ring as Tom Howard, is a professional wrestler, actor, and wrestling instructor, providing a direct connection to the wrestling business.
Personal Life
Serrano is in a long-term relationship with Tom Howard, a professional wrestler and wrestling instructor. The couple splits time between the wrestling world and Serrano’s home base in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she continues to train and prepare for competition on the Raw brand.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has brought significant change to Zoey Stark’s Raw career, beginning with the February 7, 2025, non-renewal of Sonya Deville’s contract, which reduced Pure Fusion Collective to a tag team of Stark and Shayna Baszler. On the April 11, 2025, edition of SmackDown, the team entered a tag team gauntlet for a WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match at WrestleMania 41, falling short against Bayley and Lyra Valkyria.
On May 2, 2025, Baszler was released by WWE, ending Pure Fusion Collective and leaving Stark as a singles competitor on Raw. Just over two weeks later, on the May 19, 2025, episode of Raw, Stark suffered a scary moment during a triple threat Money in the Bank qualifier against Rhea Ripley and Kairi Sane, landing awkwardly on her right knee while attempting a missile dropkick from the top rope and being removed from the match. She was subsequently confirmed to be out of action as she recovers from the injury.
Heading into the remainder of 2025, Stark’s outlook centers on rehabilitation and a return to the Raw women’s division, where her track record against top names such as Ripley, Becky Lynch, Natalya, and Nikki Cross positions her for another push upon recovery. Her combination of aerial offense and hard-hitting style should make her a factor in future championship discussions once she is medically cleared.
