Zaria (wrestler)
Zaria | |
---|---|
Birth name | Daria Hodder[1] |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Delta[2] Delta Brady[2] Zaria[2] |
Billed from | Adelaide, South Australia |
Daria Hodder[1] is an Australian professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE, where she performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Zaria.
She began on the Australian independent circuit with the ring name Delta, mostly for Riot City Wrestling (RCW) and Melbourne City Wrestling (MCW). She is a former two-time RCW Tag Team Champion with her older brother, Dean Brady, the final holder of both the RCW Championship and RCW Women's Championship and the first holder of the RCW Grand Championship.
Professional wrestling career
[edit]Independent circuit (2020–2024)
[edit]Delta credits her older brother, fellow Australian wrestler Dean Brady, with sparking her passion to begin professional wrestling after watching him at a Riot City Wrestling (RCW) show.[3] After a successful tryout with RCW, she made her debut on 31 December 2020, teaming with Brady to defeat Cayden Cornell and Savannah Summers.[4] After this, Delta would focus on singles competition in RCW's Women's division, making many unsuccessful attempts at the RCW Women's Championship. After wrestling each other for the first time in July 2021, Brady and Delta would form a tag team, initially called The Bradys, they would later change their name to Brady LTD. Together they would win the RCW Tag Team Championship on two separate occasions. Delta would also win the MCW Women's Championship twice, and would become the first woman to hold the MCW Intercommonwealth Championship. She would then become the first woman to hold the RCW Championship.[5]
On 12 April 2024, Delta challenged Jordynne Grace for the TNA Knockouts Championship at Oceania Pro Wrestling's H.E.R. event.[6] On 18 May 2024, after losing the RCW Grand Championship, Delta announced that she would wrestle her final match in Australia at RCW's Heavy Is The Crown 2024, on 6 July against her brother, Dean Brady, as she would be leaving to wrestle in America following that match.
WWE (2024–present)
[edit]In February 2024, Delta took part in the WWE tryouts held in Perth, Western Australia before Elimination Chamber: Perth. On 1 October 2024 episode of NXT, a vignette aired showing Delta walking down a road, looking at road signs for Exit 10 and Route 27, implying her debut on 27 October at NXT Halloween Havoc.[7] Over the weeks, more vignettes were aired. On 22 October episode of NXT, a vignette aired revealing her new ring name as Zaria. She made her debut later that same night following the main event.[8][7] At NXT Halloween Havoc, she first appeared after Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer defeated NXT Women's Champion Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade, looking over the ring from the crowd. Later that night, Zaria interrupted and attacked new NXT Women's North American Champion Fallon Henley and her Fatal Influence stablemates, Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx.[9]
Zaria made her NXT in-ring debut on 29 October episode of NXT, quickly defeating Brinley Reece. Following the match, Fatal Influence, Jade and Perez surrounded the ring. Before they could attack, Zaria was joined by Giulia, Vaquer, Kelani Jordan and Jordynne Grace. A brawl quickly ensued, setting up a ten-woman tag team match for NXT 2300.[10] Later in the night, Zaria, Jordan, Vaquer, Giulia, and Grace were joined in the locker room by Rhea Ripley (who had previously publicly endorsed Zaria).[11] At NXT 2300 on 6 November, Zaria won the match for her team after pinning Perez.[12]
Championships and accomplishments
[edit]- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Riot City Wrestling
- RCW Championship (1 time, final)[14]
- RCW Grand Championship (1 time, inaugural)[15]
- RCW Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Dean Brady[16]
- RCW Women's Championship (1 time, final)[17]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Brennan, Ben (2 October 2024). "Fourth Adelaide export on brink of US stardom as WWE drops cryptic Delta video". The Advertiser. Retrieved 2 November 2024.(subscription required)
- ^ a b c Lambert, Jeremy (22 October 2024). "Zaria, Formerly Delta, Debuts On WWE NXT". Fightful. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
- ^ Apps, Jamie (25 March 2024). "Delta – Australia's next international wrestling superstar". Pario Magazine. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "DELTA". Cagematch. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ Harding, David (12 November 2023). "Delta Becomes First Female To Win RCW Championship". PWDownunder.com. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ Beeton, Samuel (11 April 2024). "Starrcast Downunder Card Preview: Australian Stampede & HER". PWDownunder.com. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ a b Lambert, Jeremy (1 October 2024). "DELTA Vignette Airs On WWE NXT". Fightful. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ Pulido, Luis (22 October 2024). "WWE NXT (10/22/2024) Results: Stephanie Vaquer & Giulia Team Up, Trick Williams, Damage CTRL, More". Fightful. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Tessier, Colin (27 October 2024). "ZARIA Makes Appearance At NXT Halloween Havoc, Attacks Fatal Influence". Fightful. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
- ^ Pulidio, Luis (29 October 2024). "WWE NXT (10/29/2024) Results: ZARIA Makes In-Ring Debut, Two Title Matches, Casket Match, More Set". Fightful. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Brennan, Corey (6 October 2024). "Rhea Ripley And Damian Priest Name DELTA And Oba Femi As NXT Talent They'd Like To Work With". Fightful. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Powell, Jason (6 November 2024). "NXT TV results (11/6): Powell's review of Trick Williams and Bubba Ray Dudley vs. Ethan Page and Ridge Holland, Jordynne Grace, Kelani Jordan, Zaria, Stephanie Vaquer, and Giulia vs. Roxanne Perez, Cora Jade, and Fatal Influence". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Archived from the original on 9 November 2024. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ Ross, Patrick (10 September 2024). "Full 2024 PWI 500 list revealed". AIPT. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "RCW Title Holders". Riot City Wrestling. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "RCW Grand Championship". Riot City Wrestling. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "RCW Tag Team Title Holders". Riot City Wrestling. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "RCW Women's Championship". Riot City Wrestling. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
External links
[edit]- Zaria's profile at Cagematch.net , Wrestlingdata.com , Internet Wrestling Database