Dana Brooke

Dana Brooke
Ashley Mae Sebera (born November 29, 1988) is an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder, gymnast, fitness competitor, and model. She is best known for her time in WWE from 2013 to 2023, where she performed under the ring name Dana Brooke and was a 15-time WWE 24/7 Champion.
In July 2013, Sebera signed a contract with WWE and was assigned to the WWE Performance Center and the developmental brand NXT in Orlando, Florida. She allied herself with Emma before being promoted to the main roster on Raw in 2016, where she began allying herself with Charlotte Flair and then with Titus Worldwide alongside Apollo Crews and Titus O'Neil. She began appearing more frequently following her move to SmackDown in 2019 where she was placed in a program alongside Lacey Evans, feuding with Bayley and Sasha Banks. That same year, she re-signed with WWE for an additional five years. In 2020, she returned to the Raw brand and formed a tag team with Mandy Rose until Rose was sent back to NXT. In June 2023, she began appearing in NXT again until she was released from her WWE contract in September.
Early life
Ashley Mae Sebera was born on November 29, 1988, in the Cleveland suburb of Seven Hills, Ohio.
Sebera started working as a diver and gymnastics that transitioned into bodybuilding and fitness competition for 18 years until she discontinued after severely injuring both her ankles. In early 2011, Sebera graduated from Kent State University (KSU), earning a major degree of fashion, merchandising and design, and a minor degree of business administration. She used her fashion qualification to open her own boutique.
Bodybuilding and fitness career
After she held several championships in the National Physique Committee (NPC), and earned a pro card at the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness (IFBB) between 2011 and 2012, Sebera competed at the Arnold Classic, including finishing on the twelfth in 2013, finishing on the thirteenth in 2015, and finishing on the fourteenth in 2016.
Professional wrestling career
WWE (2013–2023)
NXT (2013–2016)
Sebera signed a contract with WWE in July 2013, and was assigned to WWE Performance Center and developmental brand NXT in Orlando, Florida, where she adopted her ring name Dana Brooke. At NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way, Brooke made her first appearance for the brand in a backstage segment with Tyler Breeze. A week later, Brooke made her professional wrestling in–ring debut, where she was teaming with Sasha Banks in a losing effort against Alexa Bliss and Bayley in a tag-team match at an NXT live event.
Brooke made her first televised in-ring debut on the April 15, 2015, episode of NXT, defeating Blue Pants. Brooke was given the entrance theme music titled "Respectful" by CFO$. In the midst of this ongoing feud between Bayley and Emma, Brooke defeated Bayley with a help from Emma on the April 29 episode of NXT, prompting Brooke to form this alliance with Emma. At NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable, Brooke and Emma lost to Bayley and Charlotte after Charlotte pinned Emma. Brooke competed in a fatal–four way match on the August 22 taping of NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn (aired on the August 26 episode of NXT), where Brooke lost after Emma picked up the victory by pinning Becky Lynch.
Since September 23 episode of NXT, Brooke alongside Emma had been feuding with Asuka with Brooke losing to Asuka in Asuka's first singles match for the brand at NXT TakeOver: Respect, and Emma losing to Asuka at NXT TakeOver: London.
On the March 23, 2016, episode of NXT, Brooke was in the corner for Emma, while Emma faced Asuka in their NXT TakeOver: London rematch and lost, and this would be Brooke's final appearance for the brand.
Raw (2016–2019)
Brooke made her main roster debut on the May 9, 2016, episode of Raw, where she assisted Emma to attack Lynch backstage and then three days later, on SmackDown, Brooke defeated Lynch with a help from Emma in Brooke's first singles match on the main roster. Just a few days later, Brooke's association with Emma ended abruptly after Emma suffered a legit back injury during at the WWE's live event. At Extreme Rules on May 22, Brooke interfered in the Women's Championship match between Charlotte and Natalya, costing Natalya's chance to regain the title. The next night on Raw, Brooke aligned herself with Charlotte, whom on this night has turned on her father Ric Flair.
Brooke and Charlotte began feuding with Banks. As part of the WWE draft on July 19, 2016, Brooke was drafted to Raw The next night on Raw after Summerslam, Brooke and Charlotte began feuding with Bayley, but continued feuding with Banks. In October 2016, Brooke started her own feud with Bayley after the two had a backstage confrontation, whom she defeated by using the ropes for leverage on the October 17 episode of Raw, until the rematch between the two features Brooke losing to Bayley at Hell in a Cell on October 30.
On the March 13, 2017, episode of Raw, Brooke lost to Banks and then was being berated by multiple insults by Charlotte, Brooke turned face for the first time in her career when she attacked Flair and ended her association with her. However, a week later, Brooke lost to Flair. Brooke's feud with Charlotte ended after Charlotte was drafted to SmackDown during the 2017's Superstar Shake-up.
Towards the end of 2017, Brooke aligned herself with the faction, called "Titus Worldwide" alongside Apollo Crews and Titus O'Neil. At 2018's Royal Rumble pay-per view, Brooke competed in the first ever 30–women Royal Rumble match, entering at number 8 and eliminating NXT's Kairi Sane, only to be eliminated by Torrie Wilson, lasting over 2:59. At WrestleMania 34's kickoff show, Brooke made her WrestleMania debut, where she competed in the inaugural WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal and was eliminated by Mandy Rose. On the September 3 episode of Raw, Brooke was teaming with Ember Moon to take on against Banks and Bayley in a tag-team match, and she and her partner lost when a distraction from Crews and O'Neil causes Brooke to get pinned by Banks, in which led to Brooke ending her association with Crews and O'Neil.
After disbanding with the faction in the early September, Brooke has been a bit of a losing streak before taking part at the first-ever all women's pay–per–view, called Evolution, where she competed in the battle royal for a future women's championship match, where she lost after being eliminated by Moon. At 2019's Royal Rumble pay-per view, Brooke competed in the second women's Royal Rumble match, where she entered at number 22 and lasted 7:17, but was eliminated by NXT UK's Rhea Ripley. On the March 11 episode of Raw, Brooke confronted the Raw Women's Champion Ronda Rousey for disrespecting wrestling and challenging her to a title match until Rousey accepts by attacking Brooke. The following week on Raw, Brooke lost to Rousey in over a few seconds, who the latter successfully retained her Raw Women's title. Brooke talked about that the promo with Rousey was a Paul Heyman-inspired shoot promo that enabled her to express her actual frustrations and her true feelings.
At WrestleMania 35's kickoff show, Brooke competed the second WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal, where despite scoring two eliminations, Brooke was being eliminated by Sonya Deville. After defeating Tamina and Ruby Riott on Main Event in mid-April, during "A Moment of Bliss" on the April 29 episode of Raw, Bliss announced Brooke as one of the participants for the women's Money in the Bank ladder match but at 2019's Money in the Bank pay-per view, she was unsuccessful at winning the women's MITB ladder match.
Brooke began feuding with Sarah Logan on Main Event, where the two traded wins with one another. Their feud involved an incident where Brooke was injured via cut on her head in their match on June 18, 2019.
SmackDown (2019–2020)
On October 16, Brooke was drafted to SmackDown as part of the 2019's WWE draft. In line with Brooke's move to the brand, she began receiving more television time and showcased her improved skill and move-sets. On the November 8 episode of SmackDown, Brooke and Carmella defeated Rose and Deville to qualify as part of Team SmackDown at Survivor Series. At 2019's Survivor Series pay-per view, Team SmackDown lost to Team NXT.
In December 2019, Brooke revealed that she had signed a five-year multi-deal to remain with WWE. Brooke was an entrant in the third women's Royal Rumble match at the 2020 pay-per-view.
Brooke was scheduled to take part in the SmackDown Women's Championship match at WrestleMania 36, however, the match had to be changed with her being taken out of that match due to Brooke being quarantining as a precautionary measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. On the April 17 episode of SmackDown, Brooke defeated Naomi to qualify for the women's Money in the Bank ladder match at the 2020 pay-per-view. Brooke took part in the women's Money in the Bank ladder match. Brooke did not win.
Return to Raw (2020–2023)
Brooke was traded back to Raw on September 28, 2020, but suffered a legitimate injury on November, which resulted in Brooke being pulled from their upcoming involvement during the 2020 Survivor Series pay-per-view event. To remove Brooke from the event, writers worked an angle in which Brooke was attacked by Reckoning, leaving her unable to compete. On November 30, Brooke defeated Reckoning in singles competition.
Brooke and Rose participated in the "Tag Team Turmoil" event at WrestleMania 37. On May 3, Charlotte defeated Brooke via submission. On May 10, Brooke, Rose and Asuka defeated Baszler, Jax and Charlotte in a tag team match. A feud with Tamina and Natalya resulted in Rose being defeated by the latter at Hell in a Cell. On the June 28 edition of Raw, Brooke and Rose teamed with Rhea Ripley but were defeated by Charlotte, Tamina and Natalya.
WWE also debuted a new entrance theme for Brooke, titled "See You" which is performed by Def Rebel. In October 2021, Brooke entered the Queen's Crown tournament, where she lost to Shayna Baszler in the first round. On the November 22 episode of Raw, Brooke pinned Cedric Alexander to win the WWE 24/7 Championship, her first title win in WWE. During the following months, Brooke was involved in several sotrylines around the title, which she won 15 times. WWE continued to feature Brooke in comedic backstage vignettes including Reggie, Tamina and Tozawa. On March 29, 2022, that storyline progressed with Brooke's getting engaged to Reggie. As part of the storyline, Brooke requested a divorce from Reggie, after he attempted to pin her. On May 31, Brooke lost the championship after she was pinned by Tamina.
On June 6, 2023, episode of NXT, Brooke made a surprise return to NXT after 7 years. She participated in a number one contender battle royal for the NXT Women's Championship, where she was in the final three but was eliminated by Thea Hail. On September 21, 2023, Brooke was released from her WWE contract along with several other talents, ending her decade-long tenure with the company.
Other media
Brooke appeared in seven WWE video games, starting with WWE 2K17, and subsequently in WWE 2K18, WWE 2K19, WWE 2K20, WWE 2K22, and WWE 2K23 and was included as DLC in WWE 2K Battlegrounds.
Two action figures of Brooke have been produced over the years. She has appeared in the 68th and 81st series of Mattel wrestling action figures. She has also been featured on numerous Topps branded collectible trading cards.
Personal life
Sebera was in a relationship with fellow American bodybuilder Dallas McCarver until his death on August 22, 2017. From 2018 to 2019, she dated NBA professional basketball player Enes Kanter Freedom. She is now in a relationship with Cuban boxer Ulysses Diaz. In July 2021, Sebera and Diaz got engaged. In June 2022, Sebera was involved in a non-fatal car crash. The accident forced her to miss her wrestling commitments with WWE. She later revealed that the car accident was "bad" but she would recover quickly.
Championships and accomplishments
Bodybuilding
National Physique Committee
World Amateur Bodybuilding Championship (1 silver)
Mr. Olympia
Female Image Award (2017)
Best Female of the Year (2017)
Professional wrestling
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Ranked No. 26 of the top 50 female wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2016
WWE
WWE 24/7 Championship (15 times)
References
External links
1988 births
Living people
American female bodybuilders
American female professional wrestlers
Fitness and figure competitors
Kent State University alumni
Professional wrestling managers and valets
Professional wrestlers from Ohio
People from Seven Hills, Ohio
21st-century American women
WWE 24/7 Champions
21st-century female professional wrestlers