Chelsea Green

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Chelsea Green was born on April 4, 1991, and spent part of her childhood in Devon, England, attending primary school there for just over a year. Her mother is British, and Green has stated she holds a British passport. Inspired to become a professional wrestler by WWE star Kelly Kelly, Green began her training in Canada. She made her in-ring debut on May 31, 2014, for Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling (ECCW) under the ring name Jaida. Her first match was a six-person tag team loss at the ECCW Better Than You event, teaming with Brady Malibu and MR2 against Billy Suede, Kenny Lush, and Nicole Matthews. She quickly entered a women's title tournament for the promotion, winning her first-round match against Kaitlin Diamond and advancing to the semi-finals where she defeated Kate Carney in December 2014 at the ECCW Payoff event.

Independent Circuit and Tours of Japan

Before signing with major promotions, Green built a reputation across the global independent scene. In 2016, she toured Japan twice with World Wonder Ring Stardom. Her first tour was planned for three months but was cut short when she suffered a broken collarbone while wrestling in India. Upon returning to Japan later that year, she teamed with Santana Garrett in the 2016 Goddesses of Stardom Tag League. During this second tour, she challenged for the Wonder of Stardom Championship against Kairi Hojo, marking her first singles loss in Japan after an undefeated streak in prior bouts. In February 2017, competing as Laurel Van Ness on the independent scene, she entered the Queens of Combat Tag Team Championship tournament with Taeler Hendrix. They defeated the teams of Aja Perera and Kiera Hogan, then Nevaeh and Rachael Ellering, before winning the titles by defeating The Lucha Sisters (Leva Bates and Mia Yim) at Queens of Combat 18. Her independent profile rose significantly in September 2018 when she performed on the landmark All In pay-per-view, wrestling Britt Baker, Madison Rayne, and Tessa Blanchard in a four-corner survival match.

Impact Wrestling: First Stint as Laurel Van Ness

Green first appeared in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in January 2016 under the name Chelsea, losing to Jade in her debut. The next night at a One Night Only event, she entered a gauntlet battle royal for a Knockouts Championship opportunity but was eliminated by Awesome Kong. She officially signed with the company, later known as Impact Wrestling, in June 2016 and was repackaged with the ring name Laurel Van Ness. She made her televised heel debut on September 29, 2016, defeating Madison Rayne. She began a feud with Allie, attacking her and winning their first match. In late 2016, an on-screen relationship with Braxton Sutter developed, culminating in a wedding segment on February 23, 2017, where Sutter rejected her, professing love for Allie. This led to her adopting a popular 'maniacal' gimmick, characterized by a disheveled appearance, a damaged wedding dress, and carrying a wine bottle. She later briefly turned face in a storyline with Grado before turning heel again by attacking him at Bound for Glory in November 2017. This character evolution culminated in her winning the vacant Impact Knockouts Championship on November 8, 2017, by defeating Rosemary in a tournament final. She successfully defended the title against Allie at Genesis and against Kiera Hogan on television in February 2018. Behind the scenes, Green had planned to leave the company upon her contract's expiration. Impact management, having just placed the title on her, refused to grant an early release. She was officially released in January 2018 after losing the championship to Allie in pre-taped matches to ensure storyline continuity.

Lucha Underground, WWE Tryout, and NXT

In early 2018, Green debuted in Lucha Underground under the name Reklusa. She wrestled in a fatal four-way match in her first appearance and later lost to Pentagón Dark in a main event on October 10, 2018. Following a WWE tryout, Green signed with the company on August 3, 2018, and reported to the Performance Center in October. She made her NXT in-ring debut at a live event on October 26, 2018, using a version of her 'psychotic' gimmick. Her momentum was immediately hampered by injury, as she broke her wrist during her first televised match in March 2019 and required surgery. She returned to live events in June 2019. She made a main roster appearance on the December 23, 2019, edition of Raw, losing to Charlotte Flair. Back in NXT, she was paired with manager Robert Stone in January 2020. She competed in the 2020 women's Royal Rumble match and qualified for a ladder match to determine the number one contender for the NXT Women's Championship by defeating Shotzi Blackheart. The ladder match aired on the April 8, 2020, episode of NXT and was won by Io Shirai. Green fired Robert Stone in May 2020. Following the wind-up of that partnership, WWE had planned to call her up to Raw, but after Paul Heyman left his position as executive director, the plan was scrapped.

SmackDown Debut, Release, and Interpromotional Work

Green finally debuted on SmackDown on November 13, 2020, in a fatal four-way qualifying match against Liv Morgan, Natalya, and Tamina for a spot at Survivor Series. Liv Morgan won the match. After the match, it was revealed Green had broken her wrist again, forcing a change from the planned finish which had Green winning. After months of inactivity, WWE released Green from her contract on April 15, 2021. Shortly after, she made a surprise debut at Ring of Honor's Best in the World pay-per-view on July 11, 2021, introduced by Maria Kanellis-Bennett. She was originally scheduled to compete in the ROH Women's World Championship tournament but could not be medically cleared due to an arm fracture. While recovering, she served as an onscreen commentator for the tournament's first round matches.

Return to Impact Wrestling and Tag Team Success

Green returned to Impact Wrestling on July 17, 2021, at Slammiversary, wrestling under her real name. She teamed with her real-life fiancé Matt Cardona to defeat Brian Myers and Tenille Dashwood in an intergender tag match. In October 2021, she entered the tournament to crown the first Impact Digital Media Champion, defeating Madison Rayne in the first round before losing to Jordynne Grace in the finals at Bound for Glory. On January 8, 2022, she participated in the inaugural Knockouts Ultimate X match at Hard to Kill, which was won by Tasha Steelz. She turned heel in March 2022 by attacking Mickie James after a match. In July 2022, she formed a tag team with Deonna Purrazzo called VXT. They defeated Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace and Mia Yim in their first match together. On August 12, 2022, at the Emergence pre-show, VXT defeated Rosemary and Taya Valkyrie to win the Impact Knockouts World Tag Team Championship. They lost the titles to The Death Dollz (Jessicka, Rosemary, and Taya Valkyrie) at Bound for Glory on October 7, 2022, ending their reign at 56 days. Green wrestled her last match for the company against Mickie James on November 11, 2022, in a losing effort, after which she indicated she was 'going home' in a backstage segment.

WWE Return and Women's Tag Team Championship

Green made a surprise return to WWE at the 2023 Royal Rumble, entering the women's match at number 20. She was eliminated by Rhea Ripley in five seconds, setting a record for the quickest elimination. Assigned to the Raw brand, she adopted a new character often described as a 'Karen'. She teamed with Sonya Deville, and they earned a place in the multi-team women's tag match at WrestleMania 39 by defeating Mia Yim and Candice LeRae on the March 27, 2023, episode of Raw. They were not victorious at WrestleMania 39. After being drafted to Raw in the 2023 draft, the pair broke a five-match losing streak by winning a tag team turmoil match on July 3 for a title opportunity. On July 17, 2023, Green and Deville defeated Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez to win the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, Green's first WWE title. On August 7, Deville suffered an ACL injury and had to relinquish her half of the title. A week later, Piper Niven took one half of the titles and declared herself Green's new partner, with WWE recognizing this as a continuation of the original reign. Green and Niven successfully defended the titles in NXT against Chase University's Thea Hail and Jacy Jayne on October 31, 2023. They lost the titles to Kayden Carter and Katana Chance on the December 18, 2023, episode of Raw, ending their reign as a duo at 126 days and Green's individual reign at 154 days. They failed to regain the titles in a rematch on January 8, 2024.

Inaugural Women's United States Champion and The Green Regime

Green entered the 2024 women's Royal Rumble match at number 14, lasting over 17 minutes before being eliminated by Becky Lynch. After being drafted to SmackDown in the 2024 draft, she made a surprise NXT appearance challenging Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women's Championship but lost. She competed unsuccessfully in the women's Money in the Bank ladder match in Canada in July 2024. Her major breakthrough came in late 2024. On the November 22, 2024, episode of SmackDown, she entered the tournament to crown the inaugural Women's United States Champion, defeating Blair Davenport and WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair in a triple threat preliminary match. After defeating Bayley in the semifinals, she advanced to the finals at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14, 2024, where she defeated Michin to become the first-ever Women's United States Champion. This made her and her husband Matt Cardona the first married couple to hold the men's and women's United States Championships. She adopted a 'head of state' gimmick with Niven acting as her bodyguard in a group dubbed The Secret Hervice. She successfully defended the title against Michin in a rematch on January 10, 2025. At the 2025 Royal Rumble, she entered at number 5, lasted over 26 minutes, and eliminated Lash Legend and B-Fab before being inadvertently eliminated by Piper Niven. She retained the title against Michin in a Philadelphia Street Fight on March 7, 2025, after interference from Alba Fyre, who joined the stable. The group was then named The Green Regime. Green successfully defended the title against Sol Ruca on NXT on March 18, 2025. She lost the Women's United States Championship to Zelina Vega on the April 25, 2025, episode of SmackDown, ending her first reign at 132 days. She failed to regain it from Vega at Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIX on May 24, 2025, suffering a nose injury during the match. She won the title a second time on the November 7, 2025, episode of SmackDown by defeating Giulia, simultaneously holding the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship. She lost the Women's United States Championship back to Giulia on the January 2, 2026, episode of SmackDown after interference from Kiana James, ending her second reign at 56 days.

AAA Success and WWE Women's Champion

Parallel to her WWE career, Green performed for Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA). On November 2, 2025, at AAA's Day of the Dead event, she and Ethan Page defeated La Hiedra and Mr. Iguana to win the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship. They lost the titles to Mr. Iguana and Lola Vice on the February 7, 2026, episode of AAA on Fox, ending their reign at 97 days. The pinnacle of Green's career arrived in 2026 when she captured the WWE Women's Championship. She won an interim version of the title by winning a ladder match at the SummerSlam 2026 event. Following the departure of Alba Fyre from WWE in April 2026 and the injury of Piper Niven in late 2025, Green formed a face alliance with Tiffany Stratton. As of 2026, Green is the reigning WWE Women's Champion, having successfully defended the title against challengers including Liv Morgan. Her current character combines her confident, outspoken persona with her proven championship pedigree, solidifying her status as a top star on the SmackDown brand.

Personal Life and Public Persona

Chelsea Green is married to fellow professional wrestler Matt Cardona, who is best known for his WWE tenure as Zack Ryder. The couple wed in 2021. Green is open about her fitness and nutrition regimen, sharing high-protein recipes for maintaining energy and aiding recovery, such as a high-protein air fryer bowl. She has participated in community initiatives, such as visiting the Boys and Girls Club. She maintains a strong connection to her Canadian roots, having grown up in Calgary, Alberta. Her public persona is defined by a confident, entitled character, often asking 'Do you know who I am?' which has become a signature catchphrase during her WWE tenure.

Questions about Chelsea Green

What is The Green Regime?

The Green Regime was a faction led by Chelsea Green during her time as WWE Women's United States Champion in 2024 and 2025. It initially consisted of Green and her bodyguard Piper Niven, dubbed The Secret Hervice. The group later expanded to include Alba Fyre. The stable was built around Green's 'head of state' gimmick and was involved in her championship feuds before disbanding.

Where was Chelsea Green born and raised?

Chelsea Green is Canadian. She briefly lived in the United Kingdom as a child, attending a primary school in Devon for a little over a year. Her mother's side is British, and she holds a British passport. She later pursued professional wrestling in Canada and internationally.

How did Chelsea Green start her wrestling career?

Chelsea Green began her professional wrestling career on the independent circuit in Canada. Her first match was on May 31, 2014, for Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling under the ring name Jaida. She also toured Japan with World Wonder Ring Stardom in 2016. Her early career included appearances in promotions across North America, Mexico, and Asia.

What is Chelsea Green's history with WWE?

Chelsea Green first appeared on WWE television in 2014 and was a contestant on Tough Enough in 2015. She officially signed with WWE in 2018, performing in NXT. After a release in 2021, she returned in 2023. She has won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, the WWE Women's United States Championship twice, and is the current WWE Women's Champion.

What are some of Chelsea Green's notable WWE accomplishments?

Chelsea Green is the current WWE Women's Champion. She is a former two time and inaugural WWE Women's United States Champion, first winning the title on December 14, 2024. She is also a one time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion, winning the titles with Sonya Deville on July 17, 2023. She also held the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship in 2025.

What injuries has Chelsea Green suffered during her career?

Chelsea Green has suffered several wrist and arm injuries. She broke her wrist during her first WWE NXT television match in March 2019. She broke her wrist again on her SmackDown debut in November 2020. In 2021, an arm fracture prevented her from competing in a Ring of Honor tournament.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-20.