Marina Shafir (14 April 1988) is a Moldovan female professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as part of their NXT brand. She formally competed for Invicta Fighting Championships in the women's featherweight division.
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Shafir's earliest fight was at Premier FC 9 - Battle to the Belt, held on 20 May 2012. She defeated Denise Goddard using an armbar submission within the first 0:44 seconds of the first round. Her next bout was at Premier FC 12 - Premier Fighting Championship 12 on 17 November 2012 where she defeated her opponent Becky Lewis by armbar submission. Shafir returned in 2013 at Tuff-N-Uff - Mayhem in Mesquite 2 on 23 March, where she defeated Danielle Mack by armbar submission in 0:59 seconds of the first round, her second fastest submission victory. At Tuff-N-Uff - Future Stars of MMA on 29 November 2013, Shafir won a submission victory by using a Triangle Choke to defeat Tabitha Patterson in 0:59 seconds of the first round. Shafir returned in 2014 at U of MMA - Fight Night 5 on 9 February, where she defeated Nicole Upshaw by submission at 1:59 of the first round, her second longest submission victory since her match with Lewis whom she submitted at 2:03. Shafir compiled an undefeated record of 5-0 in her amateur career.
Invicta Fighting Championships
After fighting in two other professional matches during the months of April and August of 2014, Shafir signed with Invicta Fighting Championships. She debuted on 9 July 2015 at Invicta FC 13 - Cyborg vs. Van Duin where she lost to Amber Leibrock by knockout during the first 0:37 seconds of the first round.
Professional wrestling career
World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE
On 7 May 2018 WWE announced that Shafir and Jessamyn Duke had signed with WWE and reported to their Performance Center for training.
NXT (2018-present)
Shafir debuted during the 26 July NXT house show, teaming with Nikki Cross in defeating Aliyah & Rhea Ripley in a tag match. She won her first singles match during the 28 July house show, defeating Aliyah. During the 30 August NXT house show, Shafir teamed with sister MMA fighters Jessamyn Duke & Shayna Baszler in defeating Dakota Kai, Io Shirai & Nikki Cross. During the 14 September house show Shafir, Duke and Shayna Baszler defeated Dakota Kai, Io Shirai and Kairi Sane in a rematch. During the 22 September house show, Shafir, Duke and Baszler defeated Dakota Kai, Candice LeRae and Kairi Sane in a third rematch. The following week during the 27 September house show, Shafir, Duke and Baszler defeated Io Shirai & Kairi Sane & Xia Li. During the following night's house show, Shafir competed in a number one contendership battle royal for the WWE United Kingdom Women's Championship, ending with Jessie Elaban winning the match. On the next night's house show on 29 September, Shafir and Jessamyn Duke won a traditional two-on-two tag match, defeating MJ Jenkins & Taynara Conti. Shafir returned the following month during the 4 October house show, teaming with Jessamyn Duke in defeating Candice LeRae & Dakota Kai in a tag match. Two nights later on 6 October, Shafir and Jessamyn Duke defeated Dakota Kai & Mia Yim. Shafir teamed once more with Jessamyn Duke & Shayna Baszler during the 12 October house show, where they defeated the triad of Io Shirai, Jessie Elaban & Lacey Lane. During the following night's house show Shafir teamed with Jessamyn Duke during which they endured their first tag team defeat of the month to Io Shirai & Mia Yim by means of disqualification. They finished the month, avenging their previous defeat at the 19 October house show, during with Shafir and Duke along with Shayna Baszler won a tag team rematch defeating Io Shirai, Mia Yim and third teammate Kairi Sane.
Shafir returned the following month for the 1 November house show during which she and Jessamyn Duke defeated Dakota Kai & Kairi Sane. Shafir and Duke repeated this in their next two rematches held during the 3 November and 15 November Live event. Shafir and Duke sustained their first loss of the month during the 28 November NXT tapings, during which they were defeated by their rival Dakota Kai and Io Shirai. Shafir and her teammates Jessamyn Duke & Shayna Baszler finished the month with a tag match during the 30 November house show defeating Lacey Lane, Mia Yim & MJ Jenkins. Returning the following month at the 6 December house show, Shafir & Duke lost their first tag match of the match once more against Dakota Kai and her tag partner Kairi Sane. At the following night's house show. Two nights later during the 9 December house show, Shafir teamed with Shayna Baszler, avenging their teams previous losses, defeating Candice LeRae & Kairi Sane.
The following year, Shafir returned for the 18 January 2019 house show, teaming with Shayna Baszler in a Fatal Four-Way Elimination match against Io Shirai & Kairi Sane, Aliyah & Vanessa Borne and Mia Yim & Xia Li. At the following night's house show Shafir and Baszler lost a tag team match to Bianca Belair & Kairi Sane. The following week, Shafir returned with Jessamyn Duke at the 24 January house show, in a tag match lost against Io Shirai & Kairi Sane. At the following night's house show, Shafir teamed with Jessamyn Duke and Shayna Baszler in a tag match lost against Candice LeRae, Io Shirai & Kairi Sane.
In wrestling
- Finishers
- Signature moves
- Entrance Music
- Nicknames
- "The Supernova From Moldova"
- Managers and valets
- Teams and stables
- Four Horsewomen - w/ Ronda Rousey, Jessamyn Duke and Shayna Baszler
Championships and accomplishments
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked her #72 in the 2019 PWI Top 100 Females
