Stephanie Hym Bell (April 16, 1989) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Mia Yim. In Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) under the ring name Jade she is a one-time TNA Women's Knockout Champion.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (2009–2011)
A fan of professional wrestling since childhood, she began training at a wrestling school in Manassas, Virginia at the age of 18, while attending college. She trained for eighteen months before making her debut on August 22, 2009, and initially worked primarily for independent promotions in Virginia. After taking bookings outside of Virginia, she wrestled for Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW), facing wrestlers including Annie Social, Angeldust, and Brittany Force. During this time, she met Daizee Haze, through whom she began training at the Ring of Honor (ROH) Wrestling Academy and working for ROH. In ROH, she performed valet duties for The Embassy, beginning in 2011. Yim also wrestled sporadically for ROH, taking on MsChif and Sara Del Rey. In addition, she worked for the International Wrestling Cartel, Real Championship Wrestling, Northeast Wrestling, and Maryland Championship Wrestling during her early years in wrestling.
After leaving college, Yim received an invitation to train and wrestle in Japan with Universal Woman's Pro Wrestling Reina in 2011. Through Reina's relationship with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, Yim also learned Mexican lucha libre.
Combat Zone Wrestling (2010–2012)
After training with DJ Hyde in the Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) school, Yim began working for CZW as a villainous manager for Adam Cole. Debuting at Cage of Death II in December 2010, the two were presented as a storyline couple, and Yim regularly interfered in Cole's matches to help him win. After helping Cole gain a victory over Greg Excellent at Down With The Sickness 2011 in September, Excellent began feuding with the pair. As part of the storyline, Yim faced Excellent in an intergender match at Night Of Infamy 10: Ultimatum in November. After losing a rematch in January 2012, Yim challenged Excellent to a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match at Aerial Assault 2012; Yim won the match to conclude the feud. She made only two more appearances for CZW that year before leaving the promotion.
SHINE Wrestling (2012-2016)
Yim debuted for Shine Wrestling at their second show in August 2012, defeating Sassy Stephie. Throughout 2012 and 2013 she faced wrestlers including Jessicka Havok and Tina San Antonio, before entering the tournament to determine the inaugural SHINE Champion. She defeated Mercedes Martinez at SHINE 10 in May 2013 to qualify for the tournament, and at SHINE 11, she defeated Leva Bates and Ivelisse Velez en route to the final, where she lost to Rain. As part of Shine, she also appeared for Evolve, taking on Velez and Su Yung in showcase matches.
On February 28, 2014, at SHINE 17, Yim teamed with Leva Bates during the Shine Tag Team Championship tournament, forming the tag team The Lucha Sisters. The Lucha Sisters defeated Cherry Bomb and Kimber Lee and Sassy Stephie and Jessie Belle Smothers en route to the final, where they defeated Made In Sin (Allysin Kay and Taylor Made) to become the inaugural SHINE Tag Team Champions. They successfully defended the championship against Nevaeh and Sassy Stephie and against the team of Evie and Madison Eagles at SHINE 18, but lost it to Legendary (Malia Hosaka and Brandi Wine) at SHINE 20 on June 27. The Lucha Sisters failed to regain the title in a rematch in August at SHINE 21.
On November 16, 2014, during the WWNLive tour in China, Yim defeated Ivelisse Vélez to win the Shine Championship, making her the first woman to have held both the Shine Championship and Shine Tag Team Championship. At SHINE 26 on April 3, 2015, Yim lost the championship to NWA World Women's Champion Santana Garrett in a Title vs. Title match. She failed to regain the title from Santana at SHINE 27 on the following month.
At SHINE 28 on July 24, Yim competed in a losing effort against Allysin Kay, after Leva Bates' attempt to help Yim backfired. After the match, Yim shoved Bates and blamed her for the loss. Despite this, Yim and Bates banded back together and defeated Valifornia's Andréa and Jayme Jameson at SHINE 29.
SHIMMER Women Athletes (2013-2018)
Yim made her debut for Shimmer Women Athletes on April 6, 2013, at Volume 53 with a loss to Amazing Kong. She earned her first victory at SHIMMER Women Athletes Volume 56 later that month against Evie, before a series of losses to Jessicka Havok, Hikaru Shida, and Madison Eagles After victories over Melanie Cruise, Angie Skye, and Hikaru Shida, Yim unsuccessfully challenged Cheerleader Melissa for the Shimmer Championship at SHIMMER Women Athletes Volume 65 in April 2014. Yim finished out 2014 facing wrestlers including Ray, Akino, and Tsukasa Fujimoto.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2013–2017)
Yim appeared for TNA's first Knockouts Knockdown event on September 6, 2013 and was defeated by Tara. She appeared at Knockouts Knockdown II on November 7, 2014 and defeated Brittany to advance to the gauntlet battle royal, which was won by Madison Rayne. On July 1, 2015, Yim appeared as a villainous character at Knockouts Knockdown III and was defeated by Brooke.
Yim debuted on the full-time roster as Jade along with Marti Bell, known collectively as The Doll House, on the April 24, 2015 episode of Impact Wrestling in a match against Laura Dennis. She lost the match by DQ when Bell attacked the referee. Later that night, Jade and Bell helped Taryn Terrell retain her TNA Knockouts Championship against Awesome Kong, with Terrell joining The Dollhouse in the process. The Dollhouse wrestled their first match as a team on the May 8 episode of Impact Wrestling, where they defeated Awesome Kong and Gail Kim in a 3–on–2 handicap match. Jade and Bell would regularly interfere in Terrell's championship matches and ensure the win for her. At Slammiversary XIII, The Dollhouse lost to Awesome Kong and Brooke in another 3-on-2 handicap match. On the July 15 episode of Impact Wrestling, Terrell lost the championship to Brooke, after Gail Kim returned and attacked Jade, causing a distraction. On the Turning Point special episode of Impact Wrestling on August 19, Jade and Bell competed in a 2-on-1 handicap six sides of steel cage match against Gail Kim, which Kim would win. On the following week, Jade and Bell attacked Velvet Sky during a Knockouts Championship match between herself and Brooke. They were joined by Rebel, who joined The Dollhouse. On March 1, 2017, Jade departure from Impact Wrestling.
World Wrestling Entertainment (2017, 2018-2021)
On June 13, Mia Yim competed in the 2017 Mae Young Classic advancing in the first round after eliminating Sarah Logan. She was later eliminated in the second round by Shayna Baszler. Yim later returned to compete in the 2018 Mae Young Classic held on August 8. She advanced in the first round after eliminating Allysin Kay. The following day on August 9, Yim advanced in the second round after eliminating the returning Kaitlyn. She was later eliminated in the quarterfinal by Toni Storm.
It was reported October 17, 2018, that World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) signed a total of seven athletes to train at the WWE Performance Center. Among them, Yim was signed.
NXT (2018-2020)
Yim debuted as early as September 29, in a house show where she defeated NXT regular Aliyah. She returned for the October 6 house show where she teamed with New Zealand recruit Dakota Kai in a tag match lost to the mixed martial artist team of Marina Shafir & Shayna Baszler. The following week during the October 12 house show, lost her first singles match to Vanessa Borne. At the following night's house show Yim teamed with Io Shirai in defeating Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir after the rookie duo of Duke and Shafir were disqualified. A week later, Yim returned for the October 17 Tapings, defeating Aliyah in a rematch, before later losing a match against rookie Bianca Belair. She returned two nights later for the October 19 house show, teaming with Io Shirai and Kairi Sane in a tag match lost to the all-mixed martial arts triad of Jessamyn Duke, Marina Shafir & Shayna Baszler.
The following month during the November 28 taping (aired during the December 12 episode of NXT), Yim competed in a No. 1 Contendership Qualifying match defeating Reina Gonzalez. In a later taping that night, Yim was featured competing in a No. 1 Contendership Fatal Four-Way match for the NXT Women's Championship against Bianca Belair, Io Shirai and Lacey Evans. She finished the month with a tag match during the November 29 house show, teaming with Dakota Kai in defeating Aliyah & Chelsea Green. During the following night's house show, Yim teamed with Lacey Lane and MJ Jenkins in a tag match lost to Jessamyn Duke, Marina Shafir & Shayna Baszler. She returned the following month for the December 1 house show, teaming with Nikki Cross in a tag match defeating Lacey Evans & Vanessa Borne. Six nights later, Yim returned for the December 7 house show, in a triple threat match competing against Lacey Evans and Io Shirai. During the December 13 house show, Yim won her final singles match of the year, defeating Jessamyn Duke. Her final match of the year was during the December 15 house show teaming with Kairi Sane in a tag match lost to Jessamyn Duke & Shayna Baszler.
The following year, Yim returned for the January 4, 2019 house show, during which she defeated sister NXT recruit Deonna Purrazzo.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Seoul Food (Inverted stomp facebreaker, in tribute to Gail Kim)
- Kneebar - 2017
- Package piledriver
- SkyYim (Diving corkscrew moonsault) - early career
- Protect Ya Neck (Arm-trap inverted overdrive)
- Signature moves
- 450 splash
- Cannonball
- Enzugiri
- German suplex
- K.I.D. (rolling guillotine, in tribute to Kid Yamamoto)
- Pele kick
- Seoul Kick (Spinning back kick)
- Sitout powerbomb
- STO
- Tarantula
- Yakuza kick
- With Marti Bell
- Double team finishing moves
- Homewrecker (Double crucifix powerbomb)
- Double team finishing moves
- Managers
- Tag teams and stables
- The Embassy (w/ Prince Nana, Mr. Ernesto Osiris, Tommaso Ciampa & RD Evans) (ROH)
- The Doll House (w/ Taryn Terrell & Marti Belle) (TNA)
- RETRIBUTION
- Entrance themes
Championships and accomplishments
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked her #41 in the 2013 PWI Top 50 Females
- PWI ranked her #20 in the 2014 PWI Top 50 Females
- PWI ranked her #26 in the 2015 PWI Top 50 Females
- PWI ranked her #6 in the 2016 PWI Top 50 Females
- PWI ranked her #16 in the 2017 PWI Top 50 Females
- PWI ranked her #38 in the 2018 PWI Top 100 Females
- PWI ranked her #25 in the 2019 PWI Top 100 Females
- PWI ranked her #133 in the 2022 PWI Top 150 Females
- PWI ranked her #224 in the 2023 PWI Top 250 Females
- SHINE Wrestling
- SHINE Championship (1 time)
- SHINE Tag Team Championship (1 time, with Leva Bates)
- Big Time Wrestling
- BTW Women's Championship (1 time)
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA FUW Women's Championship (1 time)
External links
2015 PWI Top 50 Females |
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Nikki Bella • Paige • Sasha Banks • Santana Garrett • Gail Kim • Charlotte • Naomi • Cherry Bomb • Courtney Rush • Taryn Terrell • Bayley • Brie Bella • Sexy Star • Cheerleader Melissa • Lufisto • Nicole Matthews • Becky Lynch • Kimber Lee • Natalya • Jessicka Havok • Awesome Kong • Candice LeRae • Brooke • Athena • Ivelisse • Jade • Madison Rayne • Leva Bates • Barbi Hayden • Angelina Love • Emma • Saraya Knight • Veda Scott • Velvet Sky • Madison Eagles • Kay Lee Ray • Marti Belle • Kellie Skater • Nikki Storm • Evie • Heidi Lovelace • Tessa Blanchard • Portia Perez • Alicia Fox • Cat Power • Crazy Mary Dobson • Xandra Bale • La Rosa Negra • Malia Hosaka • Vanessa Kraven |
2016 PWI Top 50 Females |
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Charlotte Flair • Sasha Banks • Asuka • Becky Lynch • Bayley • Jade • Natalya • Gail Kim • Sexy Star • Sienna • Ivelisse • Madison Eagles • Nicole Savoy • Rosemary • Allie • Nicole Matthews • Kimber Lee • Candice LeRae • Paige • Heidi Lovelace • Evie • Cheerleader Melissa • Nia Jax • Santana Garrett • Naomi • Dana Brooke • Madison Rayne • Kay Lee Ray • Alexa Bliss • Lufisto • Amber Gallows • Marti Belle • Emma • Taylor Made • Vanessa Kraven • Su Yung • Ember Moon • Tessa Blanchard • Jessicka Havok • Shayna Baszler • Crazy Mary Dobson • Malia Hosaka • Thunder Rosa • Carmella • KC Spinelli • Veda Scott • Jessica James • Xandra Bale • Kaitlin Diemond • Eva Marie |
2017 PWI Top 50 Females |
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Asuka • Charlotte Flair • Alexa Bliss • Sasha Banks • Bayley • Io Shirai • Natalya • Sienna • Naomi • Kairi Sane • Mercedes Martinez • Shayna Baszler • Rosemary • LuFisto • Mayu Iwantani • Mia Yim • Allie • Ember Moon • Becky Lynch • Madison Eagles • Nicole Savoy • Nia Jax • Candice LeRae • Toni Storm • Hiroyo Matsumoto • Chelsea Green • Saraya Knight • Shazza McKenzie • Kay Lee Ray • Mickie James • Dakota Kai • Nicole Matthews • Alex Windsor • Deonna Purrazzo • Abbey Laith • Risa Sera • Viper • Carmella • Ruby Riot • Nikki Cross • Vanessa Kraven • Santana Garrett • Tessa Blanchard • Arisa Nakajima • Lady Lory • Shotzi Blackheart • Veda Scott • Alpha Female • Marti Belle • Zoey Skye |
WWE Mae Young Classic 2017 contestants |
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Abbey Laith • Ayesha Ray • Bianca Belair • Candice LeRae • Dakota Kai • Jazzy Gabert • Kairi Sane • Kavita Devi • Kay Lee Ray • Lacey Evans • Marti Belle • Mercedes Martinez • Mia Yim • Miranda Salinas • Nicole Savoy • Piper Niven • Princesa Sugehit • Rachel Evers • Reina Gonzalez • Renee Michelle • Rhea Ripley • Sage Beckett • Santana Garrett • Sarah Logan • Serena Deeb • Shayna Baszler • Taynara Conti • Tessa Blanchard • Toni Storm • Vanessa Borne • Xia Li • Zeda |