Jessika Heiser (born June 25, 1991) is an American professional wrestling referee and former professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Jessika Carr.[1] After signing with the company in 2017, Heiser became the first female WWE referee since the 1980s.[1] She is also known by her ring names Jessie Kaye and Kennadi Brink on the independent circuit.[2] She regularly worked for Maryland Championship Wrestling.[3]
| Jessika Carr | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Carr in 2017 | |
| Birth name | Jessika Heiser |
| Born | June 25, 1991 Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Jessie Kaye Jessika Carr Jessika Heiser Kennadi Brink Kennedy Lewis |
| Billed from | Severn, Maryland Baltimore, Maryland Hollywood, Florida |
| Trained by | Duane Gill Bubba Ray Dudley D-Von Dudley WWE Performance Center |
| Debut | July 2011 |
Early life
As a teenager, Heiser was overweight; she credited her love of wrestling and desire to become a wrestler as "her escape" and her inspiration to change.[4] With help from a local professional wrestler, who was signed to a developmental contract with WWE, she was able to lose over 60 lbs and become an athlete.[4]
Professional wrestling career
Wrestler (2011–2017)
In July 2010, she started training regularly at Duane Gill's Academy of Professional Wrestling in Severn, Maryland.[4] On April 28, 2012, she won the DCW Women's Champion under the ring name Jessie Kaye.[4] On June 2, 2013, she became the inaugural VOW Vixen's Champion.[5] On September 7, 2013, she became the inaugural ECWA Women's Champion.[6] On the October 21, 2016 episode of Women of Honor, Heiser made her Ring of Honor debut under the ring name Kennadi Brink in a match against Rachael Ellering.[7]
Referee (2017–present)
Heiser signed with WWE in 2017 as a referee under the ring name Jessika Carr. She also became WWE's first female referee in decades to make an official debut in WWE history.[1] She also became the first female WWE referee since Rita Chatterton in the 1980s.[8][1] On October 21, 2021, Heiser refereed at Crown Jewel, becoming the first woman to referee in Saudi Arabia, as well as becoming the first female to referee a Hell in a Cell match.[9]
Personal life
Heiser credits The Rock, The Undertaker, Trish Stratus and Mickie James as her influences in professional wrestling.[4]
Championships and accomplishments
- Dynamite Championship Wrestling
- DCW Women's Championship (1 time)[10]
- East Coast Wrestling Association
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked No. 47 of the top 50 female wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2014[11]
- Vicious Outcast Wrestling
- VOW Vixens Championship (1 time)[5]
References
- ^ a b c d Johnson, Mike (June 2, 2017). "WWE's First Female Referee in Decades Makes Official Debut". PWInsider. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ Williams, JJ (June 1, 2017). "NXT Orlando, FL, live results: Referee Kennadi Brink makes her debut". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
- ^ Csonka, Larry (May 16, 2017). "WWE Signs Kennadi Brink". 411Mania. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "Kennadi Brink, Dynamic Indie Wrestler, Always One Step Ahead". Femcompetitor Magazine. May 7, 2017. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- ^ a b "VOW Vixen's Championship". Cagematch. Archived from the original on February 19, 2019. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
- ^ a b "Women's title history". ecwawrestling.com. East Coast Wrestling Association. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ^ ROH, Ring of Honor Wrestling. "Kennadi Brink takes on the debuting Rachael Ellering 10/21/16 Ft. Lauderdale, FL". YouTube. Archived from the original on October 26, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
- ^ Duarte, Jon (November 28, 2019). "Así fue La emotiva despedida de Jessika Carr de NXT". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ Middleton, Marc (October 21, 2021). "WWE Female Referee Makes History At Crown Jewel". Wrestling Inc. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
- ^ "Title History". dcwprowrestling.com. Dynamite Championship Wrestling (DCW). Archived from the original on January 25, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ^ "PWI Ratings for Jessika Carr". Internet Wrestling Database (IWD). Archived from the original on October 30, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
External links
- Jessika Carr's profile at Cagematch.net , Wrestlingdata.com , Internet Wrestling Database
- Jessika Heiser at IMDb
