Shotzi Blackheart
Shotzi in August 2019
Birth nameAshley Louise Urbanski[1]
Born (1992-03-14) March 14, 1992 (age 31)[1]
Santa Clara County, California, U.S.
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Missy Highasshit
Missy[2]
Pizza Cat[2]
Shotzi
Shotzi Blackheart[2]
Billed height5 ft 6 in (168 cm)[3]
Billed weight125 lb (57 kg)[3]
Billed fromOakland, California
The Black Lagoon
Trained byWWE Performance Center
DebutApril 20, 2014
Signature

Ashley Louise Urbanski (born March 14, 1992) is an American professional wrestler and singer. She is signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Shotzi (shortened from her previous ring name Shotzi Blackheart). She is also known for her time in NXT, where she is a former NXT Women's Tag Team Champion.

Prior to joining WWE, she performed for various promotions on the independent circuit, such as Shimmer Women Athletes, Evolve, Rise Wrestling, and Shine Wrestling, where she won the Shine Nova Championship.

Early life

Ashley Louise Urbanski was born in San Jose, California, on March 14, 1992.[1] She is of Filipino and Polish descent.[4]

Professional wrestling career

Early career (2014–2019)

Shotzi in 2018

Urbanski began her career at Hoodslam in Oakland, California in 2014 as Missy Highasshit, a cheerleader valet for the Stoner Brothers and stable Stoner U (a comedic parody of Missy Hyatt and the Steiner Brothers).[5] She also frequently appeared on the California independent circuit, wrestling for All Pro Wrestling, Bar Wrestling, and Big Time Wrestling, as well as Nashville, Tennessee promotion Impact Wrestling.[citation needed]

Urbanski made her debut for Shimmer Women Athletes on November 11, 2016, in a loss to Melanie Cruise.[6] She made her Evolve debut at Evolve 115 on November 9, 2018, challenging Allysin Kay for the Shine Championship in a losing effort.[7] Blackheart also competed for Shine Wrestling,[citation needed] and at Shine 58 on May 10, 2019, Blackheart defeated Aja Perera to win the Shine Nova Championship.[8] At Shine 59 on June 29, she retained the title in a triple threat match involving Perera and Santana Garrett.[9] Blackheart successfully defended the title against Natalia Markova at Shine 60.[10]

At Evolve 137 on October 11, 2019, after defeating Perera, William Regal offered Urbanski a WWE contract during an unannounced appearance, and due to this, she had to vacate the Shine Nova Championship.[11][12]

WWE

Tough Enough and NXT (2015, 2019–2021)

In 2015, Blackheart, under her real name, took part in the trials for the sixth season of WWE's competition Tough Enough. She was initially selected as one of 6 women who would take part in that season's competition, but had to withdraw from it before it began, due to a previously undiagnosed irregular heartbeat causing a failed medical.[13] She had a tryout for WWE Performance Center in May 2016.[14]

On October 15, 2019, it was reported that Blackheart had signed with WWE and would report to the WWE Performance Center.[15] She then joined the company in November 2019.[16] Blackheart made her debut on a live NXT house show on December 5, 2019, losing to Chelsea Green.[17] She made her televised debut on the December 25 episode of NXT in a loss to Bianca Belair.[18] At the Royal Rumble on January 26, 2020, Blackheart entered her first Royal Rumble match at #26 before being eliminated by Baszler.[19] On the June 17 episode of NXT, Blackheart and Tegan Nox challenged Bayley and Sasha Banks for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, which they were unsuccessful in winning.[20]

At Halloween Havoc, she served as the host during that episode, preventing Shirai during her match against Candice LeRae from being attacked by a mysterious person wearing a Ghostface mask (later revealed as Indi Hartwell).[21] She formed an alliance with Rhea Ripley, Shirai, and Ember Moon to compete at the TakeOver: WarGames, where they faced off against LeRae, Toni Storm, Raquel González, and Dakota Kai in a WarGames match,[22] which her team lost.[23] Blackheart and Moon participated in the Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, but were defeated in the finals to Kai and González in the finals at Vengeance Day.[24] On the March 10 episode of NXT, Blackheart and Moon defeated Kai and González to win the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship, her first title in NXT.[25] After retained the titles at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver against The Way,[26]they lost it against them in a street fight.[27]

SmackDown (2021–present)

On the July 9 episode of SmackDown, Blackheart, now under the shortened ring name Shotzi, debuted alongside Tegan Nox as Shotzi & Nox,[28] but the team was disbanded when, as part of the 2021 Draft, Nox was drafted to the Raw brand while Shotzi remained on the SmackDown brand.[29] On the October 29 episode of SmackDown, after losing to SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair in a championship contenders match, Shotzi attacked Sasha Banks who was at ringside, turning heel in the process.[30]

She would work on the SmackDown brand, participating in PPVs like Survivor Series 2021,[31] Royal Rumble 2022,[32] or Money in the Bank 2022.[33] She and Xia Li participated in the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Tournament for the vacant tag titles, but were eliminated by Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah in the first round.[34]

On the September 16 episode of SmackDown, Shotzi saved Rodriguez from an attack by Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky), turning face in the process.[35] On the October 21 episode of SmackDown, Shotzi and Rodriguez challenged Kai and Sky for the Women's Tag Team Championship, but were unsuccessful after Bayley distracted Shotzi.[36] The next day, she served as the host for NXT Halloween Havoc alongside Quincy Elliot, attacking Lash Legend after she interrupted them.[37] On the November 11 episode of SmackDown, Shotzi won a six-pack challenge, earning a SmackDown Women’s Championship match against Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series WarGames.[38] At the event, Shotzi failed to win the title after interference from Shayna Baszler.[39]

In the summer of 2023, Shotzi began feuding with Damage CTRL (now consisting of a duo of Bayley and Iyo Sky, due to Dakota Kai being injured). Shotzi had some hair cut off by them, following an assault. She then decided to get back at them and remove her green hair entirely in a segment, although this was also not just a storyline, but done as a tribute to her sister in real life, who is stricken with cancer.[40] Shotzi revealed her new look in a live event at Mexico City.[41]

Other media

Prior to signing with WWE, Urbanski was a character for two late-night TV shows for KOFY, a local San Francisco TV station. She first was cast as a dancer for Creepy KOFY Movie Time a sketch comedy show that featured horror movies. She then appeared as a guest on Circus of Chaos, a variety show of the same vein.[42][43]

In April 2021, Urbanski alongside Scarlett Bordeaux were featured on fellow wrestler and singer Harley Cameron's music video "Indestructible".[44] On October 14, 2022, the trio performed "I Put a Spell on You" (as a tribute of the film Hocus Pocus) in a music video which was released by WWE.[45]

She made her WWE video game debut as a playable character in WWE 2K22.[46] She also appeared in WWE 2K23.[47]

Personal life

On July 16, 2023, Ashley announced she was engaged to fellow wrestler, Jesus Alfaro.[48]

Championships and accomplishments

References

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  3. ^ a b "Shotzi Blackheart profile". Wrestlingdata. Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
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