Emma (wrestler)

Early life

Dashwood was born on 1 March 1989 in Boronia, Victoria, Australia.

Training and debut (2003–2007)

Dashwood was introduced to wrestling by her older brother, Jake, when she was about eight years old. She involved herself in the Australian wrestling scene, and did some training from the ages of 13 to 15. In 2005, Dashwood made some appearances for the Australian wrestling promotion PWA Australia under the ring name Valentine. However, from the age of 16 to 18, Dashwood was limited to setting up the ring at events and helping out after she suffered a severe shoulder injury. In 2007, she moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, for a few months to train with Lance Storm at the Storm Wrestling Academy.

In early 2011, Dashwood returned to Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy for further training, during which she became one of the ten trainees featured on the World of Hurt reality television show.

Independent circuit

Dashwood returned to Australia by September 2008 and wrestled there until February 2009 for promotions such as Wrestlerock and PWA Queensland.

Shimmer Women Athletes (2009–2011)

Dashwood then travelled to the United States, and made her in-ring debut for all-female American promotion Shimmer Women Athletes on 2 May 2009 at Volume 23 as Tenille Tayla, where she lost to Amber O'Neal. At Volume 25, Tenille defeated Jetta of the International Home Wrecking Crew, but was attacked by the Crew after the match. At Volume 26, Tenille lost to Rain, another member of the Crew. Rain and Jetta defeated Tenille and Jessie McKay at Volume 28. Tenille teamed with McKay again at Volume 36, when they unsuccessfully challenged Portia Perez and Nicole Matthews for the Shimmer Tag Team Championship.

Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling (2009–2011)

Dashwood made her debut for the Canadian wrestling promotion Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling (ECCW) on 22 May 2009 under her real name. In 2009, Dashwood also wrestled for another Canadian promotion, Prairie Wrestling Alliance, as Tenille Williams. In Dashwood's debut match for ECCW, she defeated Nicole Matthews to earn a shot at the SuperGirls Championship, but later lost to champion Veronika Vice. On 1 August, Tenille defeated Vice and Matthews in a three-way match to win her first ECCW Supergirls title. By racking up successful titles defences in singles matches against Vice and Matthews, Tenille held the championship until 27 November 2009, when she lost it back to Vice.

At 19 March 2010 ECCW event, Tenille defeated Veronika Vice to re-capture the ECCW Women's Championship. She then made successful title defences against Vice, Nicole Matthews, and Lylah Lodge in singles matches, as well as against Matthews and KC Spinelli in a three-way match. Dashwood lost the title to Matthews in a tables match on 26 October, and went on to lose a title rematch to Matthews in December 2010. Tenille's last match in ECCW was on 7 May 2011, where she was defeated by Matthews.

Melbourne City Wrestling (2011)

On 9 July 2011, at a Melbourne City Wrestling event, Tenille had her last match in Australia before heading to WWE, and was defeated by Shazza McKenzie.

Florida Championship Wrestling (2011–2012)

In March 2011, Shimmer announced that Dashwood had signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). In July 2011, Dashwood decided to undergo surgery for her shoulder, which had caused her problems throughout her career. In June 2012, Dashwood relocated to Tampa, Florida, and eventually reported to WWE's developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). She made her FCW in-ring debut on 1 August live event, participating in a battle royal. In August 2012, Dashwood revealed Emma as her new ring name.

NXT (2012–2014)

WWE went on to rebrand FCW into NXT in August 2012. Emma made her televised debut on 28 November episode of NXT, where she competed against Audrey Marie in a losing effort. Emma then debuted the gimmick of a clumsy dancer on 9 January 2013 episode of NXT. From April, Emma began to rack up wins over the likes of Bayley and Audrey Marie, while becoming one of NXT's most popular wrestlers. On 26 June episode of NXT, Emma competed in the NXT Women's Championship tournament to crown the inaugural champion. She defeated Aksana in the first round, and Summer Rae in the semi-finals on 10 July episode of NXT, before losing to Paige in the finals on 24 July episode of NXT.

On 7 August episode of NXT, Emma won a dance competition against Summer Rae to become the number one contender for the NXT Women's Championship, but Rae then attacked her to start a feud. In the following months, Emma teamed up with Paige to feud with Rae and Sasha Banks, collectively known as the Beautiful Fierce Females (BFFs). On 18 December episode of NXT, Emma was challenged by Natalya for Emma's shot at the NXT Women's Championship, which was contested on 1 January 2014 episode of NXT, in which Emma was victorious. On 27 February at NXT Arrival, Emma received her title match against Paige, but was unsuccessful in capturing the championship. After Paige was stripped of the championship in April, Emma lost to Charlotte in a tournament to determine the new champion. On 5 June episode of NXT, Emma and Paige saved Bayley from an attack from Summer Rae, Sasha Banks, and Charlotte. On 12 June, Emma teamed with Paige and Bayley to defeat the BFFs.

Main roster (2014–2015)

On 13 January 2014 episode of Raw, Emma made her first appearance on the main roster when WWE acknowledged her appearing amongst the live audience. Emma continued to appear in the crowd on Raw and SmackDown that month, with tensions developing between her and Summer Rae.

On 3 February episode of Raw, Emma was invited into the ring by Santino Marella to participate in a dance-off against Rae, which Emma won by a fan vote. In the following weeks, the feud between Emma and Rae continued, and Emma eventually began teasing a on-screen relationship with Marella. Emma and Rae faced off in a match on 24 February episode of Raw, in which Emma was victorious. This led to mixed tag team match against Rae and Fandango on 3 March episode of Raw, which Emma and Marella won. On 25 March episode of Main Event, Emma teamed up with Natalya, The Funkadactyls (Cameron and Naomi) and Eva Marie in a losing effort to the team of Rae, Alicia Fox, Aksana, Layla and Tamina Snuka. On 27 March episode of Superstars, Emma once again defeated Rae by submission. On 6 April, Emma made her WrestleMania debut, competing at WrestleMania XXX in the 14-Diva "Vickie Guerrero Invitational match" for the Divas Championship, which was won by the defending champion AJ Lee. The following night on Raw, Emma and Marella once again defeated Rae and Fandango in a mixed tag team match, with Emma making Rae submit. On the following episode of SmackDown, Emma started a feud with Layla, when she replaced Summer Rae as Fandango's dance partner and valet. This led to Emma using Marella's finisher, the Cobra Strike, later dubbing it the Ven-Emma, to defeat Layla on 21 April episode of Raw. In the beginning of July, Emma's alliance with Marella ended after he announced his legitimate retirement from in-ring competition.

Throughout the year, Emma racked up victories over the likes of Cameron and Alicia Fox, but also lost to them, and to the likes of Nikki Bella, Summer Rae and Paige. In November, at Survivor Series, Emma took part of a four-on-four elimination tag team match, where she eliminated Summer Rae before her team won the match with a clean sweep. While returning to NXT in early 2015, Emma competed in various matches on the main roster, including a battle royal to determine the number one contender for the Divas Championship, which was won by Paige.

Return to NXT (2015–2016)

On 28 January 2015 episode of NXT, Emma announced that she would be returning to NXT, stating that her tenure on the main roster was not working out. The following week on NXT, Emma was defeated by Carmella in her return match. In March, Emma turned heel after criticising Bayley in a backstage segment, which prompted a match between the two on 1 April episode on NXT, in which Emma was defeated. Emma continued her feud with Bayley, when she provided a distraction during Bayley's match with Dana Brooke, ensuring Brooke the victory and forming an alliance with her in the process. On the 6 May episode of NXT, after Emma was defeated by Charlotte and later attacked by Bayley, a tag team match was made between Emma and Brooke and Bayley and Charlotte at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable, which Emma and Brooke lost. On the 27 May episode of NXT, Emma defeated Bayley, and after the match, Emma and Brooke attacked Bayley and Charlotte.

Emma ended her feud with Bayley when the latter returned from injury in mid-July, and defeated Emma. On 26 August episode of NXT (which was taped at the NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn event), Emma won a fatal four-way match against Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Dana Brooke. In mid-September, Emma and Brooke were involved in a feud with newcomer Asuka, and confronted her during a contract signing with William Regal, which led to a match between Brooke and Asuka at NXT TakeOver: Respect on 7 October, where Emma was attacked by Asuka after attempting to interfere.

Throughout November, Emma started provoking Asuka, including an attack planned by Emma and Brooke, which occurred on 25 November episode of NXT, resulting in a match between her and Asuka at the NXT TakeOver: London event on 16 December, which Emma lost, despite interference from Brooke. On 13 January 2016 episode of NXT, Emma competed in a number one contender's battle royal, which was won by Carmella. On 23 March episode of NXT, Emma lost against Asuka in the main event, which turned out to be her last televised match in NXT.

Return to main roster (2016–present)

On 22 March episode of Main Event, Emma made her return to the main roster alongside Summer Rae by attacking Alicia Fox and Natalya during a match between Paige and Naomi, distracting Paige, and subsequently aligning herself with Team B.A.D., Lana and Rae, after a reconciliation between Lana and Summer. The following week, in her return match, Emma defeated Paige on 28 March episode of Raw, after being helped by Lana. Post-match, she along her allies, attacked Brie Bella, Natalya, Alicia Fox and Paige, before a returning Eva Marie cleared the area. As a result, a 10-Diva tag team match between the Total Divas team (Brie, Fox, Natalya, Eva and Paige) and the newly dubbed team B.A.D. & Blonde (Naomi, Tamina, Lana, Emma, and Rae) was announced for the WrestleMania 32's pay-per-view pre-show. At the event on 3 April, they were defeated by team Total Divas after Naomi submitted to Brie Bella. After WrestleMania, Emma began a feud with Becky Lynch, defeating her in singles competition on the 2 May episode of Raw. The following week, Emma and the debuting Dana Brooke assaulted Lynch during a backstage segment. On 16 May, WWE announced that Emma had suffered a back injury during a live event that would require surgery, causing her to go on hiatus.

On 3 October 2016 episode of Raw, a repackage vignette was shown, teasing about a "makeover of Emma to Emmalina". After more promotional videos, it was announced that the Emmalina character would first appear on 12 December episode of Raw. However, she did not appear on that episode, with another video stating she would be "premiering soon". Even into January 2017, Emmalina had yet to appear despite WWE's constant promotions of her upcoming return. In early February 2017, journalist Dave Meltzer, in describing the Emmalina situation, wrote that it was "a running joke and there's no spot ready for her." After 17 weeks of promotion, the Emmalina character first appeared on 13 February 2017 episode of Raw, only to promptly announce "the makeover from Emmalina to Emma". Reportedly, the Emmalina gimmick was dropped due to WWE producers feeling after rehearsals that Dashwood could not pull off the character which was to be a throwback to the likes of Sable and The Kat.

Emma appeared on 3 April episode of Raw, following a number of vignettes promoting her return as her previous villainous persona. She teamed with Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax against Brooke, Sasha Banks, and Bayley in a losing effort.On 7 May, Emma suffered a shoulder injury at a live event in Liverpool, England. Emma made her return on the 12 June episode of Raw in a six-woman tag team match, where she, Jax, and Alexa Bliss were defeated by Banks, Brooke, and Mickie James.

On the 4 September episode of Raw, Emma teamed with Jax to defeat both Bliss and Banks to earn spots for herself and Jax in the Raw Women's Championship match at No Mercy.

Other media

Dashwood regularly appeared in the WWE web series The JBL and Cole Show, until its cancellation in June 2015. In September 2015, Dashwood began a short-lived cooking show on YouTube entitled Taste of Tenille.

Emma has appeared in four WWE video games. She made her in-game debut at WWE 2K15 as a DLC and appears in WWE 2K16, WWE 2K17 and WWE 2K18.

Personal life

Dashwood grew up in Boronia, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. Dashwood has an older brother named Jake, who introduced her to wrestling. She cites Stone Cold Steve Austin, Trish Stratus and Lita as her inspirations in wrestling. In 2002, at the age of 13, she met Stratus at the WWE Global Warning tour in Melbourne, and Dustin Rhodes in 1997.

On 30 June 2014, Dashwood was arrested in Hartford, Connecticut. She arrived backstage, but did not appear on the episode of Raw that aired live that night. Police released her after she agreed to appear at Hartford Community Court, which she did the following day on 1 July. According to her lawyer she forgot to pay for an iPad case when using a self-checkout machine at a Walmart. Jim Ross spoke from his experience working with her out, that he thinks it was a simple mistake and the court ordered her in the end to perform one day of community service and an online course, after which the charge got dismissed. The arrest however was reported by TMZ and got quite some media attention, which initially led to WWE releasing Dashwood, but they reversed their decision hours later.

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments