Ana Rocha

Infobox Wrestler
name=Ana Rocha


img_capt=
names=Ariel
Arianna
Sweetheart of Glory
Princess of ACW
Princess of La Familia
Faith in Crush
height= height|ft=5|in=2
weight= convert|130|lb|kg|abbr=on|lk=on
birth_date = birth date and age|1984|12|28
birth_place = Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal
resides= Boston, Massachusetts, United States
billed=
trainer=Top Rope Promotions
Brickhouse Baker
Scott Ashworth
Jose Perez
debut=July 21, 2001
vs. Amanda Storm
retired=
website= [http://www.arielsworld.com/ ArielsWorld.com]
[http://www.myspace.com/arielville Ariel] at MySpace |

Ana Rocha (born December 28, 1984) is an American professional wrestler and manager known by her ring name "The Portuguese Princess" Ariel, who has competed in Northeastern independent promotions including Ring of Honor, IWA Mid-South and the National Wrestling Alliance.

Career

Early life and career

Born in Sao Miguel, Azores, Rocha immigrated with her family to the United States in 1996 settling in New Bedford, Massachusetts. An avid wrestling fan during the late 1990s, she and her brother began training for a career in professional wrestling at the "Top Rope Academy" studying under Brickhouse Baker, Scott Ashworth and Jose Perez. [Kahn, Joseph P. "Glam Slam: Taking Their Place In The Ring, These Women Are Winning Devoted Wrestling Fans". Boston Globe. 10 Jun 2006 ]

In January 2001, she and her brother began training at Yankee Pro Wrestling's wrestling school in Sunshine Plaza. Several month later, while still only a junior in New Bedford High School, Rocha made her professional debut in South Coast Championship Wrestling on May 12, 2001.

Originally appearing as a valet for "Heavenly Johhny Angel, she was attacked by his opponent Adam Booker during their match on May 12, 2001; this being her first appearance in the promotion. [ cite web |url=http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/01-02/01-08-02/c01sp098.htm |title=New Bedford High's Ana Rocha is working her way up the pro wrestling chain |accessdate= |author=Weisberg, Tim |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2002-01-08 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=South Coast Today |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

After several weeks, during which time Johnny Angel had become the SCCW Heavyweight Champion, she would team with him in a mixed tag team match against Adam Booker and former champion Dr. Heresy in which Booker pinned Ariel to win the title. [ cite web |url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/htsccw.html |title=SCCW Women's Title History |accessdate= |author=Westcott, Brian |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2004 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Solie's Title Histories |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

The following night, she herself eventually made her own wrestling debut defeating Amanda Storm on July 21 cite web |url=http://www.nzpwi.co.nz/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=558&Itemid=88 |title=NZPWI.com - Ariel |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2004 |month=March |format= |work= |publisher=NZPWI.co.nz |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] and, although she sustained slight injury during the match, she soon began regularly competing on the independent circuit teaming with such wrestlers as The Blue Meanie defeating Steve Corino and Gino Giovanni. By the end of the year, she had defeated The Crazy Mexican for the Women's Heavyweight title in Stars & Stripes Championship Wrestling on December 29, 2001.

Ring of Honor and the independent circuit

During the next two years, she won championship titles in numerous promotions including winning a battle royal to become JWA Women's champion on October 26, 2002 and defeating Alicia and Tara Charisma in a three way match to become the first Women's Champion for South Coast Championship Wrestling on March 28, 2003.

Shortly after this victory, she started making appearances for Ring of Honor as a manager of the Christopher Street Connection (Buff E & Mace), a role which she held until the summer of 2004 when the trio was released from the company.

Briefly feuding with Mercedes Martinez and the heel stable La Familia in Connecticut Championship Wrestling in late 2003, she competed in a number of east coast promotions throughout the next year including Jersey All Pro Wrestling, USA Pro and UWA where she and Talia defeated Ref Hanson & Lady Lee to win the UWA Tag Team titles on July 18, 2004.

Appearing at CyberCade 2004 for the Cyberspace Wrestling Federation, she lost to April Hunter in a four way match with Trinity and Tracy Brooks in a match for the CWF Women's Championship in Wayne, New Jersey on August 28, 2004. [ cite web |url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/wtcswf.html |title=CSWF Women's Title History |accessdate= |author=Westcott, Brian |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2004 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Solie's Title Histories |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

Having faced both in previous singles matches, Rocha teamed with rival Mercedes Martinez to defeat April Hunter and Sumie Sakai in a tag team match for Defiant Pro Wrestling at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Fall River, Massachusetts on August 29, 2004. The event, "A Fight Worth Fighting", was to raise funds to provide treatment for children with cancer and which featured Mick Foley and several leading independent wrestlers in the New England area. [ cite web |url=http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/08-04/08-28-04/b01sp966.htm |title=Wrestlers come to sick child's aid |accessdate= |author=Weisberg, Tim |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2004-08-28 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=South Coast Today |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

In late 2004, she entered a mild losing streak after being defeated by Cindy Rogers at the Connecticut Championship Wrestling supercard CCW Metamorphosis on September 26 and later lost a three way match with Hailey Skye and Violet Flame for New England Championship Wrestling on December 11, 2004.

Assault Championship Wrestling

Throughout the year, appearing in several events for Assault Championship Wrestling, Roacha became involved in a three way feud with Mercedes Martinez and April Hunter which later involved Riptide who defeated all three in a "Battle of the Babes" match at the DPW supercard Full Circle: Zero Tolerance. Rocha, Martinez and Riptide united against the Ultimate Males, defeating them at an intergender match at the supercard November Pain: Balance of Power; following their victory however, the feud resumed after Rocha was attacked by both Martinez and Riptide.

Rocha rebounded by defeating Martinez and Riptide in tag team matches with Jim Nastic and Trinity although she later lost a three way match with Martinez against Riptide at the supercard Chains Unbound and was defeated in a singles match by Martinez at the supercard Evil Intent: Blood For Blood.

Although Rocha found some success teaming with Abunai at the supercard Psychotic Breakdown to defeat Nikki Roxx and D.C. Dillinger in a mixed tag team match, she eventually turned on Spider after briefly joining her in her feud against La Familia.

IWA Mid-South

At NECW Snowbrawl, Rocha Won the IWA Mid-South Women's Championship after defeating longtime rivals Mercedes Martinez and Hayley Skye in a "Triple Threat" match on January 15, 2005. Traveling to IWA Mid-South, she began defending her title in IWA Mid-South before being defeated by Daizee Haze in a match with Cheerleader Melissa, Mickie Knuckles, Sara Del Rey and MsChif on February 12, 2005.

During the next year, she scored victories over Lacey, Hailey Hatred and April Hunter defeating her at Ballpark Brawl IV on April 15, 2005. However, she was less successful teaming with Demonica while in the PWF and later resulting a feud between the two with Rocha defeateing her former tag team partner on September 15. The following month, after defeating Rain at an event for Shimmer Women's Wrestling, she was later defeated by Cheerleader Melissa & Tiana Ringer in a tag team match with Shantelle Taylor on November 6, 2005.

Return to New England

In 2006, Rocha began competing for the National Wrestling Alliance returning to the New England area wrestling for NWA Cyberspace as well as making regular appearances in Connecticut Championship Wrestling and New England Championship Wrestling defending the PWF Mayhem Women's title as well as feuding with Mercedes Martinez and Nikki Roxx.

While in Shimmer Women's Wrestling, she faced Lexie Fyfe and Malia Hosaka tag team matches with Josie and later with Cindy Rogers in a 6-Woman tag team match against Fyfe, Hosaka and Amazing Kong in May 2006.

In late 2006, she appeared at a house show for Ohio Valley Wrestling losing to Beth Phoenix in an elimination match which included Victoria Crawford, Serena, ODB, Katie Lea, Melody and Roni Jonah in a match for the OVW Women's Championship in Elizabethtown, Kentucky on October 21, 2006. [ cite web |url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/ovwtnwa.html |title=Ohio Valley Wrestling Women's Title History |accessdate= |author=Westcott, Brian |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2004 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Solie's Title Histories |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] In the 2007 Online World of Wrestling Awards Ariel was voted best Indy Female Wrestler.

In 2008, she turned heel in NECW/WWW, hiring Brendan Michael Thomas as her "agent".

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**"Dariel" (Arm trap cutter)
**"Ariel-Go-Round" (Diving flipping seated senton)
**""' Springboard bulldog
**Fisherman suplex
**Hurricanrana, sometimes to an oncoming opponent
**Tornado DDT
**Northern Lights suplex
**Scoop slam
**Sidewalk slam

*With Josie
**Spinebuster (Ariel) / "Pop, Lock and Drop" (Josie) combination
**Double back elbow
**Double clothesline
**Double hip toss

*Entrance Music
**"C'est la Vie" by B*Witched (SHIMMER)

Championships and accomplishments

*Ace Wrestling:*Ace Wrestling Women's Championship (1 time)

*Border City Wrestling:*BCW Women's Championship (1 time)

*Defiant Pro Wrestling:*DPW Women's Championship (1 time, current) [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/dpw/ | title=Defiant Pro Wrestling | accessdate=2008-07-07|publisher=onlineworldofwrestling.com]

*GLORY Wrestling:*Glory Women's Championship (1 time)

*NWA Midwest / Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South:*NWA Midwest / IWA Mid-South Women's Championship (1 time) (First)

*National Wrestling Alliance :Regional :*NWA North Jersey Women's Championship (1 time) (Last) [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/nj/nwa/nnj-wm.html |title=N.W.A. North Jersey Women's Title |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] :*NWA North Jersey Women's Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Tara Charisma (First) [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/nj/nwa/nnj-wt.html |title=N.W.A. North Jersey Women's Tag Team Title |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

*New England Championship Wrestling:*World Women's Wrestling Championship (1 time, current)

*Premier Wrestling Federation:*PWF Mayhem Women's Championship (1 time) - {Last) [ cite web |url=http://www.necwwrestling.com/PWFtitlehistory.htm |title=PWF & Mayhem Title History |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2006 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=NECWwrestling.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

*Stars and Stripes Championship Wrestling:*SSCW Women's Championship (1 time) (First) [ cite web |url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/wtsscw.html |title=Stars & Stripes Women's Title History |accessdate= |author=Tsakiries, Phil |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Solie's Title Histories |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

*Other titles:*JWA Women's Championship (1 time) :*UWA Women's Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Talia

References

External links

* [http://www.glorywrestling.com/gg/Ariel/A.asp G.L.O.R.Y. Biography]
* [http://www.alanwojcik.com/id101.html Independent Profile: Ariel]
* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/a/ariel.html Ariel on Online World of Wrestling]
* [http://www.gerweck.net/anarocha.htm Profile: Ana Rocha]
* [http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=611&worker=Ariel CageMatch.de - Ariel] ger
* [http://www.wrestlingclothesline.com/Top50Women2005.htm Wrestling Clothesline - 2005 Top 50 Independent Women Wrestlers: #2 Ariel]
* [http://myspace.com/arielville Official Myspace]
* [http://visuex/shimmer/modules.php?name=Roster&file=bios/Portuguese%20PrincessAriel SHIMMER Profile]