Tag: Marie Malenko

WWE NXT notes: Mr. NXT pageant announced, Saquon Shugars, Marie Malenko

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Notes from Tuesday’s WWE NXT.

Over the last couple of weeks, Shiloh Hill has been passing a petition around in an effort to name himself Mr. NXT over Tristian Angels, who has grown infuriated over Hill’s actions and behavior. After Hill managed to defeat Charlie Dempsey on Tuesday, Angels came out and informed Hill they have both been entered into the Mr. NXT pageant that will take place in two weeks time on June 9. 

Saquon Shugars appears, Marie Malenko wrestles in dark match

Meanwhile, DarkState continued to run roughshod after taking out Shugars from the group on last week’s show, targeting Myles Borne and Tavion Heights. The closing moments of the show saw the trio walk out of the Performance Center, happy with what they had accomplished. But what they didn’t see was Shugars watching them from afar on top of a production truck, seemingly plotting revenge against his former stablemates.

Marie Malenko, the daughter of current AEW producer and former WWE & WCW star Dean Malenko, had her first WWE match on Tuesday, wrestling Zena Sterling. Marie had wrestled for Marigold and Pro Wrestling NOAH before joining the company, who officially announced her signing last week.

Marie Malenko reacts to signing with WWE

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Signing with WWE was a lifelong goal for Marie Malenko.

The daughter of former WWE/WCW/ECW wrestler Dean Malenko, Marie’s signing was officially announced this week when WWE unveiled its new class of Performance Center recruits. She was identified under the ring name Lacey Simon in the four-person class, which also includes Mason Rook (indie wrestler Will Kroos), Nicole Martinez (Nikki Blackheart), and bodybuilder Marcus Brown.

Marie made an Instagram post today sharing just how long she’s waited for this moment. She included pictures of herself as a child at WWE events with Beth Phoenix, Naomi, CM Punk, and The Bellas.

“Since birth babyyyyyy. knew what I wanted and got it,” she wrote. “Let’s get to work. Gods plan. #wwe #wwenxt #wwesuperstar #nepobaby #3rdgeneration”

She also thanked her coaches Jay Lethal, Vincent Marseglia of The Righteous, and Aleister Black’s Dark Arts Gym.

Before signing, Marie participated in a WWE tryout this February. She also picked up experience in Japan working matches for Pro Wrestling NOAH and Marigold this year.

Marie’s father Dean Malenko is part of the behind-the-scenes staff at AEW and previously worked backstage for WWE.

Of this class of recruits, Kroos is the farthest along, already having debuted on NXT by targeting the brand’s champion Tony D’Angelo. Martinez, who has impressed those in WWE, worked a dark match at NXT this Tuesday.

Dean Malenko’s daughter part of new group of WWE NXT signees

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Marie Malenko, the daughter of Four Horsemen member Dean Malenko, has officially joined the WWE Performance Center.

WWE unveiled its latest round of Performance Center recruits today. It’s a four-person class consisting of Mason Rook, Nicole Martinez, Marie Malenko, and Marcus Brown. In the announcement tweet, WWE identified Malenko under the ring name “Lacey Simon.”

Malenko attended a WWE tryout earlier this year and, in her young career, has already gotten experience in Japan for Pro Wrestling NOAH. Her father Dean holds a behind-the-scenes job in AEW.

The announcement of Rook’s signing was just a formality, given that he’s already made his mark on NXT and is coming off a successful TV in-ring debut where he teamed with Kam Hendrix to defeat NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo & North American Champion Myles Borne. Rook then laid out his tag partner following the match after Hendrix stole the pin on Borne.

A heavyweight from the United Kingdom who also has competed for NOAH, Rook can count John Cena among his supporters. Cena has sent out multiple tweets reacting to Rook’s segments on NXT.

Nicole Martinez is indie wrestler Nikki Blackheart, who worked a dark match at last night’s NXT. She is said to have been heavily on WWE’s radar prior to her tryout and subsequent signing.

Brown is entering pro wrestling after having been a bodybuilder. He had a WWE tryout in 2025.

Report: WWE signs third-generation wrestler

Posted on by Ian Carey

WWE has reportedly signed Marie Malenko.

According to a report from Bodyslam on Friday, Malenko is expected to report to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando shortly.

The daughter of Dean Malenko and granddaughter of Boris Malenko took part in a WWE tryout in Florida last month. She also wrestled four times in February for Japanese promotions that have a relationship with WWE.

Malenko made her in-ring debut on the February 2 edition of Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Monday Magic show, teaming with Sofia Sivan in a three-way tag match won by Great Sakuya and Alivia Rose. She returned on the February 9 show, teaming with Miyuki Takase and Sivan to win a tag match.

Malenko also wrestled for Rossy Ogawa’s Marigold promotion on February 7 and February 8, 2026. On February 7, she faced Seri Yamaoka in a singles match that went to a time-limit draw, and she defeated Rea Seto on February 8.

Dean Malenko’s daughter part of recent WWE tryouts

Posted on by Josh Nason

Less than a month after making her debut in Pro Wrestling NOAH, Marie Malenko took part in her first-ever WWE tryout.

Malenko was one of the many indie wrestlers to take part in this week’s tryouts at the Performance Center in Orlando, first reported by Fightful on Friday.

Malenko is the daughter of Dean Malenko, who won multiple championships in ECW, WCW, and WWE. She is also the granddaughter of Boris Malenko, making her a third-generation wrestler, and the niece of Joe Malenko. Dean is currently in a backstage role with AEW.

Former Ring of Honor star Erick Stevens posted recently that he had trained with Malenko and feels that with more experience, “she could become one of the best technical wrestlers in the country.”

Other wrestlers that were reported as attending the tryouts were Miranda Alize, Notorious Mimi, Zoe Sager, Promise Braxton, Ricky South, Valentina Rossi, Fallyn Grey, Nikki Blackheart, The Tuckman, Scott Green, and others.

Dean Malenko’s daughter debuts in Pro Wrestling NOAH

Posted on by Vincent Verhei

The Malenko family tree has sprouted another branch: Marie Malenko debuted earlier Monday with Pro Wrestling NOAH. 

Malenko is the daughter of Dean Malenko, who won multiple championships in ECW, WCW, and WWE. She is also the granddaughter of Boris Malenko, making her a third-generation wrestler, and the niece of Joe Malenko. 

Marie Malenko made her debut at NOAH’s Monday Magic Rising Sun Season #3 event at Shinjuku FACE arena in Tokyo, Japan. She teamed with Sofia Sivan (a two-year pro out of Orlando) to face Dream Girl Ellie & ZONES and Alivia Rose & Great Sakuya in a three-way tag team match. Rose & Sakuya won the match, which went about nine and a half minutes. 

After the match, reigning GHC Women’s Champion Mayu Iwatani named Sakuya as her next challenger. 

Malenko and Sivan cut a brief promo backstage after their match, with Malenko asking how her first match in Japan went. Sivan said she held her own, they gave as good as they got, and next time it would be “game on.” 

Former Ring of Honor star Erick Stevens posted that he had trained with Malenko, and with more experience, “she could become one of the best technical wrestlers in the country.”

Kaito Kiyomiya defeated Izzy James, a 15-year pro out of Houston, Texas, in the main event of the show.