Brandi Lauren is a former WWE NXT wrestler who went by the ring name Skyler Story in the promotion. Due to budget cuts, she and several other stars, including Jessamyn Duke, Vanessa Borne, and Alexander Wolfe, were dismissed from their contracts last year. Brandi Lauren was never allowed to build a name for herself in WWE, where she could have become an excellent star owing to her beautiful beauty and athleticism.
Brandi Lauren Pawalek, better known by her ring as Brandi Lauren, is an American model and professional wrestler. She is presently an Impact Wrestling performer, having previously wrestled as Ava Storie between 2017 and 2018.
She is also recognized for her tenure with WWE, where she wrestled on the NXT brand under the ring name Skyler Story, and on the independent circuit, where she wrestled for Evolve and Shine Wrestling.
Brandi Lauren Biography
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Brandi Lauren Pawelek |
| Ring Name | Brandi Lauren |
| Other Ring Names | Skyler Story (WWE), Ava Storie (Impact), Kayci Quinn (Impact) |
| Birth Date | September 26, 1996 |
| Birthplace | Buffalo, New York, USA |
| Age | 28 years old (as of March 19, 2025) |
| Nationality | American |
| Current Status | Freelance wrestler |
| Height | 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm) |
| Weight | Approximately 134 lbs (61 kg) |
| Debut in Wrestling | March 5, 2016 (ACW Luck of the Irish) |
| Trained By | Jay Lethal, Chasyn Rance |
| Wrestling Style | Technical/High-Flying |
| Signature Move | Moonsault |
| Finishing Move | “Swanton Bomb” (High-angle senton) |
| First Promotion | American Combat Wrestling (ACW) |
| ACW Debut Opponent | Hollywood Von Royal (won) |
| Early Career Highlight | Won debut match at ACW Luck of the Irish 2016 |
| SHINE Wrestling Debut | November 4, 2016 (vs. Aria Blake, no contest) |
| Impact Wrestling Debut | March 16, 2017 (as Kayci Quinn vs. Brandi Rhodes, no contest) |
| WWE Signing Date | August 31, 2020 |
| WWE NXT Debut | May 2018 (as Brandi Lauren, lost to Lacey Evans) |
| WWE Ring Name | Skyler Story |
| WWE Release Date | May 19, 2021 |
| Impact Return | August 19, 2021 (vs. Melina, lost) |
| Impact Departure | December 31, 2021 |
| Notable Gimmick | Undead Bridesmaid (Impact Wrestling, aligned with Su Yung) |
| Full Throttle Pro Wrestling | Inaugural Ladies Champion (February 18, 2017) |
| FTPW Title Loss | March 30, 2017 (gauntlet match, Lindsey Snow won) |
| Ring of Honor Debut | September 22, 2021 (lost to Laynie Luck) |
| Current Promotion | Freelancer (independent circuit) |
| Recent Match | January 25, 2025 (Indie event, defeated local talent) |
| Upcoming Event | April 12, 2025 (Indie WrestleFest, opponent TBD) |
| Total Matches (Estimate) | Over 150 (across all promotions as of 2025) |
| Championship Titles | 2 (Full Throttle Pro Wrestling Ladies Champion, 2 reigns) |
| Second FTPW Title Reign | December 2022 – March 2023 |
| Notable Feud | Aria Blake (ACW/SHINE, 2016-2017) |
| Notable Feud | Laurel Van Ness (Impact, 2017) |
| Tag Team Experience | Teamed with Kimber Lee and Lady Frost (Impact, October 7, 2021) |
| PPV Debut | September 17, 2021 (Knockouts Knockdown, eliminated by Mercedes Martinez) |
| Residence | Tampa, Florida, USA |
| Education | High school graduate (specific school undisclosed) |
| Pre-Wrestling Career | Model |
| Modeling Background | Worked with various brands pre-2016 |
| Social Media (X) | @BrandiLauren_ (active as of 2025) |
| @_brandilauren (regular updates) | |
| Twitch | brandilauren_ (streams gaming and wrestling talk) |
| Patreon | Brandilauren (exclusive content for fans) |
| OnlyFans | brandilauren (fitness and modeling content) |
| YouTube | @brandilauren1 (vlogs and wrestling highlights) |
| Website | http://brandilauren.com (merch and updates) |
| Pro Wrestling Tees | Sells custom merchandise |
| Net Worth (Estimate) | Approximately $500,000 (2025 projection) |
| Income Sources | Wrestling, modeling, streaming, merchandise |
| Relationship Status | Single (previously dated Joey Janela, ended 2021) |
| Close Friend | Shotzi Blackheart (playfully “engaged” on social media, 2021) |
| Pets | Two dogs: Sophie and Raven |
| Pet Advocacy | Frequently posts about her dogs on social media |
| Fitness Routine | Weightlifting 5-7 days a week, 5-9 mile walks |
| Weight Loss Journey | Lost 60 lbs before wrestling career (2014-2016) |
| Hobbies | Video gaming, dog care, fitness |
| Favorite Wrestler | Alundra Blayze (admires her unique style) |
| Wrestling Inspiration | Discovered wrestling via cousin Angela in 2014 |
| First Wrestling Event Attended | Local show in Buffalo, NY (2014) |
| Video Game Appearances | None (not featured in major wrestling games) |
| PWI Ranking | Unranked in top lists (as of 2024) |
| Injury History | Minor soreness, no major injuries reported |
| Charity Work | Supports animal welfare causes |
| Theme Song (Indie) | Custom theme (varies by promotion) |
| Theme Song (Impact) | “Undead Realm” (during Undead Bridesmaid gimmick) |
| Theme Song (WWE NXT) | Generic NXT theme (no custom theme assigned) |
| Notable Match | October 1, 2017 (Impact Xplosion, defeated Amber Nova as Ava Storie) |
| Career Goal | Build a lasting legacy in women’s wrestling |
| Dream Match | vs. Trish Stratus (expressed in interviews) |
| Wrestling Travel | Competed in USA only (no international tours confirmed) |
| Promotions Worked | ACW, SHINE, Impact, WWE NXT, ROH, FTPW, Evolve, WrestlePro |
| Desired Promotions | AEW, SHIMMER, Queens of Combat |
| Worst Match (Subjective) | May 11, 2017 (Impact, lost to Laurel Van Ness, criticized for pacing) |
| Best Match (Subjective) | February 18, 2017 (FTPW, won Ladies Championship vs. Lacey Lane) |
| Fanbase Strength | Strong social media following despite limited TV exposure |
| Marketability | Noted for beauty and athleticism by wrestling analysts |
| WWE Missed Opportunity | Competed in the USA only (no international tours confirmed) |
| Impact Role | Mid-card talent with supernatural storyline |
| Indie Circuit Role | Upper mid-card/headliner in smaller promotions |
| Training Mentality | Emphasizes hard work and growth |
| Debut Reaction | “Nerve-wracking but exciting” (per 2016 interview) |
| Character Representation | Overcoming odds; from “donut-eating couch girl” to wrestler |
| Streaming Start | Post-WWE release (2021) |
| Twitch Content | Plays games like Call of Duty, interacts with wrestling fans |
| Patreon Content | Behind-the-scenes wrestling footage, fitness tips |
| OnlyFans Content | Non-explicit; focuses on modeling and fitness |
| Merchandise | T-shirts (e.g., “EST 2016” design) |
| Social Media Following | 50,000+ combined across platforms (2025 estimate) |
| TV Appearances (Non-Wrestling) | Released before significant push; seen as a potential star |
| Locker Room Reputation | Positive; described as welcoming by peers |
| Wrestling Philosophy | “Anyone can do anything with effort” |
| Last WWE Match | September 23, 2020 (NXT Battle Royal, won by Candice LeRae) |
| Potential Return | Rumored interest from AEW (unconfirmed as of 2025) |
| Legacy Goal | Inspire new wrestlers, especially women |
| Current Activity | None confirmed outside the wrestling |
Wrestling career as a professional
Independent
On February 18, 2017, she defeated Lacey Lane at FTPW Fight Club Round 3 to win the first Full Throttle Pro Wrestling Ladies Champion.
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She lost the championship in a gauntlet match on March 30 at the OCW/FTPW Downtown Throwdown, with Lindsey Snow emerging as the eventual winner and new champion.
Shine Wrestling
Lauren debuted her Shine Wrestling, losing to Aria Blake for the ACW Women’s Championship.
Jessie Belle Smothers defeated Lauren at Shine 39. She also lost against Malia Hosaka at Shine 40 and Thea Trinidad at Shine 41.
Impact Wrestling
Lauren made an appearance at the March 2017 Impact Wrestling tapings. On March 2, she competed in a no-contest match against Brandi Rhodes. On the March 4 episode of Impact Wrestling, she wrestled in a gauntlet battle royal won by ODB for the number one contender to the Impact Wrestling Knockouts Championship.
Lauren also wrestled in the company’s One Night Only pay-per-view, One Night Only: Victory Road – Knockouts Knockdown, losing to Angelina Love.
Lauren competed for the GFW Women’s Championship on the April 20, 2017, episode of Impact Wrestling as Ava Storie but was beaten by champion Christina Von Eerie.
Laurel Van Ness defeated her on April 21. She lost a rematch against Van Ness on April 22 at One Night Only: Turning Point 2017. Ava won her debut Impact match against Amber Nova on October 1.
Storie’s profile was officially transferred to the alumni area of the official Impact Wrestling website on January 31, 2018, confirming her departure from the business.
WWE
Storie made her WWE NXT debut in May 2018, competing as Brandi Lauren in a loss to Lacey Evans.
Lauren was believed to have signed with WWE for their NXT brand on August 31, 2020. WWE revealed in an official press release on October 7, 2020, that she has signed with the business in the NXT brand. Lauren was released by WWE on May 19, 2021.
Back to Impact Wrestling
Lauren made her Impact! Return on the August 19 program, losing to Melina.
Affair and boyfriend
Brandi Lauren was in a relationship with AEW wrestler Joey Janela, also known as “Jelly Nutella,” but the couple split up a few months ago.
She used to post images and videos of Janela on her social media. Still, the fact that she hasn’t done so in a while indicates that they’re no longer together, implying that Brandi Lauren is currently single. Most people would gladly sell their soul to be with her, which is understandable.
Brandi Lauren and her very close buddy Shotzi Blackheart are “engaged” to be married. This comes after Shotzi “proposed” to Lauren on National Girlfriend Day in August during their trip to Disney Land.
On Twitter, Shotzi even requested NXT Superstar Cameron Grimes to pay for the phoney wedding. On a more serious note, the two wrestlers are best friends and are not engaged. They did, however, trick some admirers into thinking it was real.
Personal history
Brandi Lauren loves pets and frequently uploads photographs of her adorable puppies on social media. She has two dogs named Sophie and Raven, which she adores.
Brandi Lauren began broadcasting on Twitch after being dismissed from WWE, playing video games and conducting chat sessions. She has over 9,000 followers on the platform, and her streams receive a fair number of views.
She also has a YouTube channel where she has released a vlog and other videos. Twitch has grown in popularity among wrestlers, with stars like Adam Cole, Paige, and Zelina Vega all streaming videos on the popular service.
Brandi Lauren is a model in addition to wrestling and streaming, which is not surprising given how lovely she is. It’s great when wrestlers can accomplish things outside of the ring and aren’t only limited to performing in the ring.