Karissa Rivera (Elektra Lopez) is a female professional wrestler from the United States who competes for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on the NXT brand as Elektra Lopez.
Elektra Lopez’s trademark was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on June 21, 2021. The application was entered into the trademark database on the evening of June 24, 2021.
Elektra Lopez Bio
| Modelling or non-wrestling ventures (Unconfirmed) | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Karissa Rivera |
| Ring Name | Elektra Lopez |
| Date of Birth | May 14, 1992 |
| Place of Birth | Bergen County, New Jersey, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| Weight | Approximately 140 lbs (64 kg) |
| Profession | Professional Wrestler (Former) |
| WWE Signing Date | February 22, 2021 |
| WWE Debut (NXT) | June 22, 2021 (vs. Franky Monet) |
| WWE Release Date | February 7, 2025 |
| Wrestling Debut (Pre-WWE) | 2018 (Indie Circuit) |
| Ring of Honor Debut | 2018 (ROH Road To G1 Supercard) |
| Father’s Name | José Rivera (WWE’s Steve King) |
| Father’s WWE Tenure | 1976-1984 |
| Father’s Death | June 29, 1998 (Cancer) |
| Education | Bachelor’s Degree in Global Business |
| Trainer | Damian Adams (New Jersey) |
| Ethnicity | Puerto Rican descent |
| Billed From (WWE) | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| NXT TV Matches | 42 (19 Wins, 23 Losses) |
| NXT Tenure | 2.7 years (June 2021 – January 2024) |
| Main Roster Call-Up | January 26, 2024 (SmackDown) |
| Last WWE Match | December 6, 2024 (SmackDown vs. Naomi & Tiffany Stratton) |
| Social Media Handle | @elektralopezwwe |
| Instagram Followers | Approximately 190,000 (as of last known update) |
| Finishing Move | Elektric Shock |
| Signature Move | Elektra Bomb |
| Signature Move | Biel Throw |
| Nicknames | La Madrina |
| Nicknames | The Cherokee Warrior |
| First WWE Appearance | November 14, 2018 (NXT vs. Lacey Evans as Karissa Rivera) |
| Tag Team Name | The Brooklyn Belles (with Kris Statlander) |
| Brooklyn Belles Debut | April 9, 2019 (SmackDown Live vs. The IIconics) |
| Stable Affiliation | Legado del Fantasma (NXT & SmackDown) |
| Stable Debut | August 24, 2021 (NXT with Santos Escobar, Wilde, Mendoza) |
| Heel Turn | August 24, 2021 (Allied with Legado del Fantasma) |
| Notable NXT Match | September 28, 2021 (No DQ Win vs. B-Fab) |
| Tag Team Partner | Lola Vice (June 2023 – January 2024) |
| Lola Vice Alliance Start | June 13, 2023 (NXT) |
| Lola Vice Alliance End | January 16, 2024 (Battle Royal betrayal) |
| Last NXT Match | January 30, 2024 (Lost to Lola Vice) |
| SmackDown Debut | January 26, 2024 (Interfered in Escobar vs. Carlito) |
| SmackDown Stable | Legado del Fantasma (Escobar, Garza, Carrillo) |
| Theme Song | “Soul March” by def rebel (with Legado del Fantasma) |
| First ROH Win | July 27, 2018 (vs. Sumie Sakai) |
| ROH Notable Match | August 17, 2018 (Lost to Kelly Klein) |
| WWE Video Games | Not featured in major titles |
| Net Worth (Estimated) | Unknown; speculated around $500,000 – $1 million |
| Marital Status | Not specified |
| Relationship Status | Unknown |
| Children | None known |
| Post-WWE Comment | “Packed schedule for the next 90 days” (February 11, 2025) |
| Release Confirmation | February 10, 2025 (via X post) |
| Non-Compete Clause | 90 days (Ends May 8, 2025) |
| Last WWE TV Appearance | December 6, 2024 (SmackDown) |
| WWE Release Wave | Lost in the first round (December 6, 2024) |
| Role in Legado del Fantasma | Enforcer/Manager (NXT); Reduced role on SmackDown |
| Replaced By | Zelina Vega (Legado del Fantasma main roster debut, 2022) |
| NXT Level Up Debut | April 14, 2022 (with Lola Vice vs. Chance & Carter) |
| Notable NXT Feud | Hit Row (2021) |
| Bobby Lashley Storyline | Appeared as “ex-wife” on RAW (2019) |
| Brooklyn Belles Record | Billed as 45-0 (Pre-IIconics match) |
| WWE Tryout | Prior to 2021 signing (Exact date not specified) |
| Creative Struggles | Limited ring time on SmackDown; sporadic appearances |
| Wrestling Passion | Not explicitly stated; focus appeared managerial |
| Notable Loss | June 22, 2021 (NXT debut vs. Franky Monet) |
| First NXT Win | September 7, 2021 (vs. Anna Scheer) |
| Travel Days in WWE | Estimated 200-300 days/year (Typical WWE schedule) |
| Social Media Bio | “BA in Global Business and World Traveler” |
| Pre-WWE Training Location | New Jersey (Under Damian Adams) |
| Second-Generation Wrestler | Yes (Daughter of Steve King) |
| ROH Opponents | Kris Statlander, Tasha Steelz, Sumie Sakai, Kelly Klein |
| NXT Battle Royal | January 16, 2024 (Eliminated by Lola Vice) |
| SmackDown Match Count | 3 matches (2024) |
| US Title Tournament | Featured in the 2024 Panini WWE Adrenalyn XL trading card |
| Post-WWE Plans | Not specified beyond “packed schedule” comment |
| Current Status | Free Agent (Post-non-compete, May 8, 2025) |
| Last WWE Storyline | Legado del Fantasma support role (2024) |
| Notable Strength | Physical power (Demonstrated in slams, e.g., vs. Carmelo Hayes) |
| Character Alignment (NXT) | Heel (Majority of tenure) |
| Character Alignment (SmackDown) | Heel (With Legado del Fantasma) |
| Fan Reception | Mixed; praised for presence, critiqued for in-ring development |
| WWE Alumni Section | Moved February 9, 2025 (Confirmed release) |
| Age at WWE Signing | 28 |
| Age at WWE Release | 32 |
| Total WWE Tenure | Approximately 4 years (2021-2025) |
| Indie Circuit Experience | Limited (Pre-2018) |
| Notable Promo | Confronted Lola Vice (Supernova Sessions, January 23, 2024) |
| Physical Appearance | Dark hair, athletic build |
| Current Residence | Not specified (Likely New Jersey or Puerto Rico area) |
| Languages Spoken | English (Spanish proficiency unknown) |
| WWE Contract Type | Developmental (NXT) to Main Roster |
| Merchandise | Featured in 2024 Panini WWE Adrenalyn XL trading card |
| Wrestling Style | Power-based |
| Injury History | None publicly reported |
| Fan Club | None officially established |
| Post-WWE Career Speculation | Modeling or non-wrestling ventures (Unconfirmed) |
| Last Known Update | March 19, 2025 |
| Current Age | 32 (As of March 19, 2025) |
Childhood
Rivera has a bachelor’s degree in International Business. She is a second-generation wrestler, as her father, Steve King, previously worked for the WWF.
Wrestling career as a professional
Rivera trained with New Jersey pro wrestler Damian Adams, who also coached Tasha Steelz and Deonna.
WWE
NXT (2018)
Rivera made her NXT debut in 2018, losing to Lacey Evans on November 14th.
Rivera returned on April 9, 2019, on Smackdown Live the following year. Throughout the show, she was just known as Karissa. She competed as one-half of the local tag team, The Brooklyn Belles, with Kris Statlander (known as Kris). The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions team IIconics defeated them in a tag team match. During a WWE Monday Night RAW broadcast, Rivera played Bobby Lashley’s “ex-wife.”
The Ring of Honor
Karissa has wrestled for Ring Of Honor on multiple occasions, including upsetting previous women’s champion Sumie Sakai.
Independent
Rivera has wrestled for Legendary Action Wrestling (LAW), World Xtreme Wrestling (WXW), Northeast Wrestling, Women’s Wrestling Revolution, Outlaw Wrestling NY, and others, winning the WXW-C4 title and the LAW Women’s title.
Return to the WWE
NEXT (2021-present)
Rivera reportedly signed with WWE on June 22, 2021. She made her NXT debut as Elektra Lopez in a match against Franky Monet on the June 22 episode of NXT. She won her next two singles battles on NXT in September, defeating Anna Scheer and B-FAB, the latter in a No Disqualification match.
Personal life
Elektra Lopez was born on May 14, 1992, and is 33 years old. She is currently married to Erik Santiago, a fitness trainer who lives in Mahwah and has a gym in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. He is said to be 55, which makes him around 25 years older than his wife.
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Santiago has a 17-year-old daughter from a previous marriage.
The husband of Elektra Lopez is no stranger to WWE. He previously worked as Brock Lesnar’s private security guard. He also appears to be close to other superstars, including The Beast Incarnate and The Undertaker.