Ariya Daivari

Ariya Daivari is an American professional wrestler of Iranian descent, known for his technical skill and high-flying style. He was born on April 11, 1989, in Plymouth, Minnesota. As of 2026, Daivari is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he competes as part of The Premier Athletes stable and also works as a coach and producer, mentoring the next generation of talent.

Daivari first gained national attention in 2016 when he entered the inaugural WWE Cruiserweight Classic, a tournament that showcased the best cruiserweight wrestlers from around the world. He went on to compete on WWE's 205 Live brand, becoming a familiar face to wrestling fans. After his WWE release in 2021, he joined AEW and has since been a consistent presence on both AEW and Ring of Honor programming.

Known for his durability and versatility, Daivari has wrestled for numerous promotions, including New Japan Pro Wrestling and the National Wrestling Alliance. His Persian heritage, reflected in his ring name and occasional character work, adds a distinctive layer to his public persona. Fans appreciate his straightforward, no-nonsense approach in the ring and his willingness to help younger wrestlers develop their craft. [edit]

Ariya Daivari grew up in Plymouth, Minnesota, alongside his older brother Shawn, who would also become a professional wrestler. The Daivari household had a deep connection to wrestling, and Ariya was drawn to the sport from an early age. During high school, he competed as an amateur wrestler and practiced Tae Kwon Do, building the athletic foundation he would later use in the ring.

After high school, Daivari received formal training from a notable group of veterans: Arik Cannon, Ken Anderson, his brother Shawn, and former WWE star Shelton Benjamin. This diverse training helped him develop a well-rounded style that blends technical grappling with high-flying offense.

He made his professional wrestling debut on September 26, 2006. In the following years, he worked the independent circuit, appearing for Insane Championship Wrestling (ICW) starting in December 2006 and for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) from June 2007. He returned to NWA for a second stint from April 2009 to July 2010, honing his craft and building a reputation as a reliable and skilled performer.

Before his WWE break, Daivari also worked for other independent promotions, steadily improving and gaining experience. His persistence paid off when he was invited to participate in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic in 2016, marking the beginning of his rise to national prominence. [edit]

Daivari's breakthrough came in 2016 when he was announced as a participant in the inaugural WWE Cruiserweight Classic. The tournament, which aired on the WWE Network, gave him significant exposure. He made his main roster debut on the October 10, 2016 episode of Monday Night Raw, and was later assigned to the 205 Live brand on November 29, 2016. During his WWE tenure, he regularly appeared on 205 Live, Raw, and NXT, becoming a staple of the cruiserweight division.

In 2016, Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked him #280 in its list of the top 500 singles wrestlers. He remained with WWE until June 25, 2021, when he was released as part of budget cuts. After his release, Daivari quickly found work on the independent circuit and with NWA from October to December 2021. He also worked for New Japan Pro Wrestling's STRONG brand from October 2021 to May 2022.

Daivari debuted for All Elite Wrestling on the November 12, 2021 episode of Rampage, facing Dante Martin in a losing effort. He had a brief return to WWE from May 16 to July 11, 2022, but then came back to AEW on July 26, 2022. He also began working for Ring of Honor in July 2022. Since then, he has been a regular on AEW and ROH, and in 2024 he became part of The Premier Athletes stable. As of 2026, he continues to wrestle and also serves as a coach and producer for AEW. [edit]

Daivari is viewed in wrestling circles as a versatile and dependable performer who has competed across multiple major promotions. His Persian heritage is a notable part of his identity, and he has sometimes incorporated it into his wrestling character, such as when WWE initially pushed him to adopt a foreign "Sheik" gimmick. He later successfully lobbied to change that direction, showing a willingness to shape his own image.

In AEW, he is positioned as a heel stable member and a respected coach who helps develop younger talent. His in-ring style combines technical wrestling with high-flying moves, and he is known for his durability. While he does not have a widely documented fandom name or distinctive fan rituals, he maintains a modest but engaged following on social media, where he shares his work and promotes upcoming matches. [edit]

Ariya Daivari, a professional wrestler of Iranian descent, commands a moderate but dedicated following within the wrestling community. As of August 2026, iFANN's Global Fame Engine has evaluated Daivari, but he does not currently hold a placement in the published rankings, including the Global Top 1,000 or any Top-100 scope list. This reflects a career that has been steady and respected rather than meteoric, with Daivari known primarily to wrestling enthusiasts rather than the broader public.

His fanbase, while active, has no formal name. Unlike the "Yes Movement" or other fan-labeled followings, Daivari's supporters have not coalesced around a specific moniker. His social media presence, with approximately 51,000 Instagram followers, indicates a core group of fans who engage with his content, but there are no documented fan campaigns, coordinated projects, or organized rituals. The fan interaction is typical for a mid-card wrestler: regular posts, occasional engagement, and support for his ventures.

One notable fan-facing initiative is his role as co-principal of Sin City Squared Circle, a wrestling academy in Las Vegas, which he opened with Darius Martin in 2026. This investment in training future talent demonstrates a commitment to the wrestling community beyond his in-ring performances.[edit]

Daivari has wrestled under several ring names, including Sheik Mustafa Bashir and Sheik Ariya Daivari, reflecting his Iranian heritage. He was trained by Shelton Benjamin, a former WWE Intercontinental Champion, shortly after high school. At various points in his career, he has been billed from Tehran, Iran, despite being from Minnesota, a common wrestling trope for international characters. Daivari initially resisted using his family name in WWE because he didn't want to be seen as riding on his brother's coattails, but he eventually embraced it. He personally pitched a character change to Vince McMahon, dropping the foreign heel gimmick in favor of the Daivari Dinero persona. Daivari has expressed belief that a WWE return is possible, citing Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal as examples of wrestlers who left, reinvented themselves, and came back successfully.

One of the most widely told stories from Daivari's career is the 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble incident in Saudi Arabia. During a segment at the event in Jeddah, Daivari and his brother Shawn came out waving an Iranian flag, a heel move intended to generate heat given Saudi-Iran tensions. The segment backfired, and Daivari later reported receiving death threats, a story that was covered by major outlets and remains a defining, cautionary tale about the intersection of wrestling and geopolitics.[edit]

Daivari's older brother, Shawn Daivari (born Khosrow Daivari), is also a professional wrestler, best known for his time in WWE as simply "Daivari" from 2004 to 2007. Shawn played a significant role in Ariya's career, serving as one of his trainers. The brothers share a close bond through wrestling.

Beyond this, Daivari keeps his personal life very private. He has not publicly shared details about his parents, other siblings, or his own family. As of 2026, there is no public information about a spouse, children, or pets, and he appears to prefer keeping his home life out of the spotlight. [edit]

Daivari's most significant professional association is with his older brother Shawn Daivari, a former WWE star who also trained him. He has also been trained by Arik Cannon, Ken Anderson, and Shelton Benjamin. In AEW, he is associated with Tony Nese and "Smart" Mark Sterling as part of The Premier Athletes stable. His AEW debut match was against Dante Martin. [edit]

Daivari has kept his romantic life completely private. Public records and credible sources do not mention any past or current relationships, marriages, or engagements. He has never been publicly linked to a partner, and he does not discuss his personal life on social media or in interviews. As of 2026, there is no public information indicating that he is married, engaged, or in a relationship, and he appears to prefer keeping this aspect of his life away from the spotlight. [edit]

iFANN's editorial analysis currently estimates Ariya Daivari's net worth at $100 Thousand. Publicly available sources do not provide a specific figure, but as a professional wrestler, coach, and producer for AEW, his income primarily comes from his AEW contract, which typically includes a base salary, performance bonuses, and merchandise revenue shares. Mid-card wrestlers and coaches in AEW commonly earn between $100,000 and $300,000 annually, though this is an industry estimate rather than a confirmed figure for Daivari. His additional work with Ring of Honor and independent bookings supplements this income. While his exact earnings are not publicly disclosed, the iFANN estimate reflects a career that has been steady rather than spectacular, with consistent work across multiple promotions since his debut in 2006.[edit]