Candice LeRae

Candice LeRae is an American professional wrestler signed to WWE's SmackDown brand. Born September 29, 1985, in Riverside, California, she has built a career defined by resilience and a willingness to break barriers. She is best known for her pioneering work on the independent circuit, where she became the first woman to hold the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Tag Team Championship. That achievement, alongside her ability to seamlessly work intergender matches, set her apart long before she ever stepped foot in a WWE ring.

Today, LeRae is a fixture on WWE television, known for her scrappy, never-say-die style and her role as one of the more experienced hands in the women's division. She was the inaugural WWE Women's Speed Champion and has held the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship. Fans connect with her authenticity, whether she is playing a cheerful underdog or a mischievous villain, there is a grounded quality to her work that makes every match feel personal. She and her husband, fellow wrestler Johnny Gargano, are one of the most beloved couples in wrestling, often sharing their lives with fans through social media and streaming.[edit]

Candice LeRae grew up in Riverside, California, a city about an hour east of Los Angeles. She fell in love with professional wrestling as a kid, watching tapes of stars like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. By 16, she was already training at a local school, determined to make it in a business that had very few women in the ring. Her first matches came in 2002 with the Empire Wrestling Federation, a small Southern California promotion where she learned the basics and paid her dues for four years.

During those early years, she worked as a waitress at Hooters to support herself. Wrestling was still mostly a side gig, but she kept at it, driving hours to small shows for little pay. The turning point came when she started working for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, a respected indie company known for its high-energy style. There, she caught the attention of fans and promoters alike by holding her own against bigger, stronger opponents in intergender matches that felt groundbreaking at the time.[edit]

LeRae's big break came in 2015 when she and Joey Ryan won the PWG World Tag Team Championship, making her the first woman to ever hold that title. The moment was huge in independent wrestling, putting her on the map nationally. She followed it up by winning the FWE Women's Championship and the DDT Pro-Wrestling Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship, bouncing between promotions and building a reputation as one of the toughest wrestlers on the indie scene.

In 2017, she entered the Mae Young Classic, WWE's tournament for women. Though she didn't win, her performances impressed enough to earn a contract the following year. She debuted on NXT, initially supporting her husband Johnny Gargano in his feuds. In 2020, she became a central figure in The Way, a comedic villainous faction that also included Indi Hartwell and Austin Theory. The group was a highlight of NXT television, blending humor with sharp in-ring work. After a brief departure from WWE in 2022, she returned to the main roster that September, landing on Raw. In 2023, she made history again by becoming the first-ever WWE Women's Speed Champion. She followed that up by winning the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship with Indi Hartwell in 2024. As of 2026, she competes on SmackDown, still going strong after more than two decades in the ring. She is currently involved in a storyline feud with Michin.[edit]

LeRae's public persona is defined by a cheerful, slightly mischievous energy. In the ring, she is known for her colorful gear and athletic style, often mixing high-flying moves with technical wrestling. WWE presents her as a tough veteran who has earned her spot through years of hard work. On social media, she is warm and approachable, sharing behind-the-scenes moments from her life and career. Her fanbase, sometimes called the Candice Crew, appreciates her authenticity and her history as a trailblazer for women in independent wrestling. She engages directly with fans on Instagram and Twitter, often with a playful, self-deprecating sense of humor. She has over 500,000 followers on Instagram and over 200,000 on Twitter.[edit]

Candice LeRae's fame is a story of steady, earned ascent rather than overnight explosion. She is a professional wrestler whose name resonates deeply within the wrestling community, yet her reach extends beyond the ring through her authentic social media presence and her role as a trailblazer for women in the sport. As of August 2026, iFANN's Global Fame Engine has evaluated her, but she does not currently hold a placement in the published rankings, meaning she is not among the Global Top 1,000 or any Top-100 scope list. This is not a slight; it reflects the nature of her career, which has been built on in-ring excellence and a loyal, engaged following rather than mainstream crossover fame.

Her fanbase, while dedicated, has no formal name. They are simply Candice LeRae fans, or as she affectionately calls them on social media, the 'Candice Crew.' They are a vocal and supportive community, drawn to her authenticity, her willingness to share her personal life, and her reputation as one of the toughest competitors in the business. They celebrate her milestones, rally behind her during storylines, and have turned her Instagram bio, 'Pixie Dust, Poisoned apples, & ProWrestling. Proud Wife & Mama!', into a mantra of sorts. There are no grand, organized fan campaigns like billboards or charity drives, but the connection is intimate and genuine, fostered through her active engagement on platforms like Instagram and X.

In the wrestling world, LeRae's fame is legendary. She is celebrated as a pioneer of modern women's independent wrestling, a performer who broke barriers by competing against and defeating male wrestlers in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, long before such matches were common. Her fearlessness is the stuff of lore, and her name is spoken with reverence by fans who witnessed her rise. While her global fame may not yet place her among the most famous people on the planet, within the wrestling universe, she is a star, a fact her fans know all too well.[edit]

Candice LeRae's career is filled with moments that have become legend. One of the most retold stories comes from her time in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, where she became the first person to ever receive a thumbtack superkick from The Young Bucks. In that same match, she poured thumbtacks down Nick Jackson's gear, a brutal spot that has become a defining image of her fearlessness. Fans still tell newcomers about it, framing it as the moment she proved she could take punishment that rivaled any male competitor.

Her relationship with Johnny Gargano is central to her story, both in and out of the ring. Their on-screen wedding in NXT and their real-life marriage have been a beloved narrative, and in March 2026, a moment on WWE programming saw her physically carrying her husband after his comeback attempt ended in collapse. Fans seized on the image as a powerful symbol of their partnership.

Beyond the legends, LeRae's career is marked by tangible achievements. She was the first woman to hold the PWG World Tag Team Championship, a feat that cemented her pioneering status. Her finishing move, the Wild Ride, a swinging neckbreaker, is a fan favorite. She has a tattoo of a yellow submarine on her arm, a tribute to her favorite band, The Beatles. She stands 5 feet 2 inches tall, and Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked her as high as #24 in the Women's 150 in 2020. She has also appeared in video games, including the WWE 2K series. Her famous quote, 'I want to be the best. I want to be the person that people look at and say, She's the one that changed the game,' encapsulates her enduring drive.[edit]

LeRae married fellow professional wrestler Johnny Gargano on September 16, 2016, after dating since 2012. The couple has one son, Quill, born in February 2022. They live in Ohio, where they own a home. LeRae has not shared many details about her parents or siblings publicly, but she has mentioned that her family was supportive of her wrestling dreams from the start. The family also has a pet dog, often featured on their social media. Her birth name is Candice Dawson.[edit]

LeRae is most closely associated with her husband Johnny Gargano, with whom she has shared both personal life and on-screen storylines. She frequently teamed with Indi Hartwell, first in The Way and later as NXT Women's Tag Team Champions. Her most notable independent partner was Joey Ryan, with whom she made history in PWG. She has faced Io Shirai and Dakota Kai numerous times in NXT, building a strong rivalry.[edit]

Candice LeRae began dating fellow professional wrestler Johnny Gargano in 2012. They got engaged in 2015 and were married on September 16, 2016. The couple has one son, Quill, born in February 2022. They are one of the most popular couples in professional wrestling, often featured together in WWE storylines and on social media. As of 2026, LeRae remains married to Gargano, and they continue to share their lives with fans through streaming and posts.[edit]

As of 2026, iFANN's editorial research estimates Candice LeRae's net worth at $1.8 million. Her primary income stream is her WWE salary, which for a main roster talent typically ranges between $150,000 and $300,000 annually, supplemented by bonuses from pay-per-views and merchandise royalties. Before joining WWE, she earned income from independent bookings and merchandise sales at indie shows. She and her husband, Johnny Gargano, also run a joint YouTube channel and Twitch stream, generating additional revenue through ad revenue, sponsorships, and fan donations. The couple owns a home in Ohio. Her net worth has grown steadily since her WWE debut, and her 2023 reign as inaugural Women's Speed Champion boosted her profile and earning potential.[edit]

LeRae has won several championships across promotions. She made history as the first female PWG World Tag Team Champion in 2015. In WWE, she became the inaugural Women's Speed Champion in 2023 and won the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship in 2024. She also held the FWE Women's Championship and the DDT Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship on the independent circuit.[edit]