WWE (2020–2026) Training and Schism (2020–2023) In November 2017, Johnson expressed her interest in becoming a professional wrestler. In February 2020,
WWE announced that Johnson had reported to the
WWE Performance Center and had begun her training, making her the first fourth-generation wrestler to sign a contract with the company. On the October 25, 2022, episode of
NXT, Johnson made her first televised appearance, revealing herself to be a member of
Joe Gacy's
villainous faction,
Schism. She debuted under the
ring name Ava Raine, (later shortened to
Ava) on February 14, 2023. Ava made her in-ring debut on April 1 at
NXT Stand & Deliver with Schism, losing to
Chase University. Schism would slowly begin to disband in September 2023, starting with the expiration of
The Dyad's contracts on September 14, and culminating in a backstage segment in October where Gacy declared that Schism was dead.
NXT general manager (2023–2026) After Schism, Ava became the on-screen assistant of Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative
Shawn Michaels. On January 23, 2024, she was promoted to become the new
General Manager of
NXT, becoming the youngest general manager in WWE. Ava made her main roster debut appearance three days later on
SmackDown where she assisted SmackDown General Manager
Nick Aldis with the
Royal Rumble entry draw. At
NXT Stand & Deliver on April 6, she announced the creation of the
NXT Women's North American Championship as the equivalent to its
male counterpart, making the title the first women's secondary championship in WWE. On the March 5, 2025 episode of
Evolve, Michaels announced that Ava will be in charge to direct the newly revived
Evolve brand. Three weeks later, Ava announced that
Stevie Turner, her co-Assistant General Manager of NXT, will take on an additional role as the new General Manager of Evolve. On January 30, 2026, Ava announced that she elected not to renew her WWE contract, ending her six-year tenure with the promotion. ==Personal life ==