Sonny Kiss facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sonny Kiss
Kiss in July 2019
Born	(1993-12-11) December 11, 1993 (age 31) Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Alma mater	Bryan University (AA, BSc)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Sonny Kiss XO Lishus
Billed height	5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Billed weight	190 lb (86 kg)
Billed from	Jersey City, New Jersey
Trained by	Dustin Rhodes Pete Sanchez
Debut	November 4, 2011

Sonny Kiss (born December 11, 1993) is an American professional wrestler, dancer, and wrestling manager. She started her career in 2011 as a manager. Two years later, she became a professional wrestler. In 2018, she gained national attention working with Lucha Underground. There, she used the name XO Lishus. After Lucha Underground ended, she joined All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2019. She left AEW in 2023. Sonny Kiss identifies as genderfluid. She uses she/her pronouns, as shared on her Instagram account.

Early Life and Dance

Sonny Kiss was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on December 11, 1993. She went to a performing arts high school. There, she focused on studying dance. In 2011, Kiss joined a modern dance program. It was at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). Later that year, Sonny won first place in dance. This was at the Hudson County Teen Arts Festival. In 2014, she tried out for the NY Jets Flight Crew. Before becoming a wrestler, Kiss worked as a dancer. She also choreographed for independent music artists.

Wrestling Career Journey

Starting Out: Independent Circuit and Lucha Underground (2011–2019)

Sonny Kiss first appeared in wrestling in November 2011. She was 17 years old. She started as a manager or "valet." This means she helped wrestlers outside the ring. In September 2013, Kiss had her first match. This was in New Jersey for East Coast Pro Wrestling. Sonny then wrestled for many independent wrestling groups. These included Full Impact Pro and Evolve.

On June 27, 2018, Kiss made her debut on Lucha Underground. She was known as XO Lishus. She won her first match against Jack Evans. On August 8, 2018, she teamed with Ivelisse. They lost a match to Joey Ryan and Jack Evans. Sonny later won a rematch against Jack Evans. This was a special match called a "No Mas Match." On September 29, Kiss had her first title match. She teamed with Ivelisse and Joey Ryan for the Trios Title. They lost to a team called the Reptile Tribe. The trio lost again two weeks later. Kiss, Ivelisse, and Sammy Guevara tried for the Trios Title again. They lost to the Reptile Tribe on October 10, 2018.

All Elite Wrestling (2019–2023)

In February 2019, it was announced that Sonny Kiss joined All Elite Wrestling (AEW). AEW is a big wrestling company. On May 25, Kiss competed at AEW's first big event, Double or Nothing. She was in a "Casino Battle Royale." This is a match with many wrestlers. She was eliminated by Tommy Dreamer. On July 13, Kiss got her first win in AEW. She defeated Peter Avalon at Fight for the Fallen.

Kiss then had a series of losses. These happened between November 2019 and March 2020. On March 24, 2020, Kiss formed a tag team with Joey Janela. They won a match together. After a short break, they returned on May 26. They won another tag team match. On May 27, Kiss was in a battle royal match. This match was to find a challenger for the AEW TNT Championship. She was eliminated by Wardlow. Kiss and Janela became a popular team. They even had a video shown on TV. On June 24, they had their first tag team match on AEW Dynamite. They lost to The Dark Order.

On July 15, Kiss challenged Cody for the AEW TNT Championship. She lost the match. On September 5, Kiss was in another Casino Battle Royale. She eliminated Jake Hager before being eliminated herself. This led to Kiss and Janela facing Chris Jericho and Hager. They lost this "No Disqualification Tag Team match." On October 21, Kiss replaced Janela in a tournament. This tournament was to find a challenger for the AEW World Championship. She was eliminated in the first round by Kenny Omega. Throughout 2020 and 2021, Kiss often managed Joey Janela. She stood by him during his matches.

In early 2021, Kiss and Janela had some disagreements. They were losing many matches. Janela even left Kiss during a match. They talked about their issues and made up. However, on August 9, 2021, Janela attacked Kiss. This happened before their tag team match. This ended their team. Kiss returned on September 7, 2021. She attacked Janela after his match. For the rest of 2021, Kiss and Janela wrestled each other. They each won one match. This ended their rivalry.

On August 12, 2022, Kiss returned to TV on AEW Rampage. She lost a quick match to Parker Boudreaux. Later that night, Kiss saved Orange Cassidy after his match. But then, she attacked him. She joined a new group called The Trustbusters. This group included Ari Daivari, Slim J, and Parker Boudreaux. This was the first time Kiss acted like a "heel" in AEW. A "heel" is a bad guy in wrestling. In September 2023, Sonny Kiss's contract with AEW was not renewed.

Impact Wrestling (2023–Present)

Kiss debuted in Impact Wrestling on October 21, 2023. This was at their event called Bound for Glory. She was in a big match with 20 wrestlers. It was called the "Call Your Shot Gauntlet" match. Kiss eliminated Gisele Shaw. But then, she was eliminated by Brian Myers and Matt Cardona. On November 16, Kiss challenged Trinity. Trinity was the Knockouts World Champion. Kiss did not win this non-title match.

Personal Life and Interests

In 2013, Kiss became a certified yoga instructor. In November 2020, she earned a college degree. It was a Bachelor of Science in Exercise physiology.

Sonny Kiss enjoys many things from the 1990s and early 2000s. These include fashion, video games, TV shows, and teen films. She also likes boy bands, girl groups, and different types of popular music. Kiss is a big fan of the band Limp Bizkit.

Kiss looks up to many wrestlers. Some of her influences include Chyna, Rob Van Dam, Rey Mysterio, Trish Stratus, Lita, and The Hardy Boyz. She also mentions her mentors: Dustin Rhodes, Chris Jericho, and Billy Gunn.

Championships and Achievements

• American Championship Wrestling
  • ACE Fight or Flight Champion (1 time)
• Capitol Wrestling
  • Catalyst Wrestling Championship (1 time)
• East Coast Professional Wrestling
  • East Coast Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Ranked No. 164 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2020
• Tier 1 Wrestling
  • Tier 1 Championship (1 time)
• Warriors of Wrestling
  • WOW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • WOW No Limits Championship (1 time)
  • King of New York (2018)
  • Woman of the Year (2022 and 2023)
• Women's Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • WWHOF Award (1 time)
    • Pride Award (2024)

See also

In Spanish: Sonny Kiss para niños