Even though wrestling runs in the blood of Carlsbad High School alum Nia Jax, she took a road less traveled to become a World Wrestling Entertainment superstar.
Jax, born Savelina Fanene, was first exposed to wrestling at a young age when she saw a picture of her dad with a bloody face wrestling with Peter Maivia, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s grandfather.
“I remember asking my dad what happened, and he told me that Peter was a professional wrestler,” Jax recalled. “I remember watching (wrestling) when I was young with my brothers and my dad told us that our cousin Dwayne was starting to wrestle as well.”
Jax was born in Sydney, Australia, and spent her younger years in Hawaii before moving to Carlsbad.
She said she grew up playing recreational sports at Calavera Hills, such as soccer and gymnastics, and having birthday parties there also. Jax also said she played baseball at Chase Field in Carlsbad and was the only girl on an all-boys team.
She played basketball while attending Carlsbad High School and Palomar College, but her basketball career was cut short due to ACL surgeries on both knees.
“I have such fond memories of my teammates,” she said. “I have made lifelong friends from those teams. We always had a blast in the locker room and traveling to tournaments outside of San Diego.”
After basketball, she began modeling in New York and Los Angeles. Then she returned to the North County, where she graduated from California State University San Marcos with a marketing degree in 2005.
About seven years later, she caught the wrestling bug after watching her cousin, The Rock, at WWE’s premium event WrestleMania XXVIII in Miami in April 2012.
“When I stepped into the wrestling ring and began to learn how wrestling is not only a physical sport, it’s (also) entertainment (and) acting, I immediately fell in love, because although modeling is a wonderful job, I missed the athletic side of my life,” Jax said. “Wrestling encompassed everything I was missing. I get to walk out to the ring, like a runway walk, be athletic while I’m beating up on (my) opponent, all while looking pretty doing it.”
In 2014, Jax signed with WWE and worked on her craft at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. In October 2015, she made her wrestling debut on WWE’s developmental brand NXT, and was promoted to WWE’s main roster in July 2016.
In less than 10 years, Jax has won the WWE Women’s Championship twice (2018 and 2024), WWE’s Women’s Tag Team Championship twice (2020 and 2021), Evolution Battle Royal in 2018 and Queen of the Ring in 2024.
“It’s funny because the thing I love about WWE is that you always feel like you’re never fulfilled with your accomplishments,” she said. “I have had quite a decorated career, and I’m super proud of it, but I always feel like there is something else I could achieve.”
One major WWE accomplishment she has not won is the annual Royal Rumble, which this year takes place Jan. 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Royal Rumble features 30 wrestlers who are trying to throw each other over the top rope. The last person standing wins the match and earns a championship title shot at WrestleMania in April.
Jax participated in the first women’s Royal Rumble in 2018 and competed in the men’s Royal Rumble in 2019, where she was eliminated by San Diego-native Rey Mysterio.
“Winning a Royal Rumble is such a huge honor in the WWE,” Jax said. “It’s a moment that can catapult a rookie into stardom, it can solidify a legend’s legacy, and if I were to win the Rumble, I feel like it would do just that, solidify a legacy I’ve worked so hard to create.”
Jax currently lives in Central Florida, where she has a ranch with cows, goats, chickens, donkeys and a llama named Karl. She visits her family in the North County as often as she can, she said, adding that some of her best memories are at Carlsbad beaches, where during the summers she would spend all day swimming, playing beach volleyball and sometimes having bonfires on the beach with her family.
“When I’m back home, the vibe is chill,” Jax said. “I have my lifelong friends that I hang out with. We go to our favorite local spots, hit the beach, go for hikes, get our favorite coffee and eat at the best restaurants. It always feels like home. So many memories flood my mind when I’m going down Carlsbad Village Drive or passing the mall. I love coming back home.”
Here are Jax’s favorite places for dining and exploring in and around Carlsbad.
WWE superstar Nia Jax attended Carlsbad High School and graduated from California State University, San Marcos. (Getty Images)
Q: Where is your favorite dining option?
A: I have quite a few. Recently, when I visited, I went to Campfire in Carlsbad. Such great food and a cool vibe there. I have eaten at Teri Cafe in Oceanside since high school. It has a Japanese and Hawaiian fusion menu. The food there is all good and fresh. I love a delicious Turkado from Board and Brew after a nice day at the beach. Jay’s Gourmet in the Carlsbad Village has the best shrimp parm. My family and I always go to Beach Break Cafe. They have the best breakfast and coffee cake in town.
Q: What is your favorite small retail business or pop-up vendor to support?
A: I’ve shopped at the Cream of the Crop in Oceanside since I was a kid. My family and I love this place because of all the organic and healthy products.
Q: Where is your favorite open space?
A: I went to college at Cal State San Marcos. I would hike the Double Peak Trail. Torrey Pines hiking trails are beautiful on the water (near) Del Mar. My favorite beach is hands down in Carlsbad. I used to go to Warm Water (Jetty Beach) all the time growing up. Carlsbad is very family-friendly, and Maple Street reminds me of home.
Q: Where is the best piece of artwork?
A: The Junior Seau mural in Balderrama Park in Oceanside. It’s my favorite because I grew up with Junior Seau in my community; his son Tyler and my brother were friends. Junior was a huge hero in San Diego, but especially for the Samoan community I grew up in.
Q: Where is your favorite entertainment attraction or historic landmark?
A: The Flower Fields in Carlsbad are always so beautiful. I loved going there as a kid. I had the privilege of going to and working at Legoland in Carlsbad, such a nice park where my mother still works. The Top Gun house in Oceanside, located next to the pier, was always a cool little place. … I love the Cardiff Kook statue next to the beach in Cardiff, locals always leave little cool treasures on the statue.