Candice LeRae is an accomplished professional wrestler known for her work with WWE, particularly in SmackDown events. She’s making a name for herself in the wrestling world, separate from her husband, fellow wrestler Johnny Gargano. LeRae’s recent appearance in a SmackDown event was promoted by USA Network on Instagram with the caption, “From sweet to evil, Candice LeRae finds The Way back home to USA Network, along with #SmackDown, on September 13!” Throughout her career, LeRae has embraced every opportunity to excel in the ring, pushing herself beyond her comfort zone. As she continues to climb the ranks, LeRae is determined to be more than just a famous wrestler’s wife—she’s on a mission to inspire others and become a role model for young girls. Here’s a glimpse into her fitness, career goals, and motivations.
In an interview on WWE’s website, LeRae shared her career goals. “My childhood dream was to be a WWE Superstar. Now that I am living that dream, I am discovering there is a whole new world of opportunity here in NXT. I have pushed myself to do things in the ring and in the gym that I used to be afraid to do or was uncomfortable with. I want to seize every opportunity NXT has to offer me, and when I do, I want to be ready for them. Being here has sparked something special in me to push me to the next level.“
Since LeRae is married to a fellow wrestler, Johnny Gargano, she wants to make a name for herself. “It puts this added pressure on me because I don’t want to be an embarrassment to Johnny,” she told WWE. “Plus, my husband worked so hard for his name, and I absolutely refuse to ride his coattails. I know I have a challenge in proving to the fans and my peers that I belong here too. I want to make a name for myself here in NXT because of my own work and not because of who my husband is.”
LeRae tells WWE that she wants to be a role model for young girls. “I have four nieces, and it is extremely important to me to be a good example for them. That isn’t limited to just making good life choices, but to also teaching them the importance of dreams. When I started to believe in myself and worked harder than ever before, I achieved my dream. I don’t ever want my nieces to doubt themselves. I never want them to think they can’t live their dreams. This quest for the NXT Women’s Championship is an absolute fairytale for me, and I will stop at nothing until I have my happily ever after.”
LeRae is a hard worker, and shared where she gets this from with WWE. “My parents worked extremely hard to give my two brothers and I everything they could. Their work ethic was certainly something that stuck out to me. My family — including aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc. — has always been extremely close. I grew up constantly outnumbered by boys in my family.”
Wrestling is the main way LeRae stays fit. According to FloWrestling, the sport is very beneficial. “Wrestling also teaches valuable physical discipline. Wrestlers learn from challenging one-on-one struggles against an opponent and also develop an awareness of diet and nutrition through the process of making weight. While not all wrestlers and coaches approach weight loss in healthy ways, when done correctly, this can teach a physical life skill that many young athletes may never learn.”