She walked into WWE in stilettos and self-belief, a former cheerleader with Hollywood smile symmetry and the kind of posture that screamed pageant queen, not pro wrestler. But Sydney Jeannine Zmrzel—known between the ropes as Maxxine Dupri—has never followed the route they expect. She didn’t come to the squared circle to play decoration. She came to make something harder than beauty: respect.
What began in the stylized chaos of Maximum Male Models—a comic detour where Dupri played director of talent to a duo of catwalk-posing himbos—has evolved into one of the more intriguing side stories in modern WWE. Somewhere between backstage gags and graduation ceremonies in the Alpha Academy, Maxxine Dupri became a wrestler. And, maybe more importantly, a fighter.
From Rams to Raw
Before Dupri ever slammed a single opponent, she knew how to work a crowd. A dancer for the Phoenix Suns. A cheerleader for the L.A. Rams. She performed under the floodlights, but it wasn’t until a WWE tryout in Vegas in 2021 that her performance background met its most chaotic canvas: professional wrestling.
Her first few appearances were light—literally. She played a poker dealer on NXT before becoming Sofia Cromwell, valet to the brooding Von Wagner. It was the kind of start that hinted more at style than substance. But something was brewing beneath the lashes and leather.
Then came the transformation: Maxxine Dupri, the tongue-in-chic sister to LA Knight’s Max Dupri and the prim architect of Maximum Male Models. With a signature pout and commanding presence, she was meant to be a sideshow. But she refused to stay in the shadows.
Alpha Academy & The Reinvention Angle
Dupri’s unexpected pairing with Otis and Chad Gable—Alpha Academy—was the curveball that changed everything.
What began as comedy quickly pivoted. Dupri, the fashionista, now had a coach. Gable, a legitimate Olympic-caliber wrestler, turned kayfabe into something near real: he trained her in-ring. And the audience watched her evolve in real time. She wasn’t just getting airtime; she was getting better.
The culmination came on July 3, 2023. A mixed tag match on Raw, her in-ring debut. The crowd leaned forward, half-curious, half-skeptical. By the time she pinned Valhalla with a crisp, practiced cover, the skepticism had turned into applause.
A week later, Gable handed her a letterman jacket. Pro wrestling, at its best, is a melodrama dressed in spandex. This was one of those rare sincere moments. A rookie finally “graduating,” not through flash, but grit.
A Growing Résumé in a Ruthless Roster
What followed was a rapid-fire education. A win over Valhalla with a picture-perfect Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex. An entry in the Royal Rumble—lasting over six minutes before being dumped by eventual winner Bayley. A loss to Rhea Ripley that came fast and vicious, reminding everyone how wide the gap remains at the top of the women’s division.
But even in defeat, Dupri wasn’t exposed. She was tested.
She got more ring time. A battle royal for the vacant Women’s World Championship. A brief alliance with Ivy Nile. A run-in with The Meta-Four on NXT. And in a business where momentum is measured in screen time and sweat, Dupri kept showing up.
Breakups, Betrayals, and Babyface Blues
The 2024 spring storyline with Chad Gable revealed just how far Dupri had come as a character. Gable, frustrated after a string of failures, turned heel and labeled his stablemates—including Dupri—dead weight. She didn’t get angry. She walked.
This wasn’t a manager being discarded. It was a babyface standing tall.
The betrayal angle paid dividends: Dupri, Otis, and Tozawa turned their backs on Gable. But it also gave Dupri more depth. No longer the gimmick or the punchline, she was a sympathetic figure trying to forge something real in a roster still dominated by more seasoned veterans.
In wrestling, growth isn’t linear. One week you headline Raw, the next you’re losing on Main Event to Zoey Stark. Dupri knows that now. The win-loss column might not flatter her, but the fans? They see the work. They see the hustle.
Not Just a Pretty Face
Off-screen, Dupri is building a brand. She owns a fashion boutique called Jaunty, opened in 2019 when she was just 22. Her entrepreneurial spark echoes those of her inspirations—The Bella Twins, who once turned reality TV fame into wrestling relevance and then into empire-building.
Dupri has also weathered personal storms. In 2017, her older brother Wyatt was killed in a tragic car crash involving a Lyft driver. She carries that grief quietly, often referencing it in subtle tributes. In 2024, on Christmas Eve, she announced her engagement to fellow WWE wrestler Anthony Luke—a reminder that behind the tights and scripts, real lives unfold.
From Valet to Fighter
At 28, Maxxine Dupri is still green by WWE standards, but she’s not a novelty anymore. She’s a work in progress who refuses to stall. She’s the punchline who learned how to throw a punch. A woman born into glamour who now thrives in grind.
If you’re looking for flash, you’ll find plenty in the WWE women’s division. If you’re looking for polish, there are veterans with miles of ring tape to study. But if you’re looking for someone who started as a mannequin and morphed into a contender—well, that’s Maxxine Dupri.
She’s not there yet. But she’s coming. And every suplex, every near-fall, every two-count loss is a stitch in the tapestry she’s building.
WWE didn’t plan for her to matter this much.
She just made it happen.