Chantilly Chella brings wrestling to life on weekly TV

Chantilly Chella is “the queen of Coachella. Good vibes, fun and high energy,” the wrestler said.

She is also one of the stars of Women of Wrestling, an all-women’s wrestling promotion based in California and airing weekly on the CW Saturdays at 10:30 p.m.

Rachel Kelvington, who has also wrestled as Ray Lyn, grew up in Imperial. She graduated from West Allegheny in 2007. 

Despite rising in the ranks of professional wrestling over the past 14 years, this was not a dream for Kelvington growing up.

After high school, she went to cosmetology and beauty school Bella Capelli Academy in Robinson. As a 20-something, she worked at various bars, still not sure exactly what she wanted to do. On Mondays at the bar, regulars would come in and (if there was no football, of course) ask for “WWE Monday Night Raw” to be on the TV.

Kelvington saw larger-than-life stars such as John Cena, Randy Orton and Triple H. She wasn’t all-in at that point, but it was in the back of her mind. Kelvington liked the idea of traveling the world and looking like a superhero on TV. 

When her father died, at age 50, Kelvington knew it was time to shake things up.

“That was really when I decided I was going to wrestle,” she said. “I came back from the funeral and wrestling was on TV, and I was like, ‘I’m going to go do that.’”

Growing up she took karate and kickboxing, and her mother supported any decision she made. 

“She loved that I wanted to do stuff like that,” Kelvington said of her mother. “She never was like, ‘You’re a girl, you can’t fight.’ She was like, ‘You’re a girl, you can do whatever you want.’”

With that support Kelvington jumped right in. She toured schools in the area, but she settled on Ohio Valley Wrestling, somewhat of a WWE feeder system based in Louisville, Ky. 

“They had alumni such as Mickie James, Randy Orton, John Cena, like all the people I knew.”

It’s worth noting, Kelvington now knows more about wrestling than even the hardcore fans. A decade-plus of experience has allowed her to go back and learn from some of the greats of every era. She’s watching some form of wrestling just about every day these days. 

It was tough for the bubbly bartender to crack into the connected world of wrestling. She didn’t know anyone in the industry, and with a small amount of knowledge of the industry she found it hard to make connections in what is still a male-driven business. 

She stuck with it, and over time made those pivotal connections.   

Jessie Belle Smothers, who is Jessie Jones on “WOW,” was one of the first women Kelvington got to know. Smothers showed Kelvington the local indie scene and helped her book shows outside of OVW. 

As she grew in her career, she moved around to find better opportunities. Eventually, more for lifestyle than wrestling, she moved to Los Angeles in 2015. 

“I was working on a local indy show called ‘Championship Wrestling From Hollywood,’” Kelvington recalled. “A man named Dan Masters, who unfortunately passed away this year, saw me and he was like, ‘I think you would be a great fit for WOW.’”

That connection paid off, and Kelvington had her first match for WOW against Malia Hosaka shortly after. 

The company was expanding its reach and there was a pilot being filmed for their maiden voyage with digital content. 

“I hadn’t heard anything, and it was about a week away,” Kelvington recalled her anxiety at the time. “It was five days before the show, and I got a call from [‘WOW’ creator] David McLane saying, Rachel, I have this idea for you, if you are willing to listen, but I need you to dye your hair.”

Kelvington enjoyed being blond and was wary of the change, but she listened. 

“He said, ‘I want you to dye your hair purple. We’re going to call you Chantilly Chella.’ Most people would be like, ‘Purple, no way!’ But, I’m like the complete opposite,” Kelvington said. “I wasn’t going normal, but purple, I’m all in. They sent me to a salon. They sent someone to my house. I was getting measured for a costume; it just happened really quick.”

Over the years, Kelvington has watched the company grow. First, Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss bought in, taking the women empowerment idea to new heights. Then, “WOW” was picked up on AXS TV for a few seasons. Finally, on Oct. 6, 2021, it was announced that ViacomCBS had entered into a multiyear distribution agreement for “WOW.”

“I really enjoy working with them,” Kelvington said in reflection. “It is cool to be with an all-women wrestling company. Since most shows are like men-heavy. … I would say they are more than friendships, it is like a sisterhood.” 

Chantilly Chella isn’t a different person from Kelvington. It is her personality turned up.

“I am one of those people that when I am around, you are going to know I’m around,” Kelvington said. “I am very high-energy. I’m always very positive. I try to always keep the mood light. She is very much the same. I include that in my wrestling just by being high flying, high energy, but also technical. I would say Chantilly and me are very much the same person.”

“WOW” last filmed in 2022, but it is scheduled to begin taping new episodes soon. 

Wrestling, like many other businesses, was hit hard by the pandemic. 

“I get kind of sad about this part,” Kelvington prefaced. “I was so busy before everything shut down. I was doing OVW weekly. I think I had 13 shows the month of February before the pandemic. I was getting ready to go to the U.K. There were some big things that I was about to do that hadn’t been announced yet. And then the world shuts down.”

Kelvington said her schedule hasn’t bounced back to that level. She went back to cutting hair during the pandemic for some stability.

Locally, she will be on the next installment of WrestleRex, which will be held March 23 at Enclave, the venue formerly known as Rex Theater, on the South Side. 

WOW has been a constant and something she truly believes in. 

“I think the sky is the limit for WOW,” she said. “It is really something so different in wrestling. Never in wrestling have we had an all-women’s company. We have women of all different backgrounds, shapes, sizes. We all have our own unique personalities. It is so cool. No one else is doing that.”

She can’t wait for the world to see what WOW has coming. 

“This season was good, but I believe next season will be even better. They keep getting better and better. They are so passionate. It is awesome to see them grow.”