Celeste Bonin (born October 7, 1986) is an American former professional wrestler, entrepreneur, bodybuilder and model. She is best known for her time in WWE from 2010 to 2014, where she performed under the ring name Kaitlyn and became a one-time Divas Champion.
Bonin started her career as a body fitness model. In 2007, she won the National Physique Committee (NPC) John Sherman Classic Bodybuilding Figure and Fitness Championship and came in fifth at the Arnold Classic in the NPC Figure Class D competition.
In July 2010, Bonin signed a developmental contract with WWE. Later that year, she competed in and won the all-female third season of NXT, thus earning a spot on the main roster. She won the WWE Divas Championship in January 2013 and held the title for five months before retiring in January 2014. She came out of retirement and made her in-ring return on the independent circuit in February 2018.
Contents
Early life
Celeste Bonin was born in Houston, Texas, on October 7, 1986. Her mother is Mexican.
Body fitness career
Bonin made her body fitness debut in 2006, at the age of 19. In 2007, Bonin won the National Physique Committee (NPC) John Sherman Classic Bodybuilding Figure and Fitness Championship, and came fifth at the Arnold Classic in the NPC Figure Class D competition. She also was in the top five at Musclemania Superbody in 2007, in the Figure Universe – Tall category. In 2008, she was named Miss November at the Hardfitness Calendar, and placed 16th at the NPC Junior Nationals that same year in the NPC Figure category. In 2008, she was part of the Hardfitness Calendar and in 2009, Bonin appeared in Flex Magazine.
Professional wrestling career
World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE (2010–2014)
Bonin, who has named Goldberg as her wrestling idol, signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in July 2010 and reported to WWE's developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). She debuted under her real name, competing in a bikini contest at an FCW live event, and later changed her name to Ricki Vaughn. She made her FCW television debut on the August 29 episode, as a lumberjill at ringside for a match between AJ Lee and Naomi Knight. On the November 7 episode of FCW TV, Kaitlyn competed in a tag team match teaming with Naomi defeating Queen of FCW AJ and Aksana.
On September 7, 2010, Bonin joined season three of NXT under the name Kaitlyn, with Vickie Guerrero as her on-screen mentor. She was the replacement for Vickie's original rookie, Aloisia, whom Vickie fired in storyline. On September 14, Kaitlyn made her in-ring debut, teaming alongside Vickie's on-screen boyfriend, Dolph Ziggler, to defeat AJ and Primo in a mixed tag team match. Kaitlyn made her first pay-per-view appearance at Night of Champions, accompanying Ziggler and Vickie for Ziggler's WWE Intercontinental Championship match, until Vickie ordered her to leave ringside. Throughout the next few months, Kaitlyn feuded with Vickie on both NXT and SmackDown, including several matches between the two. On the November 30 season finale, Kaitlyn was announced as the winner of season three, defeating Naomi in the final to become WWE's "Breakout Diva".
On the December 3, 2010, episode of SmackDown, Kaitlyn appeared in a backstage segment with Vickie Guerrero and Dolph Ziggler, announcing that SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long had signed her to the brand following her victory on NXT. She had her first match on SmackDown on January 28, 2011, where she and Kelly Kelly were defeated by LayCool (Layla and Michelle McCool).
On the May 27 episode of SmackDown, Kaitlyn formed a tag team with AJ, referring to themselves as "The Chickbusters". They were accompanied by their storyline mentor Natalya and lost to Alicia Fox and Tamina in consecutive weeks. On the June 13 episode of Raw, Kaitlyn picked up her first win in a 14-woman tag team match, in which Kelly Kelly pinned Rosa Mendes. The Chickbusters and Natalya continued to feud with Fox and Tamina, who were soon joined by Rosa Mendes, throughout the next two months.
Independent circuit (2018–2019)
On December 22, 2017, Coastal Championship Wrestling announced that Bonin was to come out of retirement and make her in-ring return on February 10, 2018. At the event, titled Breaking Chains, Bonin competed under her real name and defeated Rachael Ellering in singles action.
On October 27, 2019, Bonin defeated Black Widow and Katie Forbes to become the inaugural Slamforce Africa Women's Champion.
Return to WWE (2018–2019)
On July 11, 2018, WWE announced that Kaitlyn would make her return to the company for the first time in four and a half years as one of the participants to compete in the 2018 Mae Young Classic tournament. On August 8, in her first match back, Kaitlyn defeated Kavita Devi in the first round match, but she was eliminated in the second round by Mia Yim on August 9.
On July 22, 2019, Kaitlyn appeared during a backstage segment at the Raw Reunion show alongside Torrie Wilson, Alicia Fox, and Santino Marella.
Other media
Bonin occasionally contributes interviews, photo ops, and blogs to the bodybuilding website Hardbody.
Bonin appeared on the cover of the April 2016 edition of Iron Man magazine.
As Kaitlyn, Bonin made her sole video game appearance as a playable character in WWE 2K14.
Business ventures
On June 25, 2014, Bonin launched a fitness clothing company named Celestial Bodiez. She is also a spokesperson for Blackstone Labs and Prime Nutrition, which her ex-husband PJ Braun owns.
In June 2015, Bonin and Braun opened a smoothie bar inside the Busy Body Fitness Center in Boca Raton, Florida.
Personal life
Bonin married bodybuilder PJ Braun on June 20, 2014, and they divorced on September 26, 2017.
Championships and accomplishments
Body fitness
National Physique Committee
John Sherman Classic Bodybuilding Figure and Fitness Championship
Arnold Classic NPC Figure Class D Competition (Fifth place)
Professional wrestling
Defiant Pro Wrestling
DPW Women's Championship (1 time)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Ranked No. 5 of the top 50 female wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2013
Slamforce Africa
SFA Women's Championship (1 time)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Worst Worked Match of the Year (2010) vs. Maxine on NXT on October 19
Worst Worked Match of the Year (2013) 14-woman elimination tag team match at Survivor Series on November 24
WWE
WWE Divas Championship (1 time)
Ranked No. 49 of the top 50 Greatest WWE Female Superstars of all time (2021)
NXT winner (season 3)