Saraya Hamer, better known by her ring names Sweet Saraya and Saraya Knight, is a renowned English professional wrestler and promoter. Born in Penzance, Cornwall, her early life was marked by adversity, having been abused by her stepfather as a child. At the age of 15, she ran away from home and spent several years living on the streets, often using public swimming pools to bathe herself.
During this tumultuous period, Hamer was also subjected to rape and became addicted to drugs. She later stated that she had no relationship with her mother due to her mother's refusal to help her during this challenging time. At the age of 18, Hamer overdosed on pills, which prompted her to seek help and eventually get clean.
In May 1990, Hamer married professional wrestler Patrick Bevis, also known as Ricky Knight, and adopted the hyphenated surname Hamer-Bevis. Together, they have two children, both of whom are also professional wrestlers: Saraya-Jade, who performs in WWE under the ring name Paige, and Zak, who performs as Zak Zodiac. Hamer-Bevis is also the step-mother of Roy Bevis, who performs as Zebra Kid and Roy Knight.
In an impressive display of dedication, Hamer-Bevis once wrestled while unknowingly seven months pregnant with Saraya-Jade. The family has a long history in the wrestling industry, and WWE Hall of Famer Jake "The Snake" Roberts even lived with them for a time.
The Hamer-Bevis family runs the World Association of Wrestling (WAW) promotion in Norwich, and Saraya owns and operates Bellatrix Female Warriors, a women's wrestling promotion also based in Norwich.
In 2012, Channel 4 produced a documentary about the Knights, titled The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family. The documentary was later adapted into a feature film in 2019, directed by Stephen Merchant and produced by Dwayne Johnson, titled Fighting with My Family. In the film, Saraya Hamer was portrayed by actress Lena Headey.
