Tanea Brooks is a multi-talented American professional wrestling manager, professional wrestler, model, actress, and dancer. Born and raised in Owasso, Oklahoma, she began her career as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader at the age of 18, appearing on the cover of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' swimsuit calendar.
Brooks later moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting, modeling, and dancing. She attended the Napoleon Perdis Makeup academy, becoming a licensed cosmetologist. Before her wrestling career, she played for the Lingerie Football League.
In professional wrestling, Brooks is best known for her work in Impact Wrestling under the ring name Rebel. She has also wrestled in Ohio Valley Wrestling, where she is a former OVW Women's Champion. Brooks made her in-ring debut in July, competing in a pre-show dark match against Jessie Belle, winning with a small package.
Rebel made her television debut on August 2, defeating Mary Elizabeth with a Split-legged leg drop. She later became the number one contender for the OVW Women's Championship, but the match was cut from broadcast due to OVW ceasing women's wrestling.
In 2014, Brooks joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) as part of The Menagerie stable, composed of herself, Knux, Crazzy Steve, and The Freak. She made her in-ring debut on the September 10 episode of Impact Wrestling, teaming with Crazzy Steve and Knux in a six-person mixed tag-team match.
Rebel turned heel in 2015, joining The Dollhouse and feuding with Velvet Sky. She later left TNA in 2016. Brooks returned to Impact Wrestling in 2017, competing in a No. 1 Contendership Gauntlet Battle Royal for the Impact Knockouts Championship.
In 2018, Rebel returned to television, making her final televised appearance during the September 22 episode of Xplosion, defeating The Undead Maid Of Honor. On August 25, she made her final pay-per-view appearance during One Night Only: Night of the Dummies, losing to Alisha Edwards.
In 2019, Brooks made her debut in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) under her real name, Tanea Brooks, teaming with local wrestler Amber Nova in a tag match lost against Io Shirai & Kairi Sane on the January 23 episode of NXT.
Outside of professional wrestling, Brooks has appeared in various media, including music videos, reality television shows, and short films. She has performed with country music artists such as Trace Adkins and Brooks & Dunn, and has made guest appearances on the reality television series Full Throttle Saloon.
