Monika Klisara — Biography
Monika Klisara, a Bosnian-Canadian professional wrestler, competes in WWE's NXT brand under the ring name Karmen Petrovic. She carved out a unique path in sports by being the first Bosnian athlete to sign with WWE, following a successful career in karate that included multiple national championships. Klisara debuted in professional wrestling in 2022.
Born on October 29, 1995, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Klisara relocated to Toronto, Canada, with her parents during the mid-1990s in an effort to escape the Bosnian War. She has a mixed ethnic background of Bosnian Croat and Bosnian Serb. Klisara attended Ryerson University for her education prior to her athletic endeavors.
In her martial arts career, Klisara distinguished herself as a champion karate competitor. By the age of 17, she was part of both the Canadian National Karate team and the Ontario Provincial team. She earned gold medals at the Fonseca Cup, the Ontario Provincial Championship, and the Ontario Summer Olympic Games.
Klisara’s journey with WWE began in November 2022, when she made her debut on NXT as Monika Klisara, marking her as the first Bosnian wrestler signed to the promotion. Her in-ring debut occurred on the July 28, 2023 episode of NXT Level Up, where she faced Ivy Nile in a competitive match. On October 17 of the same year, Petrovic celebrated her first televised singles victory by eliminating Jaida Parker in the first round of the 2023 NXT Women's Breakout Tournament. However, she was then eliminated by Lola Vice in the semi-finals the following week.
On July 2, 2024, Petrovic faced Jazmyn Nyx but fell short due to interference from Jacy Jayne. This led to a tag team match at NXT Heatwave on July 7, where Petrovic teamed up with fellow Canadian Arianna Grace to defeat Nyx and Jayne. Following their victory, a disagreement arose between Petrovic and Grace regarding their contributions to the win, prompting NXT General Manager Ava to arrange a match between them.
In late September, Petrovic entered into a romantic storyline with Ashante "Thee" Adonis, and on the November 19 episode of NXT, the duo teamed for the first time, winning against Brinley Reece and Dion Lennox in a mixed tag team matchup. By January 14, 2025, Adonis and Petrovic were established as an official on-screen couple. Later, on February 18, Petrovic advanced to win a triple threat match against Jaida Parker and Kelani Jordan to earn a shot at the NXT Women's North American Championship, although she was unable to secure the title from Stephanie Vaquer the following week.
Klisara also made her mark in Total Nonstop
Born on October 29, 1995, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Klisara relocated to Toronto, Canada, with her parents during the mid-1990s in an effort to escape the Bosnian War. She has a mixed ethnic background of Bosnian Croat and Bosnian Serb. Klisara attended Ryerson University for her education prior to her athletic endeavors.
In her martial arts career, Klisara distinguished herself as a champion karate competitor. By the age of 17, she was part of both the Canadian National Karate team and the Ontario Provincial team. She earned gold medals at the Fonseca Cup, the Ontario Provincial Championship, and the Ontario Summer Olympic Games.
Klisara’s journey with WWE began in November 2022, when she made her debut on NXT as Monika Klisara, marking her as the first Bosnian wrestler signed to the promotion. Her in-ring debut occurred on the July 28, 2023 episode of NXT Level Up, where she faced Ivy Nile in a competitive match. On October 17 of the same year, Petrovic celebrated her first televised singles victory by eliminating Jaida Parker in the first round of the 2023 NXT Women's Breakout Tournament. However, she was then eliminated by Lola Vice in the semi-finals the following week.
On July 2, 2024, Petrovic faced Jazmyn Nyx but fell short due to interference from Jacy Jayne. This led to a tag team match at NXT Heatwave on July 7, where Petrovic teamed up with fellow Canadian Arianna Grace to defeat Nyx and Jayne. Following their victory, a disagreement arose between Petrovic and Grace regarding their contributions to the win, prompting NXT General Manager Ava to arrange a match between them.
In late September, Petrovic entered into a romantic storyline with Ashante "Thee" Adonis, and on the November 19 episode of NXT, the duo teamed for the first time, winning against Brinley Reece and Dion Lennox in a mixed tag team matchup. By January 14, 2025, Adonis and Petrovic were established as an official on-screen couple. Later, on February 18, Petrovic advanced to win a triple threat match against Jaida Parker and Kelani Jordan to earn a shot at the NXT Women's North American Championship, although she was unable to secure the title from Stephanie Vaquer the following week.
Klisara also made her mark in Total Nonstop
