Kanellis best known for her time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and Ring of Honor. Also, she worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she is a former TNA Knockouts Champion. Kanellis\'s career began as a contestant on the reality show Outback Jack in 2004. In the same year, she placed fifth in the Raw Diva Search, later hired by WWE as a backstage interviewer. Kanellis began competing in the ring as a wrestler in 2005. She released her debut album Sevin Sins on April 13, 2010 on iTunes.\n', '

Kanellis was born in Ottawa, Illinois. She has two younger siblings; a brother and sister named Bill and Janny, respectively. Kanellis grew up with an interest in playing sports, particularly volleyball, basketball, and softball. She graduated from Ottawa Township High School in 2000, and then went on to study at Northern Illinois University. Before her career in wrestling began, Kanellis regularly competed in beauty pageants.\n', '

Maria competed in the Diva Search in 2004, deciding to enter the contest after seeing an advertisement while watching Raw. Even though she only placed fifth in the contest, she was hired by the company. She stood out in the contest by giving fellow contestant Carmella DeCesare the finger after being eliminated from the contest. Maria began making appearances in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), WWE\'s then-developmental territory. She contributed booking ideas, and her work at OVW earned her a spot on the Raw brand roster. Maria was brought on to Raw as a ditzy backstage interviewer and the host of WWE KissCam in November 2004. Her gimmick involved her asking wrong questions, irritating and amusing the roster.\n', '

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