Joseph Ariola (born June 9, 1995) is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Tony D'Angelo, and is a former one-time NXT Champion. He is also a former one-time NXT North American Champion, a one-time NXT Heritage Cup Champion, and a two-time NXT Tag Team Champion, making him the third NXT Triple Crown Champion and first-ever NXT Grand Slam Champion.
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Early life
Joseph Ariola was born on June 9, 1995, in Oak Park, Illinois. Ariola attended Oak Park and River Forest High School, where he won the 182-pound weight class at the 2013 IHSA Class 3A Individual State Wrestling Tournament with a 47-1 record, becoming their second consecutive state champion. He was also a collegiate wrestler for the University at Buffalo.
Professional wrestling career
Independent circuit (2019–2021)
Ariola made his professional wrestling debut on November 9, 2019, under the ring name Joey Ariola at the WrestleRage 17 event held by POWW Entertainment, teaming with Joey Cece against Dave Rydell and Jeff Luxon in a tag team match that ended in a double count out. On March 7, 2020, at the Slamfest 17 event, Ariola and Cece defeated Rydell and Luxon to win the POWW Tag Team Championship, which they held until Cece lost it in a handicap match on July 4 against The Plague (BOW & Machine).
WWE (2021–present)
On February 24, 2021, Ariola signed a developmental contract with WWE, reporting to the WWE Performance Center and subsequently the NXT brand. He made his in-ring debut on the October 5, 2021 episode of NXT under the ring name Tony D'Angelo, with the heel gimmick of an Italian-American mafia, defeating Malik Blade. On December 5, at NXT WarGames, Team 2.0 (D'Angelo, Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes and Grayson Waller) defeated Team Black & Gold (Johnny Gargano, LA Knight, Pete Dunne and Tommaso Ciampa) in a WarGames match. He suffered his first loss against Dunne on the December 21 episode of NXT, brutally attacking him with a crowbar after the match. D'Angelo defeated Dunne in a Crowbar On a Pole match on the January 11, 2022 episode of NXT, but lost to him in a Weaponized Steel Cage match on February 15 at NXT: Vengeance Day, ending their feud. On April 2, at NXT Stand & Deliver, D'Angelo defeated Ciampa in the latter's final match in NXT.
On the April 26 episode of NXT, D'Angelo introduced Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo and Troy "Two Dimes" Donovan as his henchmen who attacked Santos Escobar the previous week. They formed a stable called The D'Angelo Family, defeating Legado del Fantasma (Escobar, Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde) at NXT In Your House on June 4; per the stipulation, Legado del Fantasma had to join The D'Angelo Family. On June 11, Two Dimes was released by WWE. Throughout the following months, Escobar cost D'Angelo matches against Hayes for the NXT North American Championship and The Creed Brothers for the NXT Tag Team Championship, leading to a Street Fight at NXT: Heatwave on August 16, where D'Angelo defeated Escobar to end their feud; per the stipulation, Legado del Fantasma had to remain linked to The D'Angelo Family while Escobar had to (kayfabe) leave NXT.
D'Angelo unsuccessfully challenged Wes Lee for the NXT North American Championship on the December 27 episode of NXT after a distraction from Dijak. The following week, he turned face by challenging Dijak to a match at NXT: New Year's Evil on January 10, 2023, but lost. He then defeated Dijak on the March 7 at NXT: Roadblock in a Jailhouse Street Fight. At NXT Stand & Deliver on April 1, D'Angelo and Stacks failed to win the NXT Tag Team Championship in a triple threat match. After defeating Pretty Deadly in a trunk match at Spring Breakin' on April 23, they defeated Gallus to win the NXT Tag Team Championship on July 30 at NXT The Great American Bash. At NXT No Mercy on September 30, D'Angelo and Stacks retained the titles against Out the Mud (Lucien Price and Bronco Nima), The Creed Brothers, and Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo in a fatal four-way tag team match. On the October 24 episode of NXT: Halloween Havoc, D'Angelo and Stacks lost the titles to Chase University (Andre Chase and Duke Hudson), ending their first reign at 86 days, but they regained the title on the November 14 episode of NXT. During this time, Adriana Rizzo became a part of the D'Angelo Family, feuding with Price, Nima and Jaida Parker of OTM, whom they defeated in a six-person mixed tag team match at NXT Vengeance Day on February 4. On the February 13, 2024 episode of NXT, D'Angelo and Stacks lost the titles to Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winners Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin, ending their second reign at 91 days.
Other media
Ariola, as Tony D'Angelo, made his video game debut as a playable character in WWE 2K23 and has since appeared in WWE 2K24, WWE 2K25, and WWE 2K26. He also appeared on the premiere episode of the second season of the television series Wild Cards in February 2025 as the character "Jaws".
Personal life
Ariola is of Italian descent, particularly having Sicilian roots, which he has incorporated into his initial professional wrestling gimmick as “The Don”, a stereotypical Mafia.
Ariola married Isabella Borini in December 2024. Their son named Vincenzo James was born on July 7, 2026.
Championships and accomplishments
POWW Entertainment
POWW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Joey Cece
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Ranked No. 94 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2025
WWE
NXT Championship (1 time)
NXT North American Championship (1 time)
NXT Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo
NXT Heritage Cup (1 time)
Third NXT Triple Crown Champion
First NXT Grand Slam Champion