# Layla Diggs
**Layla Diggs** is the ring name of Breanna Covington (born 1998), an American professional wrestler signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where she competes on the NXT and Evolve brands.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) A former track and field athlete from [Fresno, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/fresno-california), she joined WWE's developmental system in 2023, wrestled for two years largely on house shows and the *Level Up* television program, and rose to a title opportunity in NXT in mid-2026 before an arm injury interrupted her push.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) • [2](https://www.pwinsider.com/article/209761/wwe-nxt-star-injured.html?p=1)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real name / born | Breanna Covington, 1998, Fresno, California; billed from Fresno[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) |
| Ring names | Breanna Covington (August 22, 2023 to May 9, 2024); Layla Diggs (May 10, 2024 to present)[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) |
| Promotions | WWE NXT (August 22, 2023 to March 4, 2025); WWE Evolve (March 5, 2025 to present); WWE NXT again (May 19, 2026 to present)[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) |
| Background | Former track & field athlete; silver medal at the Mountain West Championships (2021, triple jump)[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) |
| Signature elements | Finishing move Diggity Splits (a gourdbuster); entrance theme "Big Moves" by Nico Jonas[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) |
| Notable result | Won a Fatal 4-Way on NXT (July 7, 2026) to become #1 contender to the NXT Women's North American Championship[3](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/2026-07-07/results) |
| Current alignment | Heel, member of The Dungeon with Natalya Neidhart (Nattie), Nikkita Lyons, and Karmen Petrovic since June 28, 2026[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) |
## Background and athletics
Covington was born in Fresno, California, and competed in track and field before wrestling, winning a silver medal in the triple jump at the 2021 Mountain West Championships.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) Her athletic background is cited as part of why WWE took an interest in her as a developmental prospect.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs)
## Early career in NXT (2023 to 2025)
She debuted on August 22, 2023, at the NXT Heatwave event, losing to [Thea Hail](https://www.edgepedia.org/thea-hail) in a dark match under her real name, Breanna Covington.[4](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/layla-diggs/) For her first nine months she worked as a house show wrestler only, appearing at live events against opponents including Valentina Feroz, Kiyah Saint, and Tamyra Mensah-Stock.[4](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/layla-diggs/)
On May 10, 2024, she was renamed Layla Diggs, and she soon began appearing on the taped show *NXT Level Up*.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) Her first televised match came on the May 17, 2024 episode, where she and Brinley Reece defeated [Carlee Bright](https://www.edgepedia.org/carlee-bright) and [Kendal Grey](https://www.edgepedia.org/kendal-grey).[4](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/layla-diggs/) Through the rest of 2024 she worked mostly singles losses on *Level Up* against wrestlers such as Tatum Paxley, Jaida Parker, Izzi Dame, and [Lainey Reid](https://www.edgepedia.org/lainey-reid), along with occasional wins, including a tag team victory with Tyra Mae Steele on November 29, 2024.[5](https://d1ppoy4pjmghru.cloudfront.net/wrestlers/nxt/2692/layla-diggs/matches/) From late December 2024 she returned to house show duty, and her NXT run formally ended on March 4, 2025.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs)
## WWE Evolve (2025 to 2026)
On March 5, 2025, Diggs was moved to WWE's Evolve brand, where she held a mid-card position for over a year.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) She formed a regular tag team with Masyn Holiday that lasted from June 11, 2025, to February 5, 2026, and the pair later joined the ROAR Records stable with [Nikkita Lyons](https://www.edgepedia.org/nikkita-lyons) from February 6 to June 16, 2026.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) A reviewer for ProWrestling.net noted her entrance with Holiday and a choreographed pre-match dance routine, and credited her with an "incredible looking moonsault from the top rope" in a win over Anya Rune on the May 20, 2026 episode.[6](https://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2026/05/26/the-u-s-independent-5-may-18-may-24-2026/) Her Evolve matches included bouts against Gianna Capri, Veronica Haven, Kali Armstrong, and Zena Sterling.[7](https://wrestling.pro/en/performers/layla-diggs)
## NXT main-roster push and injury (2026)
Diggs made her NXT television debut on the May 26, 2026 episode, losing a singles match to [Jaida Parker](https://www.edgepedia.org/jaida-parker).[8](https://d1ppoy4pjmghru.cloudfront.net/wrestlers/nxt/2692/layla-diggs/) She lost a Women's Speed Tournament first-round match to [Arianna Grace](https://www.edgepedia.org/arianna-grace) on June 16, 2026, then won the most significant match of her career on July 7, 2026, a Fatal 4-Way over [Lizzy Rain](https://www.edgepedia.org/lizzy-rain), Izzi Dame, and Thea Hail that made her the #1 contender to Zaria's NXT Women's North American Championship.[5](https://d1ppoy4pjmghru.cloudfront.net/wrestlers/nxt/2692/layla-diggs/matches/) • [3](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/2026-07-07/results)
**Injury and title match withdrawal.** On July 11, 2026, she faced Zaria at a live event in [Sebring, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/sebring-florida), and suffered an arm injury there.[9](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/nxt/wwe-nxt-wrestler-out-of-upcoming-title-match/) • [4](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/layla-diggs/) NXT general manager Robert Stone announced on July 13 that she was not medically cleared for the July 14 title match, and Nikkita Lyons replaced her in a Fatal 4-Way that Zaria won.[2](https://www.pwinsider.com/article/209761/wwe-nxt-star-injured.html?p=1) • [10](https://www.fightful.com/wrestling-news/layla-diggs-reveals-shes-sidelined-with-an-arm-injury) Diggs appeared on the July 15 episode wearing an arm sling and posted on X: "I'll be back and I'll be champion. Thank you guys for all the love."[11](https://www.postwrestling.com/2026/07/15/nxts-layla-diggs-sports-arm-sling-following-injury-announcement/) She was listed as injured from July 12 to October 5, 2026, after which she returned to NXT mid-card status.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs)
## The Dungeon and heel turn
On June 28, 2026, Diggs turned heel by joining The Dungeon, a faction formed in NXT by the veteran [Natalya Neidhart](https://www.edgepedia.org/natalya-neidhart) (Nattie) with Nikkita Lyons and [Karmen Petrovic](https://www.edgepedia.org/karmen-petrovic).[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) The group's storyline dynamic was on display during the injury episode: Nattie argued to Robert Stone that Diggs's replacement should come from their group and berated Diggs for getting injured when she tried to speak.[12](https://itrwrestling.com/news/layla-diggs-wwe-statement/)
## In-ring style and presentation
Diggs works primarily as a singles competitor and uses the Diggity Splits, a gourdbuster, as her finishing move, with a top-rope moonsault among her other offensive highlights.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) • [6](https://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2026/05/26/the-u-s-independent-5-may-18-may-24-2026/) Her entrance theme is "Big Moves" by Nico Jonas, in use since May 17, 2024.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs) Across her NXT television career through mid-2026 she compiled a record of 1 win and 2 losses in three qualified matches, competing mainly in the middle of the card.[8](https://d1ppoy4pjmghru.cloudfront.net/wrestlers/nxt/2692/layla-diggs/)
## References
1. [Layla Diggs: Profile, Career Stats, Titles & Gimmicks, Pro Wrestlers Database (The SmackDown Hotel)](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/layla-diggs)
2. [WWE NXT Star Injured, PWInsider (Mike Johnson, July 13, 2026)](https://www.pwinsider.com/article/209761/wwe-nxt-star-injured.html?p=1)
3. [WWE NXT results: July 7, 2026, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/2026-07-07/results)
4. [Layla Diggs, Online World of Wrestling](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/layla-diggs/)
5. [Layla Diggs Matches, WWE NXT match database](https://d1ppoy4pjmghru.cloudfront.net/wrestlers/nxt/2692/layla-diggs/matches/)
6. [The U.S. Independent #5 (May 18-24, 2026), Voices of Wrestling](https://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2026/05/26/the-u-s-independent-5-may-18-may-24-2026/)
7. [Layla Diggs - WWE Wrestler: 17 Matches, Pro Wrestling Archive](https://wrestling.pro/en/performers/layla-diggs)
8. [Layla Diggs, WWE NXT overview and 52-week stats](https://d1ppoy4pjmghru.cloudfront.net/wrestlers/nxt/2692/layla-diggs/)
9. [WWE NXT wrestler out of upcoming title match, F4W/WON](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/nxt/wwe-nxt-wrestler-out-of-upcoming-title-match/)
10. [Layla Diggs Reveals She's Sidelined With An Arm Injury, Fightful](https://www.fightful.com/wrestling-news/layla-diggs-reveals-shes-sidelined-with-an-arm-injury)
11. [NXT's Layla Diggs sports arm sling following injury announcement, POST Wrestling](https://www.postwrestling.com/2026/07/15/nxts-layla-diggs-sports-arm-sling-following-injury-announcement/)
12. [Layla Diggs Issues Statement After Missing WWE Title Shot, Inside the Ropes](https://itrwrestling.com/news/layla-diggs-wwe-statement/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Professional wrestlers and stables › American wrestlers › Modern era wrestlers › NXT wrestlers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license