Born in São Miguel, Azores, Ana immigrated with her family to the United States in 1996, settling in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Several months later, while still only a junior in New Bedford High School, Rocha made her professional debut in South Coast Championship Wrestling on May 12, 2001.

By the end of the year, she had defeated The Crazy Mexican for the Women's Heavyweight title in Stars & Stripes Championship Wrestling on December 29, 2001.

During the next two years, she won championship titles in numerous promotions, including winning a battle royal to become JWA Women's champion on October 26, 2002 and defeating Alicia and Tara Charisma in a three-way match to become the first Women's Champion for South Coast Championship Wrestling on March 28, 2003.

Shortly after this victory, she started making appearances for Ring of Honor as a manager of the Christopher Street Connection (Buff E and Mace), a role which she held until the summer of 2004 when the trio was released from the company.

Briefly feuding with Mercedes Martínez and the heel stable La Família in Connecticut Championship Wrestling in late 2003, she competed in a number of east coast promotions throughout the next year including Jersey All Pro Wrestling, USA Pro, and UWA, where she and Talia defeated Ref Hanson and Lady Lee to win the UWA Tag Team titles on July 18, 2004.

In 2004 Rocha, under a mask and the ring name Arianna, made her debut for Mexican promotion Lucha Libre Femenil, where she feuded with Nikki Roxx over the LLF Juvenil Championship.

[9] In late 2004, she entered a mild losing streak after being defeated by Cindy Rogers at the Connecticut Championship Wrestling supercard CCW Metamorphosis on September 26.

Later that year, she lost a three-way match with Hailey Skye and Violet Flame for New England Championship Wrestling on December 11, 2004.

At NECW Snowbrawl, Rocha Won the IWA Mid-South Women's Championship after defeating longtime rivals Mercedes Martinez and Hayley Skye in a Triple Threat match on January 15, 2005.