I was very saddened to hear that Joanie Laurer aka “Chyna” had passed away April 20th 2016. Hours before I found out about her passing, I spoke of her and mentioned how I felt she deserved to be part of the WWE Hall of Fame. So sad that if and when she is inducted she wont be around to see it.
During the WWE’s most successful time, known as the Attitude Era, Chyna established not only strength but beauty in a time that men dominated the industry. She really showed women, like myself, that you can challenge the boys, break boundaries and cross lines. With wins over several prominent male wrestlers such as World Champions Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho and Jeff Jarrett, Chyna left WWE known as "A lasting legacy as the most dominant female competitor of all time."
Her character emerged in 1997 by coming out and choking Marlena while Goldust was in the ring with Triple H. Her original role was the bodyguard for Triple H and later, D-Generation X. She often helped Triple H cheat by interfering in matches and executing her trademark low blow to the groin.
Chyna was a true sports entertainment pioneer. She set the path for women to be taken more seriously in the wrestling world. She never let anyone or anything stop her from setting her mark.
A very talented performer, she was named "The Ninth Wonder of the World," and was also a founding member of the unforgettable D-Generation X. She holds the distinction of being the first woman to enter the Royal Rumble Match, the first and ONLY woman to win the Intercontinental Championship twice and won the Women’s Championship for 231 days in 2001.
Despite her outer physical stature inside the ring, she wasn’t that strong outside the ring. She was a person who was dependent on drugs which became the ultimate cause of her death, allegedly. Although there are accounts that state she was working on her addiction and it may have been an accidental overdose, we will never know the full truth about what really happened.
Regardless of whether or not her death was accidental, it still doesn’t take away from who she was in WWE and the precedent she set for women today. No matter how great women wrestlers are today, “The Boss” Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Paige, there will NEVER BE ANOTHER CHYNA.
Much like your theme song, “Don't treat me like a woman, Don't treat me like a man, Don't treat me like you know me, just treat me for who I am," you will always be a legend, a pioneer and a trailblazer.
RIP JOANIE LAURER aka “CHYNA”. You will never be forgotten. All that you accomplished was not in vain.
