WOW Women OF Wrestling Wrestlers
THE TOUGH GIRLS: RIOT & DANGER
RIOT and DANGER, these girls didn't stay strictly in character but injected some life of their own into them making them a bit more believable. The two girls were also amongst WOW's better in ring wrestler's.
RIOT
Riot was meant to be "The heavy metal chick". Brandishing a baseball bat to wipe out her opponents Riot was slated as a heel but very quickly developed a strong fan favorite base. Riot stood out in WOW as a wrestler of great potential in the group and a crowd favorite. At "Unleashed" she produced one of the moves of the night when she did a corkscrew elbow off the top rope, reminiscent of a similar one by Debbie Malenko. Riot's elbow on the night was only perhaps rivaled by Jungle Grrrl's splash off the top of a ladder onto Beckie the farmer's daughter. Riot was popular with viewers and seemed more of a natural with what she was doing. At the end of the year Riot won the WOW award for the best wrestler.
April Littlejohn the woman behind Riot made her metal gimmick more personalized as one would expect a veteran to do rather than the extreme gimmicks are lot of others uncomfortably played. Since WOW ended April Littlejohn has been doing theater, stunt and TV work.
DANGER
Danger was a big, athletic wrestler and stuntwoman.
Her finisher was the Rock bottom known as the "Danger Drop". Danger's gimmick was a weapons master but she never really pushed it. Her character like Riot's appeared to be more individualized and she became a more generic tough girl.
Danger was heavily pushed due to her tremendous ring presence. Her moves were basic but you noticed her the moment she came out. Her interviews were good and by her third match with WOW she was going about challenging for the WOW title.
After WOW Elle Alexander (Danger) has gone back to stunt work and was also in the 2001 "100 Centre Street, Hostage"
Literature / Pop Tv Culture
Jungle Grrrl
Erica Porter was WOW's answer to Tarzan. Erica Porter aka Jungle Grrrl not only looked very athletic during WOW but she obviously worked hard to improve with every match she had. Jungle Grrrl was one of the best wrestlers in WOW and was given a push as such. Jungle Grrrl looked solid with favorite moves including a splash and a diving head. After WOW finished up Erica took a while off to recover from a shoulder injury but then returned to the ring to work the Indy circuit. As Jungle Grrl Erica had a catchphrase "Don't hunt what you can't kill." and if WOW was to return her more advanced experience now might just make those words ring true. Since WOW Erica also scored a small movie role alongside Randy Savage in the first Spiderman movie and continues to pursue both wrestling and acting.
Jane Blond
Agent Double-0 Heaven, was an English secret agent in the mould of James Bond. The girl behind the character Ella Carter from London England (Jane Blond) worked on the professional dance circuit before venturing into wrestling. The physicality of dancing helped prepare her for WOW. Jane Blond had an impressive missile dropkick she called the "Kick of Death", which she usually got good height with and was right on the mark.
The girl behind the character showed a lot of promise in the ring for the small amount of experience that she had. When WOW finished Ella continued with an acting career in both England and America doing TV commercials and theatre. In her spare time Ella expressed enjoying many sports in her spare time including kenpo karate, kickboxing and snowboarding.
Heather Steele
Wow's "tool time" gal came complete with accessory belt reminiscent of the "Tool time gals" on TV's "Home Improvements with Tim Allen. Heather was beaten up in the "WOW Unleashed" PPV managing little offense against "Law and Order.
Tanja the Warrior Woman
The costume was straight out of the popular TV show Xena. In fact there was nothing original about this character what so ever which made her a hard character to be interested in. The woman behind the gimmick was possibly the worst wrestler at the "WOW Unleashed" payperview, Tanja may of had an outfit and look very reminiscent of Xena but she was minus her great moves, power and sidekick.
Phantom
Based on "The Phantom of the Opera" The Phantom was not seen for long in WOW. The woman behind the character was Violinist Lynnette Thredgold a talented musician as well as a competitive world-class “natural bodybuilder bodybuilder.
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Jacklyn Hyde
Combine a "Jeckle and Hyde" book character with a half man half woman from an old circus poster and you had Jacklyn Hyde. Jacklyn's outfit was split into two different ones straight down the middle to indicate her split personality. Under her real name Vasilika Vanya Marinkovic Jacklyn has done theatre work also. Vasilika has a website and states she has a regular 9 to 5 job now since Wows demise.
Harley's Angels
Main foes for Thug were Selina and Terri Gold. Whilst EZ Rider and Charlie Davidson were at war against the prison pair of Caged Heat. WWF fans and Indy fans will remember Thug as her more well known ring name "Peggy Lee Leather." The veteran wrestler was also one of the company's trainers and last word she was still training wrestlers.
Cops & Robbers
LAW AND ORDER (Nikki Law & Kristy Order)
Little was seen of Law and Order in WOW. The gimmick was basically that of two policewomen that had gone bad. Nikki Law wrestled in a singles match on the WOW 'unleashed" payperview against Hammerin Heather Steel. Nikki came to the ring carrying a night stick that she used to attack her opponent.
CAGED HEAT
Caged Heat were a tag team with a prison gimmick. First WOW Tag team champions, the team consisted of Loca & Delta Lotta Pain. The pair were from the Nevada State Correctional Facility. At WOW "Unleashed" Pay per view Caged Heat took on Harley's Angels for the World Tag Team titles. Delta and Loca brought in new girl Vendetta to take care of Thug during the bout.
Beauties from other lands
The ASIAN INVASION
The Asian Invasion worked as jobbers that gained fan sympathy due to always being the underdogs. Rather ironic considering that Japanese women wrestlers are considered the best in the world. A small Asian beauty Jade was the perpetual underdog who never managed to score the victory. In tag matches Jade formed "The Asian Invasion" with Lotus. The pair were not successful as a tag either in winning. At WOW "Unleashed" payper view the audience was introduced to Jade's grandmother. The story was that Jade wanted to prove herself by winning for her grandmother. Jade was still unable to win even with her grandmother their to cheer her on and the "Asian Invasion" maintained there losing streak. Although given a stereotyped gimmick neither wrestler possessed any martial arts knowledge and skill that may of made these characters work and become popular as with the Japanese women wrestlers from such promotions as GAEA.
Farah and Paradise
Farah the Persian Princess had only basic moves and was the tag team partner of Paradise. Neither wrestler stood out in the wrestling department. Paradise was a "tropical" girl though no direct reference is given to where she is from.
Boom Boom the Volcano and Caliente
Boom Boom turned into a decent wrestler during her time in WOW but unfortunately was given a bad name. She was larger than a lot of the other model type figures they hired and looked solid in executing her moves. Although decent she was not in Reggie Bennet's class of wrestling of larger girls. Caliente was the Latin character of WOW and became very popular. Caliente came out in a Latino style skirt and danced a "Mae West" hooche dance on her way to the ring. Caliete's finisher was the Mexican Surfboard.
The Beach Girls
Beach Patrol
A "Baywatch" inspired tag team consisting of Summer and Sandy. The women were both good looking but always remained on the lower end of wrestling ability in the promotion. The women were used consistently as mid card wrestlers. Both women moved on to look for other "fame" opportunities after the shows demise with Tamie Sheffield (Sandy) becoming a movie actress who stars in Intolerable Cruelty with George Clooney. Bobbi Billard (Summer) is a bikini model.
LANA STAR
Lana had a "Hollywood girl" gimmick, very Pamela Anderson style. In fact Lana would be the publicity hungry version of the stars personal life as apposed to one of the tv role versions like Beach Patrol are. The blonde bombshell stopped matches to fix her hair and powder her nose. Lana was the "over the top starlet. She claimed to be the executive producer and titled WOW "The Lana Star Show." The character was also know for "star" temper tantrums where she would hit other wrestlers with mirrors and other items to keep the attention on herself. Despite the characters antics Lana was one of the favourites with the audience. Wrestlers linked to Lana in story included Poison and Patti Pizzazz who were both her assistant at one time. Lana's full name is Lana Kinnear. After WOW Lana signed up for a pilot for a new wrestling show called CRUSH as a character called Beverly Hills. The pilot however didn't seem to take off. Lana had a "Hollywood girl" gimmick, very Pamela Anderson style. The blonde bombshell stopped matches to fix her hair and powder her nose. Lana was the "over the top" starlet. She claimed to be the executive producer and titled WOW "The Lana Star Show". Wrestlers linked to Lana included Poison and Patti Pizzazz who were both her assistant at one time.
All American Girls
TERRI GOLD
Terri became the first WOW champion. Terri's finisher was the "Perfect 10" (moonsault). Terri has the typical fitness model tanned look and came from a fitness background. Better known as Heather Lee Millard Terri was Dylan's stunt double in the wrestling scene in "Charlie's Angels Full Throttle" movie and has gone on to do "The Beauty Show.
SELINA MAJORS
Selina is better known to wrestling fans as "Bambi" Selina was one of two wrestling veterans in the troupe and a trainer of the other WOW women. Her character was more that of a traditional wrestler with a lot of the characteristics that people were familiar with from "Bambi" present. Her look has not changed in many years of wrestling and as "Bambi" she would push the Southern "charm."
Other WOW Wrestlers
Although an amateur wrestler or shoot fighter gimmick are often common in wrestling based on the pro wrestler's background WOW instead went for sport gimmicks that show no reference to in ring ability. Randi Rah-Rah and Patti Pep Two cheerleader gimmicks as done so also previously in GLOW. These pair were once a tag team called "Team Spirit." After an extended absence from WOW, Randi returned at the "Unleashed" PPV wearing an eye patch to go with her cheerleader costume.
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