Wrestling Matters in Impact Wrestling - Really?

"Wrestling Matters Here" - These are all over TNA's website.

When Total Nonstop Action changed it's name to "Impact Wrestling" company president Dixie Carter claimed it was another measure to live up to it's new slogan: Wrestling Matters. It does feel like they are trying to improve it's product and give fans a real alternative to World Wrestling Entertainment, putting on entertaining matches and giving opportunities to wrestlers on the independent level. "Gut Check" is their latest idea - think American Idol meets wrestling and you're pretty much there. Basically wrestlers have to pay a fee to try out and those that get the call get the chance to have a match, cut a promo and try to impress the three judges: Bruce Pritchard, Al Snow and Taz. The first one, Joey Ryan, didn't impress enough to earn a contract but this past week the first woman to make it up, Taeler Hendrix, made it. She is the newest Knockout.

Lufisto hits a German suplex on Kana. Credit Gregory Davis c/o DirtyDirtySheets.

Given the fact that Joey Ryan crashed Taeler's moment, it's fair to say that part of Gut Check is story line driven, but TNA does seem legitimately searching for more wrestlers that want an opportunity. Plus, even if the wrestlers do not get signed, they at least have some television time. Last week, to celebrate her 15 year anniversary, Lufisto revealed that she took part in a Gut Check tryout alongside fellow Canadian Courtney Rush. We knew that Courtney would be taking part but Lufisto came as a surprise. Since then she's had a groundswell of support from social media, particularly Twitter. TNA has asked for fans to make their opinions known on Twitter, so one would hope that this would help both women's chances.

However, when TNA released it's latest "TNA Today" video on the 26th, it featured Al Snow and JB viewing and discussing promos from a few of the wrestlers who had tried out on Saturday in Canada. One of those discussed was Lufisto herself. The video is here, fast forward to 8:45:

I've seen Lufi give better promos, but this wasn't exactly a promo. She was speaking from the heart, about her years in wrestling, where she's gone and what she has been through. In previous interviews she has said that one of her last goals is to have a match for TNA, even if it's only one. Here she was understandably nervous as this could lead to her achieving said goal. After some light hearted banter about her talking to "an inanimate object" (which seemed to be gentle humour seeing as Al Snow got over by talking to a mannequin head), JB said that she was great in the ring and had a unique personality and character. Then...it took a nose dive with Snow saying,

"The problem is... you have to have a personality that can fill a 20,000 seat building. Especially for women, women have it the easiest but they have it the hardest in wrestling. They have it the easiest because men will always pay to see a woman, a very attractive woman. So, she's already an attraction just because she's female. But they have it harder from the standpoint because they have to be as technically sound, they have to be as professional and athletic as a man...but on the same hand, they still have to come across and portray being a woman. But not just a woman, they gotta know how to work the woman thing. Like, you know the difference between a pretty girl, a beautiful girl and a gorgeous girl? A pretty girl walks into a room, all the boys will stop and stare. A beautiful woman walks into a room, all the girls will stop and stare. A gorgeous woman walks into a room and the room stops. Does nothing. You have to be, if you're a girl, able to walk into a 20,000 seat room and be able to make the entire building stop. The best example of that that I always use is Sable. Literally was such an attraction and knew how to use that female thing that they do - that hoo do voodoo they do - that she got paid tons of money to walk to the ring and walk back. That's all she did for years, she was an attraction just in that. And for girls they have to learn that ability to do that."

Notice what happened? He went from talking about something that is very true (the fact that women have it harder because they have to be as technically sound, professional and athletic as a man) to talking about the thing that it has always come down to when it comes to the mainstream wrestling companies WWE and TNA - looks. Beauty. Or, put as frankly and bluntly as possible, is this girl fuckable?

Too harsh? Too blunt? Hell no. Because what do men want to do to gorgeous women? Fuck them. The sexual turn on they get from looking at beautiful women is something that's in their anatomy. And it's the same for women who look at gorgeous men. (Plus for women who are turned on by women, and men turned on by men - not leaving anyone out here!) We are very physical creatures.

However. For a company to say that "wrestling matters" and then one of the judges on Gut Check talks a great deal about how a woman looks matters more than anything...how does that look to other potential tryouts? Other women who want to be taken seriously as skilled athletes? It looks like hypocrisy from a company official and it looks like sexism from a man. Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.

This is Al Snow's standard?

Lets examine this a bit. Sable was over, I won't deny that. I just recently finished watching a WWF 1997 set and every time there was a bit featuring Sable and Marc Mero, she got the majority of cheers and chants - even when all she was doing was standing there. But on the other hand, everyone during that era was over. Even your lower level talent, everyone got a reaction. Wrestling was starting to become popular in the mainstream and it was Sable's good fortune to be there to ride that wave.

When she started to wrestle, the only reason she became as good as she did was because she had two great veterans to work with - Luna Vachon and Jacqueline Moore. Both had numerous years of experience under their belt and were the best women capable of helping protect and put Sable over. The booking was also done well to boost Sable's popularity - an example of how great booking is crucial to the success of a wrestler. Yet she wasn't the only one to get a great reaction - Al Snow worked at the WWF when Lita and Chyna burst onto the scene and also got great reactions. They certainly weren't "gorgeous" by mainstream culture standards but they were beautiful in their own way. Their merch sold and both got huge chants from the crowds. Later examples of women who got over that weren't classically beautiful are Victoria, Mickie James, and Beth Phoenix. Trish Stratus was the best mix of classic beauty and the determination to learn as much as possible. Sable never learned to wrestle as well as she could, whereas Trish did.

...Seriously?

Besides that...let's call a spade a spade. Sable later got reactions because she was willing to take her clothes off. That isn't skill. That isn't representative of (I'd like to think) what fans want to see. If you want to see a woman get naked you can watch porn. I want a woman who can kick ass and look good at the same time. Lufisto and Courtney Rush more than fit the bill. Besides, beauty is so subjective. I've seen people get into arguments over who is more beautiful, Lita or Trish, Kelly Kelly or Torrie Wilson. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. Luna Vachon said it best, it takes balls to be a caterpillar in a world of butterflies.

With all that Lufisto has been through, all that she has accomplished, for Al Snow to say that essentially it comes down to being gorgeous enough to affect people...frankly, I want to kick him in the balls. Because that is the same garbage that women have always had to deal with in all aspects of life. A woman's looks have always affected her ability to get hired or passed over for a job. Wrestling is one area where looks still hold too much weight. After all, a man as ugly as Ryback can still get hired and pushed. Yet someone like Lufisto would be passed over because someone thinks she wouldn't fill a 20,000 seat arena? Is this Dixie Carter/AJ styles nonsense filling those arenas? Is Ken Anderson? Or Garret Bischoff? And when has TNA ever been able to fill a 20,000 seat arena? They haven't ever tried it because they know half the arena would be empty. Recent attendance figures for TNA Impact and house shows are easy to look up. They have never even gotten 5,000.

When the Knockouts division really got going, you had a roster full of diverse women who all brought something unique to the table. Angelina Love. Velvet Sky. Gail Kim. Amazing Kong. Taylor Wilde. Daffney. Ayako Hamada. Sarita. ODB. Alissa Flash (aka Cheerleader Melissa). Roxxi Laveaux (aka Nikki Roxx). Jacqueline Moore. Shelley Martinez. Madison Rayne (aka Ashley Lane). The women regularly got the highest ratings each week and the Gail Kim/Amazing Kong feud has gone down as one of the company's best feuds ever. Now, however, it's a shell of it's former glory with the tales of the women being so poorly paid that they had to work second jobs (Taylor being recognised as Knockouts Champion while working at a Sunglasses hut), and what all poor Daffney has gone through being public knowledge. Of the originals, Love, Sky, Rayne, and Sarita remain. Gail returned after a second WWE run, and more former WWE Divas have been added such as Tara, Mickie James, Winter, and Brooke Tessmacher. Which, that isn't necessarily a bad thing, but for those women who are searching for an opportunity to make a name for themselves on television it makes their prospects look a bit worse.

"Fans Matter" - According to TNA's website too.

Dixie Carter claims to listen to the fans. She claims that wrestling matters in her company. Then listen to us Miss Carter - we want both the Super Hardcore Anime, Lufisto AND the Suplex Machine, Courtney Rush as TNA Knockouts! We don't want Sables or Sunnys - we want women who are real, genuine, hard working and dedicated. We want women who are willing to break molds, set NEW standards and bring new life to the TNA Knockout Division. We want women who are passionate about wrestling. Miss Carter, I sincerely hope that Al Snow's example isn't shared by you or anyone else in the company. It seems that it is (after all, people in your company said that Sara Del Rey didn't have enough of what the Beautiful People had to work there...), but I am more than willing to be proved wrong.

Courtney Rush t-bone suplexes Gabriella Vanderpool.

Set a new standard. A new example. Break barriers. Prove that you are listening to us fans and that wrestling (not looks) truly does matter. You want people that are humble and hungry? Look no further than Lufisto and Courtney Rush. They damn sure don't look like Sable - they are better than her in every way. And that's why I love them so much. Give them a shot and they will prove everyone wrong - Lufisto has experience doing just that for the past fifteen years after all.

Five Years. One name.

I still have this picture on my computer. It's the only one that survived the purge after the horrific events five years ago. I don't know why. Perhaps it's because it's a picture of the Chris Benoit that myself as well as hundreds of thousands of fans and even close friends and relatives knew. He looks so proud, so calm and content as WWE's World Heavyweight Champion, silhouetted by the Canadian flag in the background.

Over the past weekend, from time to time I would dwell on what happened that horrid weekend in June of 2007. I saw a lot of conversation about it, and Benoit, over various social media. Then I took a look back at my Live Journal to see what I had posted about it. I'm copying and pasting those entries here. This first is from June 25th:

"WWE.com is saying that Chris Benoit and his wife, Nancy aka "Woman" from ECW/WCW, were found dead in their home in Atlanta today. They had 2 kids, no word if they're dead as well since the news only said "Chris Benoit and his family" were found..

This is messed up. I know you see on the news various deaths, disappearances, what not and I feel bad...but this one I actually screamed when I just read it..good God what the fuck? This had to be murder. HAD TO BE. Good God I'm in shock and there's no news...

He's just dead. Chris Benoit is dead. Good God.

*Edit* And his son, Daniel. Jesus.."

This next is from June 26th (appropriately the journal title was "The Walls We Build"):

"...I still absolutely refuse to condemn Christopher Benoit until all the facts, and I mean ALL the facts, are out and open. That means waiting for the toxicology reports which take up to two weeks to my knowledge.

However I'm slowly trying to absorb all the info thrown out there, to sort what's real and what's rumor, and now the mainstream media has gotten ahold of the story. And you know what that means.

Steroids.

I've read so much conflicting stuff about what steroids can do to you I'm so confused. But the press release from wwe.com makes excellent points...is it going to be taboo to mention Chris Benoit's contribution to the wrestling world? How am I supposed to feel, as a fan of his, if it does turn out he did all this purposely, steroids or no? Am I supposed to defend his actions, make excuses and suffer the stares of people who never saw his work or feel his emotion in and out of the ring? Am I supposed to forget the skill and beauty of his work, his passion and ethusiasm for the art of wrestling? Am I supposed to condemn him utterly and forget all he did?

I can't and I won't and I pray God something's wrong, something will turn up in the investigation that clears him. I'm clinging to my memories of him...and to that night, to RAW's Eddie G tribute show, when he broke down and cried, literally sobbed, making me break down too. He showed just how genuine and deeply he felt for another man who was akin to a brother. He could feel and he DID feel.

I cling to the memory of that man. And I pray he's exonorated.

And FUCK the media who decry the WWE and Vince for honoring him last night! No one knew the details! And why NOT honor him at that time?? Before all this bullshit, before all the questions and the rumors, when his image was uncluttered and untarnished by suspicion? No, they did the RIGHT THING and fuck Fox news, fuck MSBNC (Scarrsborough County to be precise), and fuck the others who are rushing to judgement and condemnation, both on the WWE and on Chris Benoit.

Maybe I'm stupid and in denial. I don't care. This is my right, as a fan of Christopher's. I will remain true to him until concrete proof. I couldn't do otherwise. And I won't."

June 29th:

"This week has been a nightmare. I swear, if it wasn't for routine work/sleep/food/reading I'd go crazy. People may think I'm overreacting to the Chris Benoit situation...after all he's not a friend or family member..

But I looked up to this man. I admired him. I thought he was handsome, noble, a wonderful husband and father, a skillful performer....and this just shocks the hell out of me. I still can't wrap my head around it and I still refuse to believe fully that he did this. Or, at the very least, did it on purpose.

I could find it easier to accept if some type of drug or steroid even had altered his mood so that he did this in an altered state and once back to normal realized what he'd done and took his own life in remorse. That fits better with the knowledge I had of him, but even the fact something could've made this very disciplined man "snap" and kill the two people he loved most on this earth (besides his other son and daughter) then himself...it's just not right.

And the media is going hog wild, blaming Vince, steroids, a "code of silence" in the WWE (that was Debra's claim)...but it looked like all drugs and scripts in his house were legal, including the steroids which to my knowledge do have a medical use? I'm not sure on that, if anyone has any info it'd be appreciated it...but if he'd been taking them for awhile, why would it just NOW have an effect on his mind/mood?

God bless Chris Jericho. Out of all the former wrestlers/WWE employees to speak out, he's the voice of reason. He was just on Greta Van Sustren's show on Fox (she wasn't hosting, there was a guest host since Greta's out tonight), and the lady interviewing him was very respectful, seemed to know something about the business of wrestling, didn't push the steroids and didn't go after Benoit or Chris Jericho for defending his reputation as a family man. You could see the pain in his eyes, however...it hurts to know he's hurting.

We're all hurting - friends, family and the thousands of fans. We just want to know why and how and we may never know...I think that hurts the most."

I never wrote about it again. At least publicly. It threw me for such a loop that even though I didn't get out of wrestling (in September I went to Unforgiven in Memphis), I couldn't bring myself to think about it. Later in June/early July I went to a friend's wedding in Oregon and I remember seeing the People magazine with Benoit on the cover. I stopped and flipped through it but I don't think I bought one. I even talked about it with friends who weren't into wrestling. I just couldn't understand.

Five years later, I have more understanding but still mixed feelings. From all the studies done on Chris Benoit's brain, apparently his style of wrestling gave him so many concussions and injuries that it aged him to where (according to his father) his brain was like that of an 85 year old Alzheimer's patient. That would explain why a man that was so upright and devoted to his family would commit acts that were wholly against his nature. But it still doesn't explain it fully. For instance, even if killing his wife Nancy was an accident (and that's a stretch considering she was bound hand and foot - not an accident), he killed Daniel a day later. He had a full day to consider his actions and realise what he had done. But a day later he killed his own son (from what I've read, when he was still asleep in bed) and then killed himself after sending out text messages on Sunday. I think that's the sequence.

The fact is...Chris Benoit deliberately killed his family and then himself. He placed Bibles by them, which, speaking solely from my point of view, seems to signify remorse or asking for forgiveness. But who knows what that truly means. I read somewhere that in a Bible that was in the possessions his ex-wife received there was a note stating that he was preparing to leave this life. If true, that's the closest thing to a suicide note.

Five years later...I'm still conflicted as to if I should feel guilty for watching his matches or not. Because he was, without a doubt, one of the best technical wrestlers in the world. I have pictures of him from the events I attended, such as a Smackdown taping and Judgment Day 2000 (where he had one of my favourite matches against Chris Jericho) that I couldn't get rid of. When Lee mentioned he had the Eddie Guerrero "Cheating Death, Stealing Life" and Chris Benoit "Hard Knocks" DVDs he was going to get rid of, I asked for them and he gave them to me. That was over a year ago and I still haven't been able to watch them. Yet I've watched the three way at Wrestlemania XX where he won the World Heavyweight Title a few times in the past five years. And at the end I cry every time. Every fucking time.

There are fans who can watch his matches with no guilt. There are fans who never speak his name. I don't begrudge them their choices, because each fan has had to deal with this in their own way. What I can't abide are the people who somehow still think that Benoit was set up or somehow wasn't responsible for the murders. That just isn't true. You look at the facts of the investigation that have come out and it's undeniable. Benoit killed Nancy, Daniel and then himself. What I also can't abide are the people who still want to argue that he deserves to be honoured for his accomplishments in wrestling, even given an entry into WWE's Hall of Fame.

Now, granted, WWE's HOF isn't exactly the illustrious pinnacle that WWE wants you to think it is. After all, Drew Carey and Pete Rose are in there (ironic that Rose is in a wrestling HOF and will probably never be in the baseball HOF). Last year they inducted Mike Tyson, a man who was convicted of rape and served a prison sentence. Him, however, I can overlook - Tyson has changed dramatically and turned his life around. He served his time and it seems to have made him realise he had to change. Plus, he was actually convicted of rape, unlike the hundreds of rapists that go scott free without any type of remorse.

But the fact that fans would still like to see a man who killed his wife and son, and then killed himself honored....no. That is appalling to me because, as great of an athlete as he was, his last actions overshadow everything he did. He took innocent lives and then, instead of facing the consequences of his actions, he killed himself and denied his family, coworkers and friends an explanation for his actions. We don't even know why he killed himself - was it remorse? Regret? Pain? To escape the legal consequences or the guilt? There are so many things we will never know.

In the aftermath, Nancy's family set up this foundation as a tribute. http://www.nancyanddanielbenoitfoundation.com/  That, and the knowledge about how much damage concussions can do over time, are the good things that have come out of this. I pray that the knowledge has come in time to make significant and lasting changes in wrestling and other sports.

As for me, my views have changed since writing those heart broken journal entries. He wasn't exonerated. Instead it was proven that he killed his family and then himself. Be it due to brain injuries or something that just "broke" inside him, he deliberately killed his wife and son a day apart. That leans towards having the intent, the purpose and the will to commit these horrid actions. Then he made plans that would enable them to be found within a day or two. Then he killed himself. And I can't over look that. I just can't. Honestly, I don't know if I'll ever be able to watch his matches again without feeling guilty. And that's okay.

Five years on, my passion for wrestling burns brighter than ever. I pray that somewhere, Nancy and Daniel have found peace.  Maybe one day I can bring myself to pray for Chris' soul as well. Just...not right now.

15 Years of Super Hardcore Anime: Celebrating LuFisto

June 23rd, 2012 marked a milestone in this lady's life. It marked 15 years that the Super Hardcore Anime Lufisto had been wrestling. In the years between 1997 and 2012, she has had the highest highs and the lowest lows. She has suffered rejection and triumph in her career and personal life and not even serious health problems have been able to keep this lady down for long. Her look has changed over the years as well, but she has retained her pride, her passion and determination.

2008 was the year I "discovered" independent wrestling but it wasn't until a year or so later that I learned about Lufisto. I'll be honest, since my memory isn't up to snuff, I cannot remember if the first match I watched her in was on SHIMMER Women Athletes Volume 7 or if it came before in another match. Nonetheless, she immediately stood out because of her outfits - being a Sailor Moon fan, I recognized the SM school girl outfit she wore once. But she won me over with her skill and hard hitting style in the ring. I do remember quite clearly being highly impressed with her match on Volume 7 against Mercedes Martinez. I was familiar with Mercedes enough to know how good she was, but Lufisto brought it to her. The standing ovation by the fans afterwards was definitely deserved. Despite not appearing for several volumes after that, Lufi has become a permanent part of SHIMMER much to my pleasure.

As I did some research, I discovered her history in hardcore matches. Her versus the Necro Butcher was one of the most brutal matches I'd ever seen and it amazed me that a woman could be so vicious and tough. This was only confirmed when I later got my hands on the IWA: MS Pride and Passion DVD sets and saw her compete in the Queen of the Deathmatch tournament from 2007. The final between her and Mickie Knuckles was a "No Rope Barbed Wire Electrified Light Bulb and Light Tube Death Match" - definitely NOT for the faint of heart! My jaw was on the floor for most of the match.

However, it was this podcast done by Ringbelles in June of 2010 that really made me a fan. The link to it is here and I highly recommend giving it a listen. http://ringbellesonline.com/2010/06/03/wow-podcast-9-with-lufisto/  The fact that she took on and got an actual law overturned in Ontario in 2002 (with the help of the Ontario Human Rights Commission) is amazing and says quite a lot about this fiery woman. She mostly wrestled men at this point, and there was a regulation in Ontario that banned inter-gender wrestling. This effectively barred Lufisto from wrestling there. She lodged a complaint with the OHRC and the regulation was dropped, along with others that were stifling independent wrestling in the region.

Listening to her speak about the stroke that she suffered in April of 2010 (after a match she had in NCW) left me devastated. I wondered if she would ever wrestle again. Reading her words in the HONOUR Magazine about her year (which you can still read here: http://www.captured-beauty.com/honourmagazine/issue5.pdf) you just can't help but feel for the woman. She did return to wrestling but it wasn't until SHIMMER in March of 2011 that I got to see her live for the first time. She did not disappoint. I've written here and here about seeing her in 2011: http://ringbellesonline.com/2011/04/19/the-pocket-volcano-erupts-all-that-shimmers-is-gold/

http://ringbellesonline.com/2011/12/22/pocket-volcano-tis-the-season-to-reflect/

She also had health and other problems in 2011 (which Ringbelles covered here: http://ringbellesonline.com/2011/07/14/lufistos-having-heart-surgery-today/ & http://ringbellesonline.com/2011/07/20/ringbelles-retro-lufisto-is-all-heart/) and it was at a low point that she wrote a very personal letter to wrestling, expressing doubts and misgivings about her past and future. She gave Ringbelles permission to post the letter here: http://ringbellesonline.com/2011/11/05/lufisto-discusses-her-relationship-with-wrestling/

As a fan it was heart breaking to read this. But I made a vow - whether Lufisto decided to retire or to continue on, I would support her decisions. I've seen fans get upset when their favorites do something that they personally disagree with, and I find that selfish. People seem to forget that wrestlers are real human beings who have wants, needs and desires of their own. They have a right to happiness for themselves, and if retiring was Lufisto's best choice, I wanted to support that.

However, she wound up taking a four month break to try and heal her on-going back injury and returned to wrestling in February, where she won the Lucha POP title in Mexico. Plus, her work (as well as the work of other Canadian female wrestlers) in 2011 was recognized as her and Femmes Fatales racked up a slew of awards. What makes this remarkable is that the awards weren't segregated into male and female catagories, but instead they were grouped together. http://ringbellesonline.com/2012/02/01/ontario-quebec-dish-out-their-2011-awards/ This must have been highly satisfying for Lufisto, who has worked hard to build Femmes Fatales into a serious promotion for female athletes.

So far, 2012 has been a good year for Lufi. In addition to winning the Lucha POP title, she returned to SHIMMER in March with a new tag team partner - as a consequence of her match against Kana in October 2011, and Lufisto's hand being the only one she shook, the two formed a new tag team. Their match against the Oncoming Hatred (Kalamity and Hailey Hatred) was the match of the SHIMMER weekend for me. Lufi seemed to help Kana shed some of her ultra-seriousness and they worked so well together. Also it was announced that Women Superstars Uncensored would be partnering with Femmes Fatales in a talent exchange. WSU's iPPV featured the debuts of Lufisto, Kalamity and Sweet Cherrie, thereby exposing Lufisto to another fan base that may not have heard of her before. Her match against Leva Bates was the match of the show as they brought out the best in each other, Lufi helping to elevate Leva to another level. And it must have been with a sense of pride that Kalamity defended the NCW FF International title against Sweet Cherrie, as both are her pupils. Overall the three got rave reviews. Lufisto also got the opportunity to face someone that she admires - at Femmes Fatales in March, she wrestled against former WWE wrestler Jazz in a bout that wound up being a No Disqualification match. The Dream Match was one of the best on the card and the two shook hands afterwards in a huge show of respect.

Fifteen years is a long time in any career, but moreso in wrestling considering how much your body goes through. In those years, Lufisto has accomplished quite a bit. A glance at her website shows just how much:

Championships
Lucha Pop Femmes Campeona
NCW Femmes Fatales International Champion
ALF Champion
ICW Olympic Champion
CZW Iron-Man Champion
SAW World Champion
LLF Extreme Champion
ICW Tag Team Champion (2X)
ASW Canadian Champion
ICW Provincial Champion (2X)
UWA Cruiserweight Champion

Acheivements
Quebec Best Female Wrestler from 1997 to 2011
Quebec Feud of the Year 2011 (with Kalamity)
Women of Wrestling Podcast Woman of the Year 2010
Quebec Match if the Year 2009 (Vs Cheerleader Melissa at NCW-FF)
Shimmer Match if the Year 2008 (Vs Cheerleader Melissa)
Quebec Match if the Year 2008 (Vs Awesome Kong at ALF)
CZW Best of the Best People's Choice 2008
IWA Mis-South Queen of the Death Matches 2007
ALF Sherri Martel Memorial Cup Winner 2007
ALF Quebec Female Wrestling Hall of Famer
Stranglehold Wrestling King of the Death Matches Champion
EOW Super 8 Women Winner 

That's a list that anyone can be proud of.

I once saw someone refer to Lufisto as a woman who "plays with dolls." Now, I realise that people have a perfect right to like or dislike anyone they choose. However, to dismiss this woman as just that and nothing else does her a disservice. It's a blatant show of disrespect in my view. In the fifteen years that she has been wrestling, Lufi has sacrificed a lot. Blood, sweat, tears, her health, even parts of her life. She is a pioneer, wrestling men, wrestling the hardcore style, traveling all over the world to wrestle and train, giving of her time and experience to others who want to learn from her. Again and again she has sacrificed to entertain us fans. Even in the darkest hours where she doubted everything, including herself, she choose to return to the ring. She has not given up or given in. When there was a barrier, she smashed it. When someone said, "You can't," she said, "Watch me." When she was brought into SHIMMER, I heard there were doubts by fans at the time who dismissed her as nothing more than a deathmatch wrestler. She proved them wrong and has earned standing ovations for her matches.

Ronald Reagan said in his 1981 inaugural address, "Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look." Wrestling is one area where I look for heroes and heroines, and this has often confused people. They look at all the negativity in the business - steroids, sexism, racism, homophobia - and they ask me, "How can you look up to anyone in wrestling?" I reply there there are diamonds in the rough. I have a few people I look up to, admire and greatly respect in wrestling. Lufisto is one of them. How can I not? She is everything I would wish to be as a woman - intelligent, determined, fearless, principled, passionate and dedicated. She has a lovely sense of humour and lives life on her own terms, bold and daring.

When I see her in the ring, I see wrestling as what I believe it is - a work of art. I've always believed that wrestling is a lot like ballet - a story is told in the dance. When I watch Lufisto, I watch "Swan Lake" or "The Nutcracker" - high art performed by one of the best in the business, male or female. Time has only made her performances more flawless. And it has been my privilege to become acquainted with her on a personal level. In wrestling, I prefer to be a fan of people I know are genuinely good people and to find out that Lufi is just that made me admire and respect her even more. Plus, she has helped me overcome a narrow view that I held ever since I got into wrestling: the idea that women in wrestling posing nude or semi-nude hurts them and/or female wrestling overall.

To be fair, my experience with mixing posing naked and women in wrestling came from WWE and Playboy. When I found out that Mickie James had naked photos, my esteem for her went down quite a bit. I believed that if a woman chose to pose nude or semi-nude it made them look trashy and gave more credence to critics who didn't take female wrestling seriously. And finding out women like Annie Social had actually wrestled naked soured me on those types even more.

So consider my shock when I found out Lufisto had posed nude. I found this out only a month or two ago actually and it surprised me to no end. I have no idea when they were taken, but they were tastefully done, not trashy or anything like that. They were actually artistic photos and she looked so utterly calm, even happy and self assured. I threw the question out on social media, asking if folks thought that posing nude hurt female wrestling and wrestlers themselves. All the replies came back negatively - it doesn't hurt anything (although some said it depended on if said pictures were done tastefully or trashy). And after doing some serious thinking, I realised that I was wrong.

Lufisto is one of the best wrestlers in the world. Choosing to do something that she feels comfortable enough with herself to do doesn't make her less of a wrestler - in fact, it shows that wrestling encapsulates a variety of women of varying looks. The fact is, you can be sexy and wrestle at a top level. And if a woman wants to show off her body, if she has enough confidence in herself to do so, then that's a positive. Wrestling isn't for everyone, and if you have low self esteem or a weak view of yourself, then it can tear you to shreds. Lufisto has enough confidence in herself to do something like this and to share it with the world (assuming this is the case...if it's a case of leaked pictures that she didn't actually *want* shared, then I'll take this down immediately) - that's powerful. Women owning their sexuality is a powerful thing, and should be celebrated since for hundreds of years we have been made to feel that our bodies are shameful things and sexuality is something to be kept under control and even denied.

Me and My Heroine

I still think there's a difference between posing that is done tastefully and posing that is done less-than-tastefully, but for all intents and purposes I no longer pass judgment on women who choose to do something that makes them happy or they feel confident enough to do. Lufi helped change that. So did finding out that Manami Toyota and Ayako Hamada had done the same - no one can doubt the abilities of these three women.

Geneviève Goulet is an amazing woman. I fully believe she will be remembered as a legend in wrestling, if she isn't already. She has made a mark on this business that will last for years and years to come. Come what may, she will always have my support, my appreciation and my love. In addition to all that I have written, she set an example of what strength is. I was going through a hard time during the first months of 2012 and at times I was intensely depressed. Lufi offered advice, and when I would feel at my lowest I looked at what all she had gone through in her personal and professional life. I thought to myself, "She has gone through so much more than me, and she made it to the other side. I can too." As a result of keeping her example in mind and following her advice (along with other people's), I finally turned the corner. I would still be in a very dark spot if not for her example as well as others. As a friend and as a fan, I say with all my heart...thank you. For everything you've done and everything you will do. Thank you. <3

A Shift in WWE Female Talent?

Mo4r Buggy?

It was reported today that independent wrestler Buggy Nova has appeared at a FCW house show. This would suggest that she has been signed to a WWE Developmental Deal, and you can read more details here: http://ringbellesonline.com/2012/06/21/buggy-nova-appears-on-fcw-show/

I find this very interesting as it seems to strengthen the recent trend of signing women that are outside of the normal "Diva" standard. Back in late 2010/early 2011, the mold was completely broken when the news came out that Amazing Kong (Kharma) had been signed. It was a dream come true for the woman who had worked all over the world and had made it known her ultimate goal was to get to WWE. In September 2011, a contact was officially signed by Britani Knight (Paige) despite rumors that they had signed her earlier in the year, and she reported to FCW in January 2012. Now you have Buggy Nova, who has a decidedly gothic look to her. Three women who are trained wrestlers with stand out looks - is this shift in WWE hiring permanent or just a phase?

We saw back in the early 2000s a handful of women that were already trained before being hired, such as Molly Holly, Jazz, Lita and Gail Kim. Combining them with the women who were already there (Ivory, Jackie), and women who were trained in WWE developmental (Trish, Victoria), you had a roster packed full of women that were not only beautiful but talented in the ring. When the Diva Search came along, however, the trend started to shift towards hiring women that were supermodel beautiful but no previous experience whatsoever. A bunch of women were hired and fired, barely blips on the screen. There were a few that stuck it out and became pretty good in the ring, such as Michelle McCool, Eve and Layla. There were also a few that were hired with previous training, such as Mickie James, Beth Phoenix and Nattie Neidhart. But in the past few years, with 1-2 minute Divas matches, no promo time to speak of and getting shifted off of RAW when there was no time for them, the women's division has been lifeless.

That could change with the aforementioned three women. Plus you have Ivelisse (Sofia Cortez), Audrey Marie (who was trained solely in FCW but is steadily improving), and possibly Tenille (who was never actually signed to a developmental deal, opting to have shoulder surgery instead and who may or may not be signed after all). If WWE is staying on this course, allow me to suggest five names who have actively expressed a desire to be signed by the company. They are beautiful and extremely talented, and would need either little or no time in FCW to adapt to the "WWE Style" of wrestling.

The Queen of Wrestling

*Sara Del Rey. This woman has done just about everything there is to do on the independent level. Her matches are stellar, be it against men or women, and her promo skills are excellent. She is driven, focused, hard working and dedicated. Plus, you never hear a bad word about her professionally or personally. She eats, breathes and lives the gym/wrestling. A few years ago, TNA reportedly turned her down because she "didn't have enough of what the Beautiful People (Angelina Love & Velvet Sky) have." Quite the insult, considering Del Rey can out-wrestle both of them. She is an asset for any company, and considering she has stated her goal is to make it to WWE, they should definitely hire her.

Everybody's Favourite Girlfriend

*Jessie McKay. "Everybody's Favorite Girlfriend" is all set. She already has "the Diva look" (SHIMMER even built a rivalry around this between her and Nicole Matthews) and a skill set that would easily adapt to the WWE style. In interviews she has repeatedly said she wants to be hired by TNA or WWE. A former PWWA Women's Champion, she was trained by the best in Australia, namely Madison Eagles. Jessie is also hard working and dedicated. An added bonus is the fact she is young, and has experience playing heel and face (whereas Del Rey is a stronger heel), and can make either work for her. On top of all that, who doesn't like a pretty woman with an accent? She would fit right in.

The Blossom Twins

*Hannah and Holly Blossom, the Blossom Twins. With the exit of the Bella Twins, Nikki and Brie, WWE may not be looking for another set any time soon. However, if they were, Hannah and Holly more than fit the bill. The two were a mainstay in former WWE developmental camp Ohio Valley Wrestling for a few years, although they have shifted back to their homeland of England, competing for Pro-Wrestling EVE and other various promotions. These two women are natural born faces, being cute and sweet as the cupcakes they frequently offer, have worked with numerous women with different styles (therefore having the bonus of a lot of knowledge and experience), and they're harder to tell apart than Brie and Nikki were. The Blossoms have expressed a desire to be signed by either WWE or TNA. Despite the fact OVW is now TNA's developmental camp, knowing they made OVW their home base in America could lend itself as a bonus in their favor. If WWE wants more Twin Magic, Hannah and Holly would be the perfect Twins to turn to.

The Super Hardcore Anime

*Lufisto. My personal bias aside, Lufisto has more than earned a spot in the so-called big leagues. Much like Del Rey, the Super Hardcore Anime has done almost everything on the independent level, including getting a law overturned in Ontario that prevented inter-gender wrestling, helped start an all-female sister promotion to NCW called "Femmes Fatales", wrestled in hardcore death matches, been around the world, developed into a fantastic technical wrestler, has a terrific character that can be deadly serious as well as hilarious and came back from serious health problems to sculpt her body into a well oiled machine. A fifteen year veteran, her knowledge and experience is off the charts. She is a dedicated professional, always giving her all in every match. There are several things she brings to every place she competes, and WWE would be no exception. Lufi has given her all for this business and it would be wonderful for a broader audience to see even a fraction of her talent, drive and courage.


These five would all bring something unique to the table. Will any of them get a shot? If I'm realistic (and I'm always pessimistic when it comes to WWE), then probably not. But the fact that the 'E has signed 3 very different women to the roster is a positive step forward. Only time will tell if this is a permanent shift or not.

Remembering the Sensational One

One thing I regret about not getting into wrestling earlier is the amount of talent I missed seeing in their prime. Be it Shawn Michaels v Bret Hart, Randy Savage v Ricky Steamboat or Alundra Blayze v Bull Nakano, I missed the boat on a large portion of incredible people having incredible matches. One person that particularly stands out is "Sensational" Sherri Martel, also known as Queen Sherri and Sister Sherri.

Sherri Martel was a pioneer for women in wrestling. Not only was she great in the ring (she was the American Wrestling Association World Women's Champion three times; International Wrestling Association Women's Champion once; and World Wrestling Federation Women's Champion once), but she was one of the best managers in the business, aiding the careers of people from Randy Savage and Shawn Michaels to Ric Flair and Booker T and Stevie Ray (Harlem Heat). She could do it all, wrestle, manage, speak, act - her impact is undeniable. Women nowadays cite her as a direct influence on their careers, most notably Sassy Stephanie who frequently has the initials "SS" on her cheek, something that Sherri herself used to do.

When I started digging for information and clips on her online, I fell in love with her. Her raspy, borderline-demonic voice instantly caught your attention. She never hesitate to inject herself into a match to help out her charge. Personally, I felt she was better suited for Randy Savage than Elizabeth, as I found Liz too demure and uninvolved. I also loved her pairing with Shawn Michaels, he has credited her for helping to elevate his career. When I went back even further, her matches in WWF and AWA were amazing. This lady was so well rounded in her career it astonished me.

In 2006, Sherri was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. The induction speech was given by one of the men she had managed, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. She spoke from the heart that night and you could tell from her voice and the look on her face how much it meant to be recognised for her achievements. She looked so happy it made me cry. It was a lovely moment.

Who knew that a year later this great woman would be taken from us? At only 49 years of age, on June 15th, Sherri Martel passed away after what was said later to be an accidental overdose. We all have our demons and I'm not going to condemn or judge her for hers. Instead, I choose to remember a woman who was a trailblazer for females in wrestling. She made her mark in the AWA, WWF, ECW, WCW, IWA. She elevated everyone that worked with her. She helped break down walls and prove that women could be as fearless, as outspoken and as ferocious as men in the wrestling business. Brash, bold, classy and dedicated. Sensational Sherri is a legend and she will live on in history as one of the all time greats.

Over at Ringbellesonline.com, the newest Women of Wrestling podcast features a loving tribute to Sherri featuring a handful of people that worked with her: wrestling journalist Bill Apter; friend and rival Candi Divine; personal friend Marianne Ryan; veteran wrestler Lexie Fyfe; and one of her most famous charges "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase himself. Further down the page are links to various moments in Sherri's career, but there are a ton online. Her work is definitely worth seeking out. Here is the link to the podcast: http://ringbellesonline.com/2012/06/15/wow-podcast-41-remembering-sensational-sherri/

I wish I had gotten into wrestling early enough to experience Sherri live, but at least her work will live on as a permanent tribute to this trailblazing woman. I can only say as a grateful fan: thank you Sherri. I pray you are at peace now. You will always be Sensational.

*EDIT* I completely forgot to mention Sherri's time in Japan! It wasn't long by any means, but to make up for it, here's a tag team match featuring her teaming with Judy Martin to take on Mimi Hagiwara and Yukari Ohmori (it's in 3 parts) (Honestly YouTube is filled with matches and segments from every part of her career. Well worth browsing!):