Torrie Wilson
| Torrie Wilson | |
|---|---|
| File:Torriewilson1.jpg | |
| Born | July 24, 1975 Boise, Idaho |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Torrie Wilson Samantha |
| Billed height | 5 ft 7 in (175 cm) |
| Billed weight | 133 lb (60 kg) |
| Trained by | Madusa Billy Kidman Molly Holly |
| Debut | April 1999 |
Torrie Anne Gruner (born July 24, 1975 in Boise, Idaho), is an American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is probably best known as a performer for World Wrestling Entertainment, currently on their RAW brand, where she uses her maiden name Torrie Wilson.
Wilson has found considerable success in both World Championship Wrestling and in World Wrestling Entertainment as a valet and diva. This success led to her becoming one of several WWE divas to pose in Playboy. Outside of the ring, she is good friends with fellow WWE divas Stacy Keibler, Trish Stratus, and Victoria.
Career
Modeling
Born in Boise, at age ten she moved to the small town of McCall, Idaho after her parents divorced. She was painfully shy, but she quickly found friends in her new school. She quickly found her niche in many school activities, including cheerleading and dance, and was very competitive in track and field.
During high school, after Torrie's interest in modeling grew more serious, her mother urged her to pursue it. They visited an agency and were informed that Torrie would have to lose weight to actually be considered for jobs. She went on to lose eight pounds, but, in the process, began a four-year-long bout with bulimia.
A few years after her battle with bulimia, Wilson developed an interest in fitness modeling. Torrie began working out and building muscles. She decided to enter herself in the 1997 Ms. Galaxy fitness competition, and, with no experience in the field, placed thirteenth. A year later at the same competition she placed first.
World Championship Wrestling
Encouraged by her accomplishments, Wilson moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. She began acting classes and was introduced to an agent who helped her gain a few jobs, including an uncredited appearance on Baywatch. Torrie debuted in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1999. However, it was a meeting with Kevin Nash backstage at her first WCW event that landed her a full time job. She debuted as "Samantha" and served as valet for David Flair. At the 1999 Bash at the Beach, Wilson lead Flair over Dean Malenko to capture the WCW United States Championship.
In the fall of 1999 Wilson began managing Billy Kidman and his Filthy Animals teammates. As a result she found herself involved in the Animals continuing feud with The Revolution. At that Novembers Mayhem, Revolution members Malenko, Perry Saturn, and Asya met Eddie Guerrero, Kidman, and Wilson in a six-person elimination match. Wilson wound up being the last member of her team, and was ultimately pinned by Saturn. The next night on Nitro, Wilson and Guerrero were shown flirting on the "Kidcam" during Kidman and Konnan's tag team match. This led to a match between Kidman and Guerrero later that night and the breakup of the Filthy Animals team. Following this, Wilson disappeared from television and rumors began to circulate that she had been let go by the company.
However, Wilson returned on the January 19th edition of Thunder to help Kidman defeat The Artist Formerly Known as Prince Iaukea. In April of 2000 Kidman and Wilson joined the New Blood faction, making them both heels and Wilson began delivering a "kiss of death" to Kidman's fallen opponents after his matches. However, Kidman soon became jealous of the attention Torrie began to give to fellow New Blood member Horace Hogan. Kidman began yelling at Torrie on a continual basis, eventually leading to Wilson delivering a low blow to Kidman and ending their relationship. Wilson again gave Kidman a low blow at Junes Great American Bash Pay-Per-View, causing him to lose to Horaces cousin, Hulk Hogan.
Torrie was taken off of TV following this, reappearing on Junes Bash at the Beach during a match between Shane Douglas and Buff Bagwell. It appeared Wilson was rooting for Bagwell as she slapped Douglas and kissed Bagwell during the match. However, Wilson dropped Bagwell with a low blow, leading to Douglas winning the match. Torrie and Douglas then left together. This led to a feud between Kidman and Douglas. At the August New Blood Rising pay-per-view Kidman defeated Douglas in a strap match. At the following month's Fall Brawl, Wilson and Douglas defeated Kidman and Madusa in a mixed tag team scaffold match.
Wilson and Douglas began a feud with the re-united Filthy Animals after dubbing themselves "WCW's first couple." At the '00 Halloween Havoc, Wilson and Douglas fell to Konnan and Tygress.
Wilson's final appearance with World Championship Wrestling came on the November 29th edition of Thunder where Douglas took on General Rection. During the contest, Wilson jumped on Rection's back, resulting in her being knocked into the turnbuckle and placed on a stretcher to be removed from the ring. Following this, rumors began to circulate the Torrie may soon be joining the World Wrestling Federation.
World Wrestling Entertainment
The Invasion
Wilson entered the WWF as part of The Alliance during the WCW/ECW Invasion storyline in 2001. She regularly teamed with fellow WCW performer Stacy Keibler with the two of them making their wrestling débuts in WWF/E in a Bra and Panties against Lita and Trish Stratus at the WWF Invasion PPV. Despite her relative lack of in-ring experience, Wilson (alongside Keibler and Ivory) regularly feuded with the WWE Divas as well as interfering in matches on behalf of other wrestlers in the WCW/ECW stable. Her interference in a match between Matt Hardy and The Hurricane on a September 2001 edition of RAW, for example, cost Hardy his WWF European Championship.
She turned face during the Invasion storyline, when her character began an on-screen romance with Tajiri. This new romance caused Stacy Keibler to turn on Wilson, and as a result, Wilson defected to the WWF. Wilson defeated Keibler in the first-ever lingerie match at the 2001 No Mercy PPV after executing Tajiri's back handspring elbow.
SmackDown!
When the first ever brand separation of the WWE roster took place in April 2002, Wilson was drafted to SmackDown!. Soon after this, Tajiri became very jealous of the attention that Torrie received from other men, so he forced her to wear a geisha outfit and appeared to mistreat her in matches. Torrie finally tired of this, and, during a match, she got onto the announce table and stripped off her clothing. The distraction allowed Tajiri's opponent Billy Kidman to pick up the win. Wilson had a brief on-screen relationship with Maven after this.
Wilson's most high profile feud during her first few years with the company came in 2003, when Dawn Marie tried to marry her (kayfabe) father Al Wilson as blackmail for a lesbian relationship between the two. It eventually turned out that Dawn had feelings for Al, and the two got married. Al then (kayfabe) died from a heart attack after having rigourus sex numerous times in succession on their honeymoon[citation needed]. Wilson defeated Dawn at No Mercy in October and again at the Royal Rumble in January.
In May of 2003 Wilson appeared on the cover of Playboy Magazine leading to a feud with returning diva and former centerfold Sable. For weeks, Sable played mind games with Wilson, leading to a bikini contest at Judgment Day. Wilson won the contest and then kissed the former Women's Champion. The two would ultimately pose nude together in Playboy in March 2004. Later in the year, at the Great American Bash, Wilson lost to Sable after Sable pulled Wilson's tights.
Wilson managed Billy Gunn upon his WWE return in the summer of 2003. The duo feuded with Jamie Noble and his girlfriend Nidia. Later the feud ended after Nidia and Noble both turned face by siding with Gunn and Wilson during that time before Noble turned heel again by betraying Nidia.
After a feud with Hiroko, Wilson began feuding with Melina. That led to a loss for Wilson in a Bra and Panties Match at the 2005 Great American Bash. This match saw all the women involved, including special guest referee Candice Michelle, lose their clothing.
RAW
On the August 22, 2005 edition of RAW, it was revealed that Torrie and Candice Michelle were traded to RAW. Afile://C:\Documents and Settings\Brett\My Documents\My Pictures\wwe\divas\RoM_2003-long with Candice, Torrie would turn heel on the same night, attacking the 2005 RAW Diva Search winner Ashley Massaro. This turn marked the first time that Wilson was a heel in WWE after the end of the Invasion storyline.
Torrie also began carrying her small dog Chloe down to ringside during matches. Torrie and Candice's feud with Massaro continued over the next couple weeks, as the duo, along with their enforcer Victoria, made things difficult for Massaro. Massaro evened the score on the September 12, 2005 edition of RAW, as she brought out a returning Trish Stratus and proceeded with Stratus to take out the heels. This led to a tag match at Unforgiven, as the team of Stratus and Massaro defeated Wilson and Victoria (with Candice Michelle).
The feud continued into WWE Homecoming, where Trish Stratus and Ashley Massaro defeated Torrie, Candice, and Victoria in the first ever three on two Bra and Panties Match, by stripping all three of their opponents. Torrie Wilson would be taken of TV for a short while after this but would return on the November 28 edition of RAW, where Wilson, along with Candice Michelle and Victoria, continued to face off against the team of Trish Stratus, Ashley, and their new ally Mickie James. Vince McMahon would soon begin referring to the team of Torrie Wilson, Victoria, and Candice Michelle as "Vince's Devils," which seemed to be a play on Charlie's Angels.
Vince's Devils would only be a short-lived team as Torrie Wilson would soon become a babyface diva once again after Candice Michelle and Victoria turned on her. This feud between Candice Michelle and Wilson would become a lenghy one and lead to a match in which Playboy Magazine's newest cover girl, Candice Michelle, would face off against the 2-time former cover girl (Wilson) at WrestleMania 22 in a Playboy Pillow Fight. Wilson would win this match but the feud would still continue on-and-off.
On the June 12, 2006 edition of RAW, Torrie Wilson defeated Candice Michelle in the first ever "Wet & Wild Match" (a wrestling match involving water balloons and squirt guns with both competitors wearing white clothing) where the winner of the match would be on the cover of the WWE 2006 Summer Special magazine. In the weeks following she began performing stink faces on her opponents in certain matches. On the July 17 edition of RAW, Torrie Wilson and Trish Stratus took on Victoria and Mickie James in a mixed tag team match with Candice as the referee. Torrie Wilson started getting a beat down by Victoria, but was able to tag Trish, following a StratusFaction on Victoria. The results ended up by Trish and Torrie Wilson being victorious, and marking Candice's second face turn after slapping Mickie James. C:\Documents and Settings\Brett\My Documents\My Pictures\wwe\divas\RoM_2003-05_043_Torrie_Wilson_04.jpg
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In Wrestling
- Finishing And Signature Moves
- Nose Job (Sitout facebuster)
- Stinkface
- "Double D" (Double DDT with Candice Michelle)
- Slap
- Swinging Neckbreaker
- Tornado DDT
- Dropkick
- Handspring Elbow
- Managers
- Wrestlers managed by Torrie Wilson
Chloe
"Chloe Wilson", is Torrie's pet Maltese. Torrie often brings Chloe to ringside during her appearances on World Wrestling Entertainment's RAW brand.
Torrie Wilson had been traveling with the Chloe since December 2004, so she was used to being on the road, but it wouldn't be until late 2005 that Chloe would make her first appearance on RAW.
Chloe joined Torrie as part of the stable Vince's Devils, along side Victoria and Candice Michelle. Chloe even made appearances in the ring, acting as interference during the divas' matches. Her first in ring experience coming during Carlito's "Beat the Clock Match" against Victoria when Chloe ran across the ring to her owner Torrie to distract Carlito.
The next week on RAW, Chloe got involved during another of Victoria's matches, this time with Maria. During the match Torrie held Chloe up and rubbed the little dog's behind into Maria's face. (This "move" would later be referred to as the "Chloe Tush Push.")
On February 9, 2006, it was announced that Torrie and Chloe Wilson would present WWE Best in Show, a look back on all the best canine moments from WWE history, which would air the following Monday afternoon on WWE.com (in reference to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which aired in place of RAW that Monday).
Personal life
Wilson is married to former WWE and WCW professional wrestler Peter Gruner, a.k.a. Billy Kidman, with whom she resides in Tampa, Florida.
Aside from Chloe, Torrie and Gruner have 2 cats (who do not tour): Cali, who she found when the WWE was doing a show at the Staples Center in LA and named after where she was found; and another cat whose name remains unknown. She introduced her pets to the world when she appeared on MTV's Cribs.
Championships and accomplishments
- 1999 Miss WCW Winner
- 2002 Winner of the 2002 Coveted Golden Thong Award
- May 2003 Playboy cover girl
- March 2004 Playboy cover girl (Along with Sable)
- 2004 WWE Divas Magazine cover girl
- 2006 The twenty-second Most Desirable Woman in the World according to "Askmen.com"
External links
- Official WWE Profile
- iTorrie (fansite)
- Torrie-Vibe.org (fansite)