R.I.P. Chyna: Reflecting on WWE’s “Ninth Wonder of the World”

Chyna (Inquisitr)

In very heartbreaking news, former WWE wrestler Joan Laurer, aka Chyna, died late last night a the age of 46. Police are investigating this tragic loss in the wrestling industry. Over the past several hours, there has been many postings on social media by celebrities, wrestlers and fans as they remember the life of Chyna. Her media team posted through her media accounts late last night to break the news.

httpss://twitter.com/ChynaJoanLaurer/status/723002666834497536

While drugs have been a part of her life for years, it it unknown what the true cause of the passing was. The news comes days after Balls Mahoney died at the age of 44. While her past has not been highlighted so well over the years, her contributions to the professional wrestling industry are undeniable.

Chyna was an instrumental member in WWE’s Attitude Era. Debuting in 1997, she was the insurance Triple H needed to win matches. Some may think it was just Shawn Michaels and Triple H who started D-Gegeneration X, but it was Chyna who was also an integral part of the group’s rise to popularity. Think about this: she was the bodyguard for Shawn Michaels and Triple H. While she was always the silent type in the group, she may have been the coolest member.

Over the years, Chyna transcended the way a woman should be presented in the professional wrestling scene. She was doing things in WWE that no woman had ever done or accomplished. The “9^th Wonder of the World” was the first and only woman to hold the Intercontinental Title, having great matches with Chris Jericho along the way. She was the first ever woman to enter the Royal Rumble, and did so twice! Chyna fought both men and women, becoming a two-time WWE Women’s Champion. This woman was the ultimate competitor who was just edgy enough for the Attitude Era. It could be said that she helped with the popularity of Eddie Guerrero during the days they did a love angle together.

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buj8adryms4

Unfortunately, she had a big falling out with the company. Due to a lack of direction and her real life issues with Triple H (they dated and he supposedly left her for Stephanie McMahon), she was done with WWE but never really recovered. WWE seemingly did all they could to block her out of history, never really mentioning her in association with DX. Her later life involved doing porn, drugs and alcohol. She never got the help she needed and it just resulted in a downward spiral. It’s very unfortunate that a reconciliation with her and the company never was able to work out. Its worse that we’ll never know if it would have in the future.

It was sad but great to see WWE management acknowledge Chyna, as many fans were hoping they wouldn’t be that strict in regards to her past. It was a short but simple message that showed that even in the darkest of moments, we are all compassionate human beings.

httpss://twitter.com/WWE/status/723027456597307392

httpss://twitter.com/TripleH/status/723129417367732225

httpss://twitter.com/StephMcMahon/status/723019592570929152

Fans have wanted her to be in the WWE Hall of Fame for years now. I believe she fully deserves to be there. While Triple H has stated he doesn’t want to see his kids googling “Chyna” and seeing images of porn, the same could be said about current Hall of Famer Sunny. There is a grey line here considering the reputations of many members of the HOF (Mike Tyson as an example). The talks will surely increase due to her passing. It will be interesting to see what WWE will do now. They can’t ignore history, both good and bad.

Before I go, I want to leave you with this: Before there was Trish Stratus, Lita, Beth Phoenix, Awesome Kong, Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Gail Kim, there was Chyna. She started a path for women to walk through, and in time it resulted in a revolution.

R.I.P. Chyna, a true pioneer.