Juanita Wright
Encyclopedia
Juanita Wright was a professional wrestling
valet
and wrestler best known as "Sweet" Sapphire in the World Wrestling Federation
where she managed Dusty Rhodes
in 1989 and 1990. She also wrestled on the independent circuit as Princess Dark Cloud.
. She became a huge wrestling fan and began to drive wrestlers to arenas in the St. Louis area. Wright gained a wrestling referees license, the first woman in the Missouri to do so, before entering the ring as a wrestler. She appeared under the name Princess Dark Cloud and once wrestled a bear. Prior to signing a contract with the World Wrestling Federation, Wright worked as a saleswoman for a clothing company in St. Louis.
and Sensational Sherri
at Wrestlemania VI. Sapphire pinned Sherri, with some help from Miss Elizabeth
, who had allied herself with Sapphire and Rhodes after a previous incident that precipitated the match. Sapphire, in the Spring and Summer of 1990, began to receive gifts from a mysterious benefactor. At the 1990 SummerSlam
pay per view
, Sherri defeated Sapphire via forfeit after Sapphire failed to show. Seconds before Rhodes' match against Randy Savage, Ted DiBiase
revealed that he had bought Sapphire. A puzzled Rhodes lost to Savage because he did not have the heart to continue. Sapphire began appearing in segments where she would do favors for DiBiase, including ironing his money. Shortly afterward, Sapphire left the WWF. Although it was never explained why on WWF programming, Virgil
revealed in an interview with WWF Magazine several months later that the (kayfabe
) reason for Sapphire leaving was that DiBiase took all the gifts back.
In a later shoot interview, Sherri Martel
revealed that Wright's admiration for Rhodes was legitimate, and that she literally broke down crying when the office told her that they were severing Wright and Rhodes' on-screen partnership. Martel believes that Wright lost complete interest in the company after this, which is why she left the company not long after SummerSlam. Rhodes revealed on his WWE DVD The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story that he once went into Vince McMahon
's office and said that he liked Sapphire, but having her around was pointless and that she should be released. McMahon told Rhodes that she "made" Rhodes' character and that she should stay. After extensive thought, Rhodes agreed.
on September 10, 1996.
Ron and Fez Show
due to his uncanny resemblance to Juanita, and his pairing with the new sensational show producer, The Midnight Rider. Dusty Rhodes, whom Sapphire had managed in the WWF, has wrestled under the name The Midnight Rider.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
valet
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
and wrestler best known as "Sweet" Sapphire in the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
where she managed Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
in 1989 and 1990. She also wrestled on the independent circuit as Princess Dark Cloud.
Early life
Juanita Wright was born on October 24, 1934 in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. She became a huge wrestling fan and began to drive wrestlers to arenas in the St. Louis area. Wright gained a wrestling referees license, the first woman in the Missouri to do so, before entering the ring as a wrestler. She appeared under the name Princess Dark Cloud and once wrestled a bear. Prior to signing a contract with the World Wrestling Federation, Wright worked as a saleswoman for a clothing company in St. Louis.
World Wrestling Federation
Wright debuted in 1989 at Survivor Series 1989 as a fan cheering on Dusty Rhodes. Sapphire began to manage Dusty Rhodes, both adorned in black outfits with yellow polka dots. Sapphire later appeared in the ring, teaming with Dusty to take on Randy SavageRandy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
and Sensational Sherri
Sherri Martel
Sherri Schrull was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri....
at Wrestlemania VI. Sapphire pinned Sherri, with some help from Miss Elizabeth
Miss Elizabeth
Elizabeth Ann Hulette , best known as Miss Elizabeth, was an American professional wrestling manager. She gained international fame from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation, and the mid-1990s in World Championship Wrestling in her role as the manager to the late...
, who had allied herself with Sapphire and Rhodes after a previous incident that precipitated the match. Sapphire, in the Spring and Summer of 1990, began to receive gifts from a mysterious benefactor. At the 1990 SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1990)
SummerSlam was the third annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 27, 1990 at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The card featured ten televised matches, including two main events...
pay per view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
, Sherri defeated Sapphire via forfeit after Sapphire failed to show. Seconds before Rhodes' match against Randy Savage, Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
revealed that he had bought Sapphire. A puzzled Rhodes lost to Savage because he did not have the heart to continue. Sapphire began appearing in segments where she would do favors for DiBiase, including ironing his money. Shortly afterward, Sapphire left the WWF. Although it was never explained why on WWF programming, Virgil
Mike Jones (wrestler)
Mike Jones is an American professional wrestler, who most recently performed for World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Virgil, where he appeared on its Raw brand as Ted DiBiase, Jr.'s personal assistant...
revealed in an interview with WWF Magazine several months later that the (kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
) reason for Sapphire leaving was that DiBiase took all the gifts back.
In a later shoot interview, Sherri Martel
Sherri Martel
Sherri Schrull was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri....
revealed that Wright's admiration for Rhodes was legitimate, and that she literally broke down crying when the office told her that they were severing Wright and Rhodes' on-screen partnership. Martel believes that Wright lost complete interest in the company after this, which is why she left the company not long after SummerSlam. Rhodes revealed on his WWE DVD The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story that he once went into Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
's office and said that he liked Sapphire, but having her around was pointless and that she should be released. McMahon told Rhodes that she "made" Rhodes' character and that she should stay. After extensive thought, Rhodes agreed.
Personal life
Juanita Wright had two children, named Wanda and Ricco. Little is known about Juanita from the time she left the WWF besides that she worked at Granpa Pigeons in University City, MO., where she enjoyed telling old wrestling stories to her co-workers children. She died in St. Louis, Missouri from a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on September 10, 1996.
In popular culture
A character called "Sweet Sapphire" has recently been adopted by Earl Douglas, a male African American radio producer for XM Radio'sXM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
Ron and Fez Show
Ron and Fez
The Ron and Fez Show is an American radio talk show hosted by Ron Bennington and Fez "Marie" Whatley.After long popular runs in Tampa, Florida, New York City, and Washington, D.C., Ron and Fez are now heard on Sirius XM Radio's the Opie and Anthony Channel, located on XM channel 105, and Sirius...
due to his uncanny resemblance to Juanita, and his pairing with the new sensational show producer, The Midnight Rider. Dusty Rhodes, whom Sapphire had managed in the WWF, has wrestled under the name The Midnight Rider.
External links
- Juanita Wright at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Online World Of Wrestling Profile