Rena Mero
Encyclopedia
Rena Marlette Mero Lesnar (née Greek on August 8, 1967), better known as Sable, is an American model, actress
, and former professional wrestler
. She is primarily known for her stints in World Wrestling Entertainment
.
Before gaining popularity in the world of professional wrestling
, Mero worked as a model for L'Oréal
, Pepsi
, and Guess?. Along with her second husband Marc Mero
, she began working for the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) in 1996. As Sable, she was one of the first WWE Diva
s, and she gained considerable popularity, surpassing that of her husband's. After feuding with Luna Vachon, and Jacqueline
, Sable became the second WWF Women's Champion
after the title was reinstated into the company. After becoming a heel
and leaving the company, Mero filed a $110 million lawsuit against the company, citing allegations of sexual harassment
and unsafe working conditions.
In 2003, she returned to the newly renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where she was put into a storyline feud with Torrie Wilson
, and another storyline as Vince McMahon
's mistress. In 2004, she left the company to spend more time with her family.
Outside of wrestling, Mero has been featured on the cover of Playboy
three times. The March 1999 issue of the magazine with her on the cover was one of the highest selling issues in Playboy history. She has also guest starred on several television series, including Pacific Blue
. She also appeared in the film Corky Romano
.
. She was active in her youth and was interested in activities such as gymnastics, horseback riding, and softball. After winning her first beauty pageant at twelve years of age, she eventually became a model in 1990, working with companies such as L'Oréal
, Pepsi
, and Guess?.
Greek married Wayne W. Richardson in 1986. The couple had a daughter named Mariah in 1988. The two remained married until Richardson died in a drunk-driving accident in 1991. She met her second husband, professional wrestler and former boxer
Marc Mero
, who had been performing in World Championship Wrestling
as "Johnny B. Badd", in 1993. Mero also had breast augmentation surgery in 1993 to increase her self-esteem. After marrying Mero in the following year, she broke into the wrestling business through the World Wrestling Federation.
in March 1996, escorting Hunter Hearst Helmsley
to the ring as he took on the returning The Ultimate Warrior
. Mero's first major angle as Sable involved her then real-life husband, who debuted at WrestleMania XII as "Wildman" Marc Mero. The storyline started when Marc Mero witnessed Sable being mistreated by Helmsley backstage, so Marc Mero attacked Helmsley and took Sable as his manager
. She remained Mero's manager until his injury in 1997. Between 1997 and the time he returned from his injury in 1998, Sable became popular on her own. In her next storyline, a returning Marc Mero (now known as "Marvelous" Marc Mero) became jealous, refused to let Sable get any of the spotlight, and mistreated her. The duo entered into a feud
with Luna Vachon
and The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust, which climaxed in a match at WrestleMania XIV
in March 1998. Sable delivered a superkick to Goldust and executed a "Sable Bomb", a version of the powerbomb
, on Luna. She also delivered a TKO and pinned Luna to finish the match, with the crowd chanting Sable's name in the background. At the following pay-per-view
event, Unforgiven in April 1998, Sable lost to Luna in an Evening Gown match after being distracted by Marc Mero.
After Marc's interference at Unforgiven, Sable came to the ring and challenged Marc to a match. Sable then kicked him in the groin and delivered a Sable Bomb to get revenge. Sable eventually broke away from "Marvelous" Marc Mero, who debuted Jacqueline
as his new manager, resulting in a storyline feud between the two women. The two met in a bikini
contest in July 1998 at Fully Loaded. Sable, only wearing impressions of hands painted on her exposed breast
s, won the contest. The next night on Raw
however, Vince McMahon
disqualified Sable from the previous night's contest since she did not actually wear a bikini, and the match was then awarded to Jacqueline. In response, Sable gave McMahon the double finger
. At SummerSlam
, Sable and her mystery partner, federation newcomer Edge
, defeated Marc Mero and Jacqueline in a mixed tag team match.
Sable and Jacqueline faced off for the newly reinstated WWF Women's Title
on the September 21, 1998 edition of Raw. Jacqueline claimed the title after Marc Mero interfered. On November 15, 1998 at Survivor Series
, she dropped the title to Sable, who won after powerbombing both Marc and Jacqueline during the match. During this time, Rena had a guest appearance on an episode of the USA Network
show Pacific Blue
. Sable then briefly entered a storyline where she was forced to play a subservient role to Vince and Shane McMahon
, but the storyline was cut short.
after an assist from a planted female Sable fan, WWF newcomer Tori
. Tori's debut signified a change in Sable's persona. After the Rumble, Rena (under her Sable ring name) was featured as the cover girl for the April 1999 issue of Playboy. The issue was one of the highest selling issues of Playboy
ever. Surrounding the release of the issue, the Sable character turned heel
by "going Hollywood" and having an inflated ego. Rarely defending her title, Sable continually berated her fan Tori, and she feuded with both Tori and Luna Vachon (who had turned face
). She debuted a new catchphrase: "This is for all the women who want to be me and all the men who come to see me" and a dance move called "the grind
." The feud with Tori led to a match at WrestleMania XV
. During the contest, Nicole Bass
debuted as Sable's bodyguard
and helped Sable win the match.
Sable went on with Bass making Bass do all of her dirty work. Sable continued to hold the championship for almost 6 months, but on May 10, 1999, Debra
"won" the Women's Championship from Sable in an Evening Gown match. Normally in an Evening Gown match, the winner is the woman who forcibly removes her opponent's dress, which Sable did. As part of the storyline, WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels
, however, ruled that the woman who had lost her dress was the winner, making Debra the new Women's Champion. Off-screen, Sable was in a dispute with the WWF, which is why she was stripped of the title on-screen.
and unsafe working conditions. She claims to have filed the lawsuit after refusing to go topless. During the course of the lawsuit, Vince McMahon
counter-sued Rena over control of the stagename "Sable". Mero reduced the amount she was seeking in damages, and they eventually settled out of court in August 1999. Mero used her real name for her appearance in the September 1999 issue of Playboy. She was the first woman in history to be given two Playboy covers in the same year. After her WWF exit, she made an on-camera appearance as an audience member on World Championship Wrestling
's Nitro
.
During this time, Mero made appearances on The Howard Stern Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien
. She also made appearances on television shows such as Relic Hunter
and First Wave and in the films Corky Romano
as a female bouncer and Ariana's Quest. She released her autobiography, entitled Undefeated in August 2000. She also released a comic book
entitled The 10th Muse starring herself as a superhero. In May 2001, Mero was given an advice column on CompuServe
. On November 13 and November 14, 2001, she appeared as the on-camera "CEO" of the newly formed X Wrestling Federation
(XWF), but these were her only appearances with the company.
Mero returned to World Wrestling Entertainment on the April 3, 2003 episode of SmackDown!, reprising her role as Sable. Sable continued to be a villain and heel and spent several months in a storyline with new Playboy covergirl Torrie Wilson
. Sable followed Wilson down to her matches, talked with her backstage, and on one occasion, she left Wilson in a tag match alone to fend for herself. Sable eventually challenged Wilson to a showdown bikini contest at Judgment Day. After Sable got the bigger applause, Wilson removed another layer of clothing, and Special Guest Referee Tazz
declared Wilson the winner. After the match, Wilson went up to Sable and kissed her before exiting the ring. Sable then had an altercation with the guest judge Tazz, dumping water on him on the following edition of SmackDown!, as a means of gaining revenge for declaring Wilson the winner.
Sable then feuded with Stephanie McMahon in a storyline in which she was Vince McMahon
's mistress
. Vince appointed Sable as Stephanie's personal assistant against Stephanie's will, sparking the feud between the duo. During the feud, they competed in several catfights, a food fight, a parking lot brawl in which Sable's bra was ripped off, revealing both her breasts on live television, and a match in which Sable smacked a clipboard over Stephanie's head. At Vengeance
, Sable defeated Stephanie after interference by her new ally, A-Train. At SummerSlam
, Sable accompanied A-Train in his match against The Undertaker, which he lost. After the match, The Undertaker held Sable so that Stephanie could use a Spear attack on her. After SummerSlam, Vince and Sable focused on getting rid of Stephanie for good, so Vince made an "I Quit" match at No Mercy. In the match, Sable slapped Stephanie and was involved in a scuffle with Linda McMahon
.
Sable briefly became a face again when she appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine for the third time in her career. On the cover, she appeared with fellow diva Torrie Wilson, making them the first WWE Divas to pose in Playboy together. Surrounding the release of the cover, the duo feuded with Raw divas Stacy Keibler
and Miss Jackie
, even though all four women were faces at the time. The two teams squared off at WrestleMania XX
in an Interpromotional Tag Team Evening Gown match, but the divas started the match in their underwear, making it more of a lingerie
match. Sable and Wilson were victorious. The change was rumored to have occurred because Sable had suffered damage to her breast
.
Following WrestleMania XX, Sable quickly turned heel again and engaged in another short feud with Torrie Wilson. The feud culminated in a match at The Great American Bash
, which Sable won. Sable's final appearance in WWE was on SmackDown! when she, Dawn Marie
, and Wilson accompanied Eddie Guerrero
to the ring in his lowrider. On August 10, 2004, WWE's official website announced that Sable and WWE had parted ways, this time on good terms. Mero claimed that she left the company to spend more time with her family.
, appeared at several New Japan Pro Wrestling
shows after her WWE release. After Rena and Marc Mero became officially divorced in 2004, she began dating Lesnar, whom she became engaged to later that year. The engagement was called off in early 2005, but they were engaged again in January 2006. They are now married. The couple had their first child together, a son named Turk in June 2009. The couple had their second child, a son named Duke in July 2010.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and former professional wrestler
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...
. She is primarily known for her stints in World Wrestling Entertainment
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...
.
Before gaining popularity in the world of professional wrestling
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...
, Mero worked as a model for L'Oréal
L'Oréal
The L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics...
, Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
, and Guess?. Along with her second husband Marc Mero
Marc Mero
Marc Mero is an American retired amateur boxer and professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Marc Mero and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Johnny B. Badd...
, she began working for 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...
(WWF) in 1996. As Sable, she was one of the first WWE Diva
WWE Diva
Diva is a term used by World Wrestling Entertainment , an American professional wrestling promotion, to refer to its female talent. The term is applied to women who appear as wrestlers, managers or valets, backstage interviewers, or ring announcers....
s, and she gained considerable popularity, surpassing that of her husband's. After feuding with Luna Vachon, and Jacqueline
Jacqueline Moore
Jacqueline DeLois Moore is an inactive American professional wrestler, who was most recently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Sable became the second WWF Women's Champion
WWE Women's Championship
The WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification...
after the title was reinstated into the company. After becoming a heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
and leaving the company, Mero filed a $110 million lawsuit against the company, citing allegations of sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
and unsafe working conditions.
In 2003, she returned to the newly renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where she was put into a storyline feud with Torrie Wilson
Torrie Wilson
Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
, and another storyline as 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 mistress. In 2004, she left the company to spend more time with her family.
Outside of wrestling, Mero has been featured on the cover of Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
three times. The March 1999 issue of the magazine with her on the cover was one of the highest selling issues in Playboy history. She has also guest starred on several television series, including Pacific Blue
Pacific Blue (TV series)
Pacific Blue is an American crime drama series about a team of police officers with the Santa Monica Police Department who patrolled its beaches on bicycles. The show ran for five seasons on the USA Network, from March 2, 1996 to April 9, 2000, with a total of one hundred and one episodes...
. She also appeared in the film Corky Romano
Corky Romano
Corky Romano is a 2001 film starring former Saturday Night Live cast member Chris Kattan. Also starring are Fred Ward, Vinessa Shaw, Roger Fan, and Dave Sheridan. The movie was directed by Rob Pritts and was written by David Garrett and Jason Ward. It was filmed at Touchstone Pictures studios...
.
Early life
Rena Greek was born in Jacksonville, FloridaJacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. She was active in her youth and was interested in activities such as gymnastics, horseback riding, and softball. After winning her first beauty pageant at twelve years of age, she eventually became a model in 1990, working with companies such as L'Oréal
L'Oréal
The L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics...
, Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
, and Guess?.
Greek married Wayne W. Richardson in 1986. The couple had a daughter named Mariah in 1988. The two remained married until Richardson died in a drunk-driving accident in 1991. She met her second husband, professional wrestler and former boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Marc Mero
Marc Mero
Marc Mero is an American retired amateur boxer and professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Marc Mero and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Johnny B. Badd...
, who had been performing in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
as "Johnny B. Badd", in 1993. Mero also had breast augmentation surgery in 1993 to increase her self-esteem. After marrying Mero in the following year, she broke into the wrestling business through the World Wrestling Federation.
World Wrestling Federation (1996–1999)
Rena Mero made her World Wrestling Federation debut as Sable at WrestleMania XIIWrestleMania XII
-Other on-screen talent:-External links:**...
in March 1996, escorting Hunter Hearst Helmsley
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
to the ring as he took on the returning The Ultimate Warrior
Warrior (wrestler)
Also see Warrior .Warrior is an American retired professional wrestler who notably performed under the ring names The Ultimate Warrior and Warrior...
. Mero's first major angle as Sable involved her then real-life husband, who debuted at WrestleMania XII as "Wildman" Marc Mero. The storyline started when Marc Mero witnessed Sable being mistreated by Helmsley backstage, so Marc Mero attacked Helmsley and took Sable as his manager
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...
. She remained Mero's manager until his injury in 1997. Between 1997 and the time he returned from his injury in 1998, Sable became popular on her own. In her next storyline, a returning Marc Mero (now known as "Marvelous" Marc Mero) became jealous, refused to let Sable get any of the spotlight, and mistreated her. The duo entered into a feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with Luna Vachon
Gertrude Vachon
Gertrude Vachon was a Canadian-American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Luna Vachon.-Training:...
and The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust, which climaxed in a match at WrestleMania XIV
WrestleMania XIV
WrestleMania XIV was the fourteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on March 29, 1998 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts....
in March 1998. Sable delivered a superkick to Goldust and executed a "Sable Bomb", a version of the powerbomb
Powerbomb
A powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
, on Luna. She also delivered a TKO and pinned Luna to finish the match, with the crowd chanting Sable's name in the background. At the following 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...
event, Unforgiven in April 1998, Sable lost to Luna in an Evening Gown match after being distracted by Marc Mero.
After Marc's interference at Unforgiven, Sable came to the ring and challenged Marc to a match. Sable then kicked him in the groin and delivered a Sable Bomb to get revenge. Sable eventually broke away from "Marvelous" Marc Mero, who debuted Jacqueline
Jacqueline Moore
Jacqueline DeLois Moore is an inactive American professional wrestler, who was most recently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
as his new manager, resulting in a storyline feud between the two women. The two met in a bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
contest in July 1998 at Fully Loaded. Sable, only wearing impressions of hands painted on her exposed breast
Breast
The breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.Both men and women develop breasts from the same embryological tissues...
s, won the contest. The next night on Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
however, 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...
disqualified Sable from the previous night's contest since she did not actually wear a bikini, and the match was then awarded to Jacqueline. In response, Sable gave McMahon the double finger
Finger (gesture)
In Western culture, the finger , also known as the middle finger, is an obscene hand gesture, often meaning the phrases "fuck off" , "fuck you" or "up yours"...
. At SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1998)
SummerSlam was the eleventh annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 30, 1998 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York....
, Sable and her mystery partner, federation newcomer Edge
Adam Copeland
Adam Joseph Copeland is a retired Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Edge. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract....
, defeated Marc Mero and Jacqueline in a mixed tag team match.
Sable and Jacqueline faced off for the newly reinstated WWF Women's Title
WWE Women's Championship
The WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification...
on the September 21, 1998 edition of Raw. Jacqueline claimed the title after Marc Mero interfered. On November 15, 1998 at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1998)
Survivor Series was the twelfth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on November 15, 1998 at the Kiel Center in St...
, she dropped the title to Sable, who won after powerbombing both Marc and Jacqueline during the match. During this time, Rena had a guest appearance on an episode of the USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
show Pacific Blue
Pacific Blue (TV series)
Pacific Blue is an American crime drama series about a team of police officers with the Santa Monica Police Department who patrolled its beaches on bicycles. The show ran for five seasons on the USA Network, from March 2, 1996 to April 9, 2000, with a total of one hundred and one episodes...
. Sable then briefly entered a storyline where she was forced to play a subservient role to Vince and Shane McMahon
Shane McMahon
Shane Brandon McMahon is an American executive, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of YOU On Demand. A former executive and professional wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment , he is the son of WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and former US Senate candidate Linda...
, but the storyline was cut short.
Heel turn
In 1999, as part of a new storyline, Sable was attacked by a masked woman named Spider Lady, who turned out to be Luna. Sable defeated Luna in a Strap match at the Royal RumbleRoyal Rumble (1999)
Royal Rumble was the twelfth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on January 24, 1999 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. The title of the event was taken from a promise by Mr...
after an assist from a planted female Sable fan, WWF newcomer Tori
Terri Poch
Terri Poch is an American bodybuilder and former professional wrestler, best known for her appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Tori...
. Tori's debut signified a change in Sable's persona. After the Rumble, Rena (under her Sable ring name) was featured as the cover girl for the April 1999 issue of Playboy. The issue was one of the highest selling issues of Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
ever. Surrounding the release of the issue, the Sable character turned heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
by "going Hollywood" and having an inflated ego. Rarely defending her title, Sable continually berated her fan Tori, and she feuded with both Tori and Luna Vachon (who had turned face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
). She debuted a new catchphrase: "This is for all the women who want to be me and all the men who come to see me" and a dance move called "the grind
Grinding (dance)
Perreo is a Puerto Rican dance associated with reggaeton music, that focuses on grinding, with the man facing the back of the woman. The word 'perreo', meaning dancing doggystyle, derives from the Spanish word perro, meaning "dog". This is also known as "booty dancing" or "grinding" in the United...
." The feud with Tori led to a match at WrestleMania XV
WrestleMania XV
WrestleMania XV was the fifteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on March 28, 1999 at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. During the contest, Nicole Bass
Nicole Bass
Nicole Bass-Fuchs is an American bodybuilder, actress, pornographic dominatrix actress, professional wrestler and valet previously working for companies such as Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation, XPW, and the National Wrestling Alliance.-Bodybuilding career:Nicole Bass...
debuted as Sable's bodyguard
Bodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
and helped Sable win the match.
Sable went on with Bass making Bass do all of her dirty work. Sable continued to hold the championship for almost 6 months, but on May 10, 1999, Debra
Debra Marshall
Debra Gale Marshall is an American actress and former professional wrestling manager and WWE Diva. Arguably best known by her ring name, Debra, she gained recognition for her appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1998 and 2002.She began her career in professional wrestling in...
"won" the Women's Championship from Sable in an Evening Gown match. Normally in an Evening Gown match, the winner is the woman who forcibly removes her opponent's dress, which Sable did. As part of the storyline, WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
, however, ruled that the woman who had lost her dress was the winner, making Debra the new Women's Champion. Off-screen, Sable was in a dispute with the WWF, which is why she was stripped of the title on-screen.
Post–WWF (1999–2001)
In June 1999, Rena Mero quit the WWF and filed a $110 million lawsuit against the company, citing allegations of sexual harassmentSexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
and unsafe working conditions. She claims to have filed the lawsuit after refusing to go topless. During the course of the lawsuit, 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...
counter-sued Rena over control of the stagename "Sable". Mero reduced the amount she was seeking in damages, and they eventually settled out of court in August 1999. Mero used her real name for her appearance in the September 1999 issue of Playboy. She was the first woman in history to be given two Playboy covers in the same year. After her WWF exit, she made an on-camera appearance as an audience member on World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
's Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
.
During this time, Mero made appearances on The Howard Stern Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
. She also made appearances on television shows such as Relic Hunter
Relic Hunter
Relic Hunter is an anglophone Canadian television series, starring Tia Carrere and Christien Anholt. Actress Lindy Booth also starred for the first two seasons; Tanja Reichert replaced her for the third...
and First Wave and in the films Corky Romano
Corky Romano
Corky Romano is a 2001 film starring former Saturday Night Live cast member Chris Kattan. Also starring are Fred Ward, Vinessa Shaw, Roger Fan, and Dave Sheridan. The movie was directed by Rob Pritts and was written by David Garrett and Jason Ward. It was filmed at Touchstone Pictures studios...
as a female bouncer and Ariana's Quest. She released her autobiography, entitled Undefeated in August 2000. She also released a comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
entitled The 10th Muse starring herself as a superhero. In May 2001, Mero was given an advice column on CompuServe
CompuServe
CompuServe was the first major commercial online service in the United States. It dominated the field during the 1980s and remained a major player through the mid-1990s, when it was sidelined by the rise of services such as AOL with monthly subscriptions rather than hourly rates...
. On November 13 and November 14, 2001, she appeared as the on-camera "CEO" of the newly formed X Wrestling Federation
X Wrestling Federation
Xtreme Wrestling Federation was an American professional wrestling promotion. The organization's heyday was from early November of 2001 to late February of 2002. Its birth coincided with the World Wrestling Federation's acquisition of AOL Time Warner's World Championship Wrestling. XWF's slogan...
(XWF), but these were her only appearances with the company.
Return to WWE and departure (2003–2004)
Torrie Wilson
Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
. Sable followed Wilson down to her matches, talked with her backstage, and on one occasion, she left Wilson in a tag match alone to fend for herself. Sable eventually challenged Wilson to a showdown bikini contest at Judgment Day. After Sable got the bigger applause, Wilson removed another layer of clothing, and Special Guest Referee Tazz
Tazz
Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
declared Wilson the winner. After the match, Wilson went up to Sable and kissed her before exiting the ring. Sable then had an altercation with the guest judge Tazz, dumping water on him on the following edition of SmackDown!, as a means of gaining revenge for declaring Wilson the winner.
Sable then feuded with Stephanie McMahon in a storyline in which she was 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 mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
. Vince appointed Sable as Stephanie's personal assistant against Stephanie's will, sparking the feud between the duo. During the feud, they competed in several catfights, a food fight, a parking lot brawl in which Sable's bra was ripped off, revealing both her breasts on live television, and a match in which Sable smacked a clipboard over Stephanie's head. At Vengeance
Vengeance (2003)
Vengeance was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on July 27, 2003 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. It was the third annual Vengeance event and starred wrestlers from the SmackDown brand.Eight professional wrestling...
, Sable defeated Stephanie after interference by her new ally, A-Train. At SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2003)
SummerSlam was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on August 24, 2003 at the America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona...
, Sable accompanied A-Train in his match against The Undertaker, which he lost. After the match, The Undertaker held Sable so that Stephanie could use a Spear attack on her. After SummerSlam, Vince and Sable focused on getting rid of Stephanie for good, so Vince made an "I Quit" match at No Mercy. In the match, Sable slapped Stephanie and was involved in a scuffle with Linda McMahon
Linda McMahon
Linda Marie McMahon is an American professional wrestling magnate and politician. She is notable for her career developing WWE with her husband Vince McMahon. She was in the company from 1980 to 2009. During this time, WWE grew from a small regional business in New York to a large multinational...
.
Sable briefly became a face again when she appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine for the third time in her career. On the cover, she appeared with fellow diva Torrie Wilson, making them the first WWE Divas to pose in Playboy together. Surrounding the release of the cover, the duo feuded with Raw divas Stacy Keibler
Stacy Keibler
Stacy Keibler is an American actress, model, and former professional wrestler and valet, best known for her work with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment ....
and Miss Jackie
Jackie Gayda
Jacquelyn Gayda-Haas is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and valet, best known for her work on World Wrestling Entertainment 's Raw and SmackDown! brands and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a TNA Knockout...
, even though all four women were faces at the time. The two teams squared off at WrestleMania XX
WrestleMania XX
WrestleMania XX was the twentieth WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on March 14, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York....
in an Interpromotional Tag Team Evening Gown match, but the divas started the match in their underwear, making it more of a lingerie
Lingerie
Lingerie are fashionable and possibly alluring undergarments.Lingerie usually incorporates one or more flexible, stretchy materials like Lycra, nylon , polyester, satin, lace, silk and sheer fabric which are not typically used in more functional, basic cotton undergarments.The term in the French...
match. Sable and Wilson were victorious. The change was rumored to have occurred because Sable had suffered damage to her breast
Breast
The breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.Both men and women develop breasts from the same embryological tissues...
.
Following WrestleMania XX, Sable quickly turned heel again and engaged in another short feud with Torrie Wilson. The feud culminated in a match at The Great American Bash
The Great American Bash (2004)
The Great American Bash was the 1st Great American Bash professional wrestling pay-per-view event, and the first produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on June 27, 2004 at the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia and was a SmackDown! brand-exclusive event...
, which Sable won. Sable's final appearance in WWE was on SmackDown! when she, Dawn Marie
Dawn Marie Psaltis
Dawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE...
, and Wilson accompanied Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
to the ring in his lowrider. On August 10, 2004, WWE's official website announced that Sable and WWE had parted ways, this time on good terms. Mero claimed that she left the company to spend more time with her family.
Personal life
Mero, along with Brock LesnarBrock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
, appeared at several New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
shows after her WWE release. After Rena and Marc Mero became officially divorced in 2004, she began dating Lesnar, whom she became engaged to later that year. The engagement was called off in early 2005, but they were engaged again in January 2006. They are now married. The couple had their first child together, a son named Turk in June 2009. The couple had their second child, a son named Duke in July 2010.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Sable Bomb (PowerbombPowerbombA powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
) - TKO – Total Knock Out – 1998
- Sable Bomb (Powerbomb
- Signature moves
- Sablecanrana (Hurricanrana)
- Various martial arts kicksKickIn combat sports and hand-to-hand combat, a kick is a physical strike using the foot, leg, or knee . This type of attack is used frequently, especially in stand-up fighting...
- ManagersManager (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...
- ToriTerri PochTerri Poch is an American bodybuilder and former professional wrestler, best known for her appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Tori...
- Nicole BassNicole BassNicole Bass-Fuchs is an American bodybuilder, actress, pornographic dominatrix actress, professional wrestler and valet previously working for companies such as Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation, XPW, and the National Wrestling Alliance.-Bodybuilding career:Nicole Bass...
- Tori
- Wrestlers managed
- Hunter Hearst HelmsleyTriple HPaul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
- Marc MeroMarc MeroMarc Mero is an American retired amateur boxer and professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Marc Mero and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Johnny B. Badd...
- Vince McMahonVince McMahonVincent 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...
- A-Train
- Hunter Hearst Helmsley
- Entrance themeMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- Mero used various versions of the theme "Wildcat" throughout her entire WWF career. The theme, known for the growling and roar of a "wildcat" and the sound of a whip cracking, is available on several WWF/E theme music albums, including WWE AnthologyWWE AnthologyWWE Anthology is a compilation album released by WWE in 2002. It consists of 3 discs titled, The Federation Years, The Attitude Era, and Now!. Anthology contains 86 songs in total. The album is a compilation of some of the best and most well-known entrance music in the WWF/WWE...
, WWF The Music: Volume 2WWF The Music, Vol. 2WWF The Music, Vol. 2 is an album that was released by the World Wrestling Federation in 1997. It primarily features contemporary theme tunes of wrestlers on the roster at the time.-Track listing:# The Undertaker - "Dark Side"...
, and WWF The Music: Volume 3WWF The Music, Vol. 3WWF The Music, Vol. 3 is a compilation album released by the World Wrestling Federation in 1998. It features mostly recent theme tunes of wrestlers on the roster at the time. All of the songs were produced by Jim Johnston; although, a few themes were performed by other bands. This is also the first...
.
- Mero used various versions of the theme "Wildcat" throughout her entire WWF career. The theme, known for the growling and roar of a "wildcat" and the sound of a whip cracking, is available on several WWF/E theme music albums, including WWE Anthology
Championships and accomplishments
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld 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...
- WWF Women's ChampionshipWWE Women's ChampionshipThe WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification...
(1 time) - Slammy Award for Dressed to Kill (1997)
- Slammy Award for Miss Slammy (1997)
- WWE.com placed Sable as #6 on it's Top 25 Most Impactful Women List