Women of Wrestling
Encyclopedia
Women of Wrestling, aka WOW!, is a professional wrestling
promotion founded in 2000 by David McLane
, previously the founder of Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
. It was based in Los Angeles, California
. Using a similar format of character driven performers, with names befitting a comic book series, such as Jungle Girrrl, an inmate tag-team complete with orange jump suits named Caged Heat and the Persian Princess, WOW launched a series of syndicated programs in the 2000-01 television seasons in 102 TV markets. The programs quickly became the highest rated wrestling shows in the markets of New York and Los Angeles and demonstrated ability regardless of the region, market size or time-period to grow each television stations audience. With its headquarters in Los Angeles, CA, WOW held its live events which were taped for broadcast from the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. The organizations first live event attendance was a mere 400+, but its audience grew to over 5,000 customers over the period of only six events and its website peaked in one month with slightly over 10 million unique visitors. Los Angeles Lakers
Sr. Vice President Jeannie Buss who is a business partner of Mr. McLane’s appeared regularly on WOW programming, although not as an in-ring participant.
WOW programs were able to stand out from other wrestling programs by offering television viewers and live event audience an all female troupe of performers who played campy villains and heroines in all sizes and nationalities. By being the only entertainment source of its kind, WOW captured a strong adult demographic following with its primary audience, the male television audience (18–49 years of age) generating 25% higher ratings than its secondary audience of young women (18-24), teens, and tweens (7-12).
Due to the ever soft and declining advertising market during this time, WOW wasn’t able to take advantage of its momentum and ceased production after completing 24 original episodes and one live pay-per-view event. WOW, although off the air in the United States after 2001 continued to exist through international distribution deals with the markets of Israel, Russia, India, Canada, South Africa, Kenya, Middle East, Turkey, Malaysia, the Dominican Republic and other countries airing the WOW shows.
In December 2010 the WOW website underwent construction with a cover page of Jungle Grrrl appearing to fly over the skyline of Las Vegas, thus giving the impression the WOW promotion is set to return with live events from Las Vegas.
and presented gimmicks that were fantastical, especially compared to the darker fare being promoted by other wrestling companies. WOW talent (or individuals claiming to be such) would actively post to the company's message boards (now defunct) in-character, leading to such amusing incidents as the members of "Caged Heat", an inmate-themed tag team, claiming that they were accessing the internet from the prison library.
WOW programming was aired in first-run syndication, often late at night and packaged with other sports-entertainment programming like Thunderbox
. The promotion aired about twenty four original one-hour episodes, fielding a single pay-per-view, Women of Wrestling Unleashed.
The majority of WOW's performers were rookies to the business, recruited from backgrounds in modeling, acting, stunt work, and martial arts. Selena Majors (who wrestled as "Bambi") and Thug (who wrestled as "Peggy Lee Leather") were the trainers for the company.
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...
promotion founded in 2000 by David McLane
David McLane
David B. McLane is a senior marketing executive with over 25 years experience in identifying and producing uniquely targeted live events and media entertainment properties through his company, David McLane Enterprises, Inc...
, previously the founder of Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, also known as GLOW or G.L.O.W., was a professional wrestling promotion for women, begun in 1986 and continued in various forms after it left television. Colorful characters, beautiful women, and over-the-top comedy sketches were integral to the series' success...
. It was based in Los Angeles, California
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Using a similar format of character driven performers, with names befitting a comic book series, such as Jungle Girrrl, an inmate tag-team complete with orange jump suits named Caged Heat and the Persian Princess, WOW launched a series of syndicated programs in the 2000-01 television seasons in 102 TV markets. The programs quickly became the highest rated wrestling shows in the markets of New York and Los Angeles and demonstrated ability regardless of the region, market size or time-period to grow each television stations audience. With its headquarters in Los Angeles, CA, WOW held its live events which were taped for broadcast from the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. The organizations first live event attendance was a mere 400+, but its audience grew to over 5,000 customers over the period of only six events and its website peaked in one month with slightly over 10 million unique visitors. Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
Sr. Vice President Jeannie Buss who is a business partner of Mr. McLane’s appeared regularly on WOW programming, although not as an in-ring participant.
WOW programs were able to stand out from other wrestling programs by offering television viewers and live event audience an all female troupe of performers who played campy villains and heroines in all sizes and nationalities. By being the only entertainment source of its kind, WOW captured a strong adult demographic following with its primary audience, the male television audience (18–49 years of age) generating 25% higher ratings than its secondary audience of young women (18-24), teens, and tweens (7-12).
Due to the ever soft and declining advertising market during this time, WOW wasn’t able to take advantage of its momentum and ceased production after completing 24 original episodes and one live pay-per-view event. WOW, although off the air in the United States after 2001 continued to exist through international distribution deals with the markets of Israel, Russia, India, Canada, South Africa, Kenya, Middle East, Turkey, Malaysia, the Dominican Republic and other countries airing the WOW shows.
In December 2010 the WOW website underwent construction with a cover page of Jungle Grrrl appearing to fly over the skyline of Las Vegas, thus giving the impression the WOW promotion is set to return with live events from Las Vegas.
History
Once again following a similar formula that he created for GLOW, McLane hoped WOW would be the women's wrestling league that finally got the respect he felt it should deserve. Similar to McLane's earlier promotion, WOW depended heavily on kayfabeKayfabe
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...
and presented gimmicks that were fantastical, especially compared to the darker fare being promoted by other wrestling companies. WOW talent (or individuals claiming to be such) would actively post to the company's message boards (now defunct) in-character, leading to such amusing incidents as the members of "Caged Heat", an inmate-themed tag team, claiming that they were accessing the internet from the prison library.
WOW programming was aired in first-run syndication, often late at night and packaged with other sports-entertainment programming like Thunderbox
Thunderbox
Thunderbox is the eighth rock studio album by English rock group Humble Pie, released in 1974. It reached #52 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States.-Album profile:...
. The promotion aired about twenty four original one-hour episodes, fielding a single pay-per-view, Women of Wrestling Unleashed.
The majority of WOW's performers were rookies to the business, recruited from backgrounds in modeling, acting, stunt work, and martial arts. Selena Majors (who wrestled as "Bambi") and Thug (who wrestled as "Peggy Lee Leather") were the trainers for the company.
Wrestlers
(Vasilika Vanya Marinkovic): Split personality wrestler, can be nice one minute, manic the next.- Jade (Jennifer Lee Chan): Chinese wrestler known for her "Samurai Scissors" move. One half of Asian Invasion.
- Lotus (Jeannie Kim): Korean wrestler who is one half of Asian Invasion.
- Misery (Kirsten Davidson): One half of the Daughters of Darkness, managed by the mysterious Goon.
- Mystery (Nicole Ochoa): One half of Daughters of Darkness, also managed by the mysterious Goon.
- Paradise: Island Girl wrestler from Tonga. Tag team partner of Farah the Persian Princess.
- Patti Pizzazz (Formerly "Patti Pep"): Cheerleader corrupted by Lana Star into becoming her Personal Assistant. She was eventually fired by Lana due to her residual friendship with Randi Rah Rah, whom she remained friends with, despite her heel turn.
- Phantom (Lynnette Thredgold): Wrestler who was torn between being a bodybuilder/wrestler and a concert violinist.
- Randi Rah Rah: Cheerleader, friend of Patti Pep (and later Patti Pizzazz). Despite Patti's heel turn, Randi was still friends with her. Taken out of wrestling after Lana Star smashed a mirror over her head, only to come back later in the series run to defeat her (and to reestablish her friendship with Patti Pizzazz).
- Roxy Powers (Natalie T. Yeo): Billed as the Total Athlete. Known for her feud with Slam Dunk later in the series run.
- Sandy (Tamie SheffieldTamie SheffieldTamie Sheffield is an American film actress, model and a former professional wrestler.-Career:Tamie Sheffield graduated from West Chester University with a degree in Elementary Education. She was a cheerleader from junior high through college...
): Lifeguard, One half of the Beach Patrol. - Summer (Bobbi BillardBobbi BillardBarbara "Bobbi" Billard is a bikini and glamour model, actress, and former professional wrestler.-Acting career:Bobbi Billard's first commercial, "Green Bay Watch," was for Diet Dr Pepper and aired during Super Bowl XXXV....
): Lifeguard, like Sandy. One half of the Beach Patrol. - Tanja "The Warrior Woman": Warrior wrestler in the vein of Xena: Warrior Princess. Known for her spinning wheel kick.
Tag teams
- The Asian Invasion: Jade & Lotus
- The Beach Patrol: Sandy, Summer, and Sunny (who later became Wendi Wheels)
- Caged Heat: Delta Lotta Pain, Loca & Vendetta. Defeated Harley's Angels for the titles. Saved Selina Majors from one of Harley's Angels brutalizations, which made the teams enemies.
- The Daughters of Darkness: Mystery & Misery
- Harley's Angels: Thug & EZ Rider & Charlie Davidson. Defeated by Caged Heat for the titles. Became enemies of Caged Heat after the Prison Tag Team stopped another of their brutalizations of Selina Majors.
- Law & Order: Nicki Law & Christy Order
- Poison & Ice Cold
- Lana Star & Patti Pizzazz
- Paradise & Farah the Persian Princess
- Boom Boom & Caliente
- Beckie the Farmer's Daughter & Bronco Billie
- Danger & Riot
- Roxy Powers & Tanja Warrior Woman
Other personnel
- David B. McLaneDavid McLaneDavid B. McLane is a senior marketing executive with over 25 years experience in identifying and producing uniquely targeted live events and media entertainment properties through his company, David McLane Enterprises, Inc...
: Host and announcer - Lee Marshall: Announcer
- Andrew M. Somers: Voice overs
- Julie Day: Backstage interviews
- Josh Milton: Referee
- Jesse Hernandez: Referee, owner of the EWF
- Andrew Hecker: Director
WOW World Championship
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Days Held: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terri Gold | 1 | September 30, 2000 | Inglewood, California Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census... |
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| Danger | 1 | December 15, 2000 | Inglewood, California Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census... |
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| Terri Gold | 2 | February 4, 2001 | Inglewood, California Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census... |
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| WOW ceased television production sometime after March 3, 2001. | |||||
WOW World Tag Team Championship
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Days Held: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caged Heat | 1 | February 4, 2001 | Inglewood, California Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census... |
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| WOW ceased television production sometime after March 3, 2001. |
WOW Unleashed
WOW Unleashed was a professional wrestlingProfessional 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...
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...
from Women of Wrestling. It took place on February 4, 2001 from the Great Western Forum
The Forum (Inglewood, California)
The Forum is an indoor arena, in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. From 2000 to 2010, it was owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which occasionally used it for church services, while also leasing the building for sporting events, concerts and other events.Along with Madison...
in Inglewood, California
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
. The PPV suffered from technical difficulties and a low buyrate. A second PPV was announced during Unleashed, but never came to fruition. The announcers were Lee Marshall and former manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
Bobby Heenan
Raymond Louis "Ray" Heenan , better known as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan , is a former American professional wrestling manager and color commentator, best known for his time with the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation...
. Regular announcer David McLane
David McLane
David B. McLane is a senior marketing executive with over 25 years experience in identifying and producing uniquely targeted live events and media entertainment properties through his company, David McLane Enterprises, Inc...
, also the promotion's President, served as Master of Ceremonies.
| # | Results | Stipulations | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randi Rah Rah defeated Jacklyn Hyde (with Doctor Sarah Bellum and Nurse Mercy) | Singles match | 2:15 |
| 2 | The Beach Patrol (Sandy Tamie Sheffield Tamie Sheffield is an American film actress, model and a former professional wrestler.-Career:Tamie Sheffield graduated from West Chester University with a degree in Elementary Education. She was a cheerleader from junior high through college... and Summer Bobbi Billard Barbara "Bobbi" Billard is a bikini and glamour model, actress, and former professional wrestler.-Acting career:Bobbi Billard's first commercial, "Green Bay Watch," was for Diet Dr Pepper and aired during Super Bowl XXXV.... ) fought Farah and Paradise to a draw. |
Tag Team match | 2:30 |
| 3 | Tanja the Warrior Woman defeated Jane Blond | Singles match | 2:47 |
| 4 | Nicky Law (with Kristy Order) defeated Heather Steele | Singles match | 2:02 |
| 5 | Boom Boom and Caliente defeated The Asian Invasion (Jade and Lotus) | Tag Team match | 4:43 |
| 6 | Bronco Billie defeated The Disciplinarian | Singles match | 3:55 |
| 7 | Roxy Powers fought Slam Dunk to a double disqualification. | Singles match | n/a |
| 8 | Riot defeated Wendi Wheels | Hardcore match | 9:40 |
| 9 | Jungle Grrrl defeated Beckie "The Farmer's Daughter" | Splash Match | 9:45 |
| 10 | Caged Heat (Delta and Loca) defeated Harley's Angels (Easy Ryder and Charlie Davidson) (with Thug) | Tag Team match for the vacant WOW Tag Team Championship | 5:42 |
| 11 | Terri Gold defeated Danger (c) | Singles match for the WOW Championship | 4:20 |
| 12 | Lana Star and Patti Pizzazz defeated Ice Cold and Poison | Hair vs. Hair Match | 5:16 |
| 13 | Thug Peggy Lee Leather Peggy Lee , also known by her stage names Peggy Lee Leather, Lady X, and Thug, is an American professional wrestler.-World Wrestling Federation:Peggy Lee competed in the World Wrestling Federation in the mid-1980s... defeated Selina Majors Selina Majors Selina Majors , better known by her stage name Bambi, is an American professional wrestler.-Early career:Majors debuted as a professional wrestler in 1986 working for David McLane. She competed in his nationally televised professional women's wrestling league, Powerful Women of Wrestling as Bambi... |
Steel Cage match | 15:01 |