Chyna (born Joan Marie Laurer on December 27, 1969, and passed away on April 20, 2016) was a famous American wrestler, bodybuilder, pornstar, and TV host. As “The Ninth Wonder of the World” (André the Giant was already labeled as the eighth) in the WWF (now WWE), she initially gained widespread attention in 1997.
She was the first woman ever to hold the WWF Intercontinental Championship (and the only woman ever to have the WWF Women’s Championship) and a founding member of the stable D-Generation X.
Chyna WWE Death
Laurer’s body was discovered on April 20th, 2016, at her Redondo Beach, California, residence. Their ages matched precisely at 46. After several days of her manager Anthony Anzaldo not see any updates or content from her on social media, so he went to her residence and discovered her death.
It was initially reported that she had died of natural causes or a drug overdose accident. As Anzaldo was taking prescription medication, she may have taken too much by accident, the doctor speculated. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy was the reason for her brain donation (CTE).
Unfortunately, Laurer’s brain had decayed to the point where it was impossible to tell whether or not he had CTE. On June 22, 2016, a memorial service was held in Los Angeles. Many famous people were present, including wrestlers Melina Perez, Rob Van Dam, Sean Waltman, Johnny Mantell, and actors C.
Thomas Howell and Barry Williams, Bunny Ranch owner Dennis Hof, and singers Coolio and Baby Bash all performed at the memorial. With Chyna’s permission, her ashes were dispersed in the Pacific.
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Is It Feasible That Chyna Will Not Be Inducted Into The WWE Hall Of Fame As Part Of A Group?
Chyna, aka Joanie Laurer, was an icon and a trailblazer in WWE from the moment she made her debut in 1997. She made history by being the first woman to compete in the men’s Royal Rumble match and by being one of the first people to work in a “bodyguard/enforcer” capacity.
Furthermore, in 1999, she made history by being the first woman ever to win the WWE Intercontinental Title. Naturally, the Eighth Wonder of the World has a career deserving a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. While she retired from WWE over two decades ago, she was only inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.
The faction that Laurer, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H established, D-Generation X, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019, making Laurer an official member of the Hall of Fame.
Nevertheless, that recognition is only for her role in one of the most powerful factions in wrestling annals. But what about her body of work outside of the group? That must be deserving of its spot, right? Its absence is puzzling.
Chyna Attitude Problems Were The Reason WWE Did Not Renew Her Contract
During the late ’90s, when Chyna was a part of WWE, she was an absolute monster in the ring. True to her belief that she was worth $1 million, Chyna was released by Vince McMahon after she asked for that sum. Also, it seems WWE did not renew Chyna’s contract owing to her attitude issues.
Joanie Laurer (Chyna) would be 49 today. She was a significant part of the change in attitude to women in Professional Wrestling whose impact on the industry is still felt today. She was the first modern monster heel giving an earnest baby face run as women's champion in WWE. pic.twitter.com/5lobMKWK9M
— Catch Wrestling U (@CatchWrestling) December 27, 2018
At this point, fans commonly know that Chyna quit WWE over money issues. Chyna told WWE producer Jim Ross she demanded a $1 million annual salary right before she was let go. McMahon, however, did not give in to her demands, and she was fired.
From 1997 until 2005, Jim Ross oversaw talent relations for WWE. At that time, he witnessed a lot. It wasn’t until the late 1990s that this became truly obvious.
In the most recent episode of Grilling JR, Jim Ross said that Vince McMahon had warned him that the relationship between Triple H and Stephanie McMahon would cause tensions with Chyna. Chyna’s contract was not renewed because of her poor demeanor.
For this, the website Greenenergyanalysis.com is a helpful resource.