Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Roofus
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Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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According to her official Twitter account, Joanie Laurer, better known as WWE Diva Chyna, has passed away at age 45:


No further information has been released at this time. We’ll continue to update as the story develops.

Source: Uproxx

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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RIP Chyna

Sad news, but not surprising. Still a shock though.

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Joanie "Chyna" Laurer passes away at 45

By Dave Meltzer | @davemeltzerWON | Apr 20, 2016 10:28 pm

Joanie "Chyna" Laurer, a major part of the WWE in the late 90, was found dead in her home today at the age of 45.

No further details are available.

Laurer was a bodybuilder/fitness competitor who trained under Killer Kowalski, using the name Joanie Lee when she was introduced as HHH's bodyguard after WCW had expressed interest in her but Kowalski pushed her to WWE.

She was instrumental in taking HHH, who had struggled getting over despite a major push, to becoming a major star. The two became a couple which was both a blessing to her career and eventually a curse.

When HHH garnered power, Laurer was heavily protected and booked to go evenly with guys. There were very different opinions, as many of the male wrestlers didn't like selling for her or that she was being pushed heavily. She was even given the IC title from Jeff Jarrett the day after Jarrett's contract expired, which enabled Jarrett, with leverage, to hold WWE for a significant amount of money, believed to be in the $200,000 range, to get him to do the job.

She was a major remembered star of the era, at a time when the mainstream popularity of pro wrestling was at its high point.

After HHH and Chyna broke up, her political protection was gone which led to issues. She wanted to continue wrestling men, but those in power in WWF at the time made the decision that they had made a mistake in allowing it in the first place and would only allow her to wrestle women.

She was a popular character, including posing in a best selling issue of "Playboy."

In 2001, when her contract expired, she was let go. Those in WWE at the time claimed she was asking for money at the level of Steve Austin and Dwayne Johnson, and that she also wanted a lighter schedule to pursue acting. But it was probably a combination of being uncomfortable with her around. She claimed she met with Vince McMahon about Stephanie dating HHH, and from that point on, WWE stopped using her. There was a directive from the top not to sign her when the contract expired.

From there, her life and career largely went South. She had problems with drug addiction, which she vehemently denied. Her credibility in interviews was bad, even by wrestlers standpoints, making claims like everyone in pro wrestling but herself was doing steroids, and made claims against former boyfriend Sean Waltman which led to him to threaten legal action.

New Japan brought her in to do the role of beating men. Antonio Inoki pushed her hard as an attraction, and she even was given a win over a young Hiroshi Tanahashi. But she didn't get over and the run ended.

She popped in and out of wrestling, but never returned to WWE. She did a sex tape with Waltman and then started appearing in a number of porn films. She want to Japan for several years and taught English, and claimed that a multitude of people had asked to marry her. She returned to the U.S. and seemed to want to get back with WWE in some capacity, but the company steered clear of her.

Source: WON/F4W

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Very sad news, but unfortunately it isn't surprising. Chyna was a big star during the Attitude Era and whilst she wasn't at the Austin/Rock level of popularity she got over huge with the crowd and had a solid fanbase. What's often re-written, or glossed over in WWE history, is that she was an integral member of DX. She helped get Hunter over as his bodyguard & was the straight woman when H & HBK were doing their comedy skits. When she transitioned away from DX and started out as a singles wrestler she broke new ground by entering the Royal Rumble, wrestling the guys and also developed her character more to make "Chyna" more 3D dimensional. Some of the funniest skits she was in was with the late, great Latino Heat Eddie Guerrero where he wants to get her Playboy spread stopped. Speaking of which she developed into a sex symbol too which considering she wasn't really seen as one during the beginning of her WWE run was another accomplishment, especially in an era of the more eye candy Divas. What's especially sad about Joanie's story is that you can almost pinpoint her beginning of her decline when Hunter started dating Stephanie and she was gradually phased out of WWE programming. WWE missed a beat with Chyna I think because she could have broken out and expanded into entertainment outside of wrestling. Like if WWE Films was around back then she could have been an action heroine type ala Xena. When I heard she was teaching English in Japan I thought good for her because she was getting clean and making a life for herself outside of the business. But sadly the demons of drug addiction dragged her back and it's beyond sad to comprehend how her life unraveled from being at the very top of her profession and breaking ground as the first ever woman to hold the Intercontinental champion and first ever woman to enter the Rumble. It's a shame that her life was blighted by a foray into adult movies and drug dependency. The break up with Hunter was especially damaging I believe. I find it very, very, very hypocritical that WWE are now playing tribute to Chyna and I wouldn't be surprised if she's inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame ala Macho Man now she's passed. She was really first of the Divas who was more than eye candy and could work. She was trained by the legendary Killer Kowalski, which is another fact overlooked. It's a huge shame that WWE didn't do more to help her, I'm guessing she was even blackballed because of her prior association with Hunter and they didn't help her at all.

R.I.P. Joanie 'Chyna' Laurer :(

Image
Vince Russo ‏@THEVinceRusso 3h3 hours ago
"It will never be about what you did . . . but, about who you were."
I am heartbroken . . . I Love You.

International media are also covering Joanie's passing too, so I'd imagine WWE will go into PR mode now like they did when Macho passed.

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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WWE legend Chyna -- real name Joanie Laurer -- has died ... and officials are investigating as a possible overdose, TMZ Sports has learned.

We've learned she was in her apartment in Redondo Beach, CA ... south of L.A. -- and police got the call around 7:30 PM. Our law enforcement sources say she had not been seen or heard from for a few days. A friend went to check on her today and found her unresponsive in the bedroom of her home and made the call to police.

Officers are on scene right now. We're told they are investigating as a possible overdose, due mainly to her history with drugs. Prescription bottles were found in the home, but there were no illegal drugs ... according to our sources.
Cops say there are no signs of foul play.


A statement was posted to Chyna's official Twitter account confirming the death ... saying, "It is with deep sadness to inform you today that we lost a true icon, a real life superhero."

"She will live forever in the memories of her millions of fans and all of us that loved her."

Laurer was discovered Wednesday evening according to ProWrestlingSheet.com.

Chyna was a game changer during her stint with the WWE -- famously teaming up with Triple H to become one of the original members of D-Generation X. She was also the first woman to enter the Royal Rumble.

Chyna went on to pose for Playboy before transitioning to reality TV. She appeared on "The Surreal Life" in 2005.

Later, Chyna got into porn ... releasing 6 films from 2004 to 2013.

She later went to Japan to teach English.

Chyna struggled with addiction for years -- and appeared on "Celebrity Rehab" back in 2008.

She posted a video to her YouTube page earlier this week -- she looked like she was struggling.

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Former WWE star Joanie “Chyna” Laurer is scheduled to appear on an upcoming episode of the television series, “Botched.” The episode airs on E! on May 10th at 9pm EST.

The show follows Doctors Terry Dubrow and Paul Nassif as they fix patients who have undergone botched plastic surgery procedures in the past.
Wonder if it'll still air?

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Probably will. It might get more viewers now.

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Find it beyond hypocritical that Stephanie & Hunter are singing Chyna's praises now. Shame Big Kev & Hogan didn't do more to help. We don't know the full story but I have a feeling that Joanie dealt with her personal issues on her own sadly and I'd imagine Nash & Waltman would have stayed loyal to Hunter and I don't really know how tight she was with Hogan so they might just have been acquaintances. That being said, at least WWE are actually acknowledging Joanie Laurer's passing and really they couldn't not do so because she was an integral part of the Attitude Era, whether they like it or not.

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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I'm glad they acknowledged it but I thought she should have kept quiet. I read her tweet before others, someone else in the company should have said something instead.

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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It would have looked bad if they didn't say anything. Like how Vince made sure he said something about Savage even though they hated each other for almost 20 years.

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Yeah they were damned if they do say something, damned if they don't. It's better to look like hypocrites than like cold, heartless arseholes.

For the most part we only ever really heard Chyna's side of the story. Break ups and heartbreak are a part of life, while she had every right to be pissed about it HHH also had every right to leave her for someone else. Unfortunately for her he left her for the boss' daughter, which screwed her wrestling career but nobody forced her to go down the drugs and porn route. They should have helped her more when she was struggling although it sounds like she didn't want help from them anyway.

Triple H says former wrestler Chyna deserves WWE Hall of Fame spot after ex's shock death

Triple H tells the Mirror there will never be another star like Joanie 'Chyna' Laurer, who has passed away aged 45

WWE Superstar Triple H has paid tribute to "ground breaking pioneer" Joanie 'Chyna' Laurer after she passed away aged 45.

Chyna - billed as the Ninth Wonder of the World during her ring days - first rose to fame as the bodyguard of the 14-time world champion.

The 5ft 10in grappler became the first and only woman to win the Intercontinental Championship and the first to enter the Royal Rumble.

However, the former women's champion left WWE in 2001, following the break-up of her off-screen relationship with Triple H.

Speaking to the Mirror during the current WWE tour of the UK, he said he was still coming to terms with the sad news.

Triple H said: "It is obviously tragic and clearly my well-wishes go out to her friends and family.

"Brilliance sometimes, and that ability to push barriers and boundaries and be a pioneer, is often connected closely with other things that aren't so positive sometimes, and demons, and unfortunately that is the case.

"Man, [she was] just a great person, an amazing talent, a ground breaking pioneer, that was never afraid to go out on a limb and blaze her own trail through life.

"She never took, and when you're choosing a path [you can say] 'hey here is a path let's go down that one' or you can blaze your own path and burn it up and create something for others to follow, and that's what she did, and that star shone bright, but unfortunately burned out way too fast."

The New York native was a founding member of the acclaimed 'Attitude Era' faction D-Generation X with HHH and Shawn Michaels.

However, she was also known outside the ring for posing nude, a sex tape, a career in porn and problems with substance abuse.

She had been pushing to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, but her former boyfriend previously said this was unlikely, despite acknowledging her many worthy achievements.

In 2014, he said Chyna's history was an issue in case young fans researched who she was online.

Asked today if he would like to see Chyna posthumously inducted, Triple H told the Mirror she 'definitely warranted' a place.

WWE's executive vice president of talent, live events and creative said: "You know it's not my decision, but I definitely think, as I have said before, that what she did in her life certainly warrants it.

"There was never anybody like her before her, and there will never be anybody like her after.

"It's certainly warranted and I'm sure at some point when the time is right, hopefully, that could happen."

Chyna reportedly died from a possible overdose, although a cause of death is yet to be officially confirmed.

She was found in her California apartment by a friend on Wednesday.

Chyna was released from her WWE contract in 2001 and for many years alleged that Triple H was responsible.

According to Chyna, she was forced out of the door after her then boyfriend - real name Paul Levesque - began dating Stephanie McMahon, the daughter of WWE owner Vince McMahon, to whom he is now married.

Triple H and WWE have always denied these claims. WWE say they couldn't agree on terms when Chyna was renewing her contract.

Source: Mirror

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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I had no problem them saying something, it'd be fucked up if they didn't, I I'm just surprised it was Steph.

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Yeah they were damned if they do say something, damned if they don't. It's better to look like hypocrites than like cold, heartless arseholes.

For the most part we only ever really heard Chyna's side of the story. Break ups and heartbreak are a part of life, while she had every right to be pissed about it HHH also had every right to leave her for someone else. Unfortunately for her he left her for the boss' daughter, which screwed her wrestling career but nobody forced her to go down the drugs and porn route. They should have helped her more when she was struggling although it sounds like she didn't want help from them anyway.
We don't know the real full story between Hunter/Steph/Chyna, but I'd imagine her leaving WWE was a result of their relationship. From what I've ascertained from reading her autobiography and hearing her talk about him, she loved Triple H and I think emotionally she was messed up because of what happened throughout her life. Granted she couldn't really expect for H to hold onto their relationship forever but I'd imagine she was hurt terribly emotionally over their break up. I think her foray into adult movies/porn was really a cry for help and her drug addiction was no doubt there to null the pain of her breakup and the decline of her wrestling career. I mean she went from being on top of the world to rock bottom in a few years and for someone who behind her Chyna persona of the all powerful strong woman, behind that she was deeply hurt and whilst heartbreaks & pain are part of everyone's lives they can affect people more than overs. I mean you get guys & girls who go to the extreme of committing suicide when their relationships break up,or their become alcoholics/drug addicts. I mean even the strongest of wills can be broken by a relationship gone wrong. So Chyna's fall from grace at the end of the day was caused and whilst again I don't know all the facts, I'd imagine the relationship of Hunter & Stephanie and them pushing her out of his life was the straw that broke the camel's back and the main catalyst of her downfall. Again, Hunter didn't have to continue making contact, and he isn't her guardian so really he could have just walked away and made a clean break with no feeling of remorse or regret. But I'm sure he would have known have hurt emotionally that Chyna really was and how something major like a break up would have affected her. Plus it seems 'Pac, HBK deserted her in the time of need too and when you are a emotionally vulnerable type you need a supporting cast around you and a shoulder to cry on. Without that she spiralled out of control and became somebody she wasn't.

Some of her behavior can't be excused but again I think much of the time it was the drugs talking and weren't really wholly representative of who she was as a person. I just find it incredibly hypocritical that yet again WWE wash their hands of someone yet as soon as they pass away they are great & wonderful again. I mean look at how they treated Warrior, they put across that he was crazy & he was a poor worker with the Self Destruction DVD yet now he's the best thing since sliced bread and they even have the Warrior HOF award now. Now Hogan's persona non grata soon as he passes he'll be immortalized as the Babe Ruth of the WWE and that again would be so hypocritical. Going back to Chyna, she seemed happy & healthy in Japan and you could see the real Joanie shining through there. I don't know why she left but I think she was making a much life for herself over there and didn't she say she was engaged or getting married at one point. Maybe if she found the right man in her life she could have exorcised her personal demons and tried to forgot Hunter and get on with life. I think with any fall from grace story there's more than a hint of sadness attached to it. Chyna's story is especially sad because she looked for acceptance in a male dominated industry, succeeded and won an army of fans in the process, along with being a trailblazer. I think she could have gone on to even bigger & better things in her career. She could also have transitioned into action movie type roles but again when WWE let her go she went into freefall and like so many celebrity stories she's sadly yet another who fulfilled their potential.

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Big Boss Man wrote:Now Hogan's persona non grata soon as he passes he'll be immortalized as the Babe Ruth of the WWE and that again would be so hypocritical.
That was his own fault for being a dickhead though. And he will be back.

Meltzer said that WWE would have liked to put her in the HOF while she was alive but couldn't trust her to do a live acceptance speech without bringing up things they wouldn't want mentioned.

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Yea, it is 100% Hulk's fault, but the whole hypocritical "We love...they were awesome" WWE PR mode is just sickening. I mean they didn't even talk about Macho for years and then they put him in the Hall of Fame. Same with Bruno, Warrior, the list goes on. I'd like to see Chyna in the Hall of Fame as she definitely deserves it, but to me it would be tinged with the fact that it's something they thought they should do because they feel guilty, rather than she should be in on merit. I understand their way of thinking that she might have shown WWE up with her acceptance speech, but if they mended fences before hand and she was on side, then it could have been a moment where they had the original DX on the HOF stage and I think for any long time WWE and pro-wrestling fan that would have been a cool moment.

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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-- Pro Wrestling Sheet is reporting Chyna was drinking heavily before she passed away last week.

According to documentary director Erik Angra, who was with Chyna for months before she passed, Chyna had started drinking after she became upset about not being invited to this year’s WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. Angra says this is one of the reasons Chyna backed out of a meet-and-greet at WrestleCon this year, and didn’t end up flying to Dallas for the weekend.

Related: Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office Defers Ruling on Joanie “Chyna” Laurer’s Death

Sources told Pro Wrestling Sheet Chyna was hoping the new documentary would help address her WWE Hall of Fame situation, and when she got snubbed for an invite she started drinking more. Angra says Chyna had also been emotional over attempts to reconnect with her family, and the full story regarding the situation will be featured in the documentary, which will still be released in the future.

Chyna’s cause of death is still being investigated, and reports have said it is being looked at as a possible overdose, which Angra said crew members saw signs of addiction in Chyna while filming.

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Re: Former WWE Diva Chyna Has Passed Away

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Dave Meltzer wrote:For the next 15 years, she dropped in and out of the news, largely as a sad former celebrity. Whether she ever got over the relationship breakup is unknown. At times she lashed out at him. She made a lot of money in 2002 doing her second Playboy shoot, and bought herself a home. She built a pool in the backyard, which she had designed to look like the shape of Levesque’s ass.

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