Madusa
Madusa | |
---|---|
Birth name | Debrah Anne Miceli |
Born | [1][2] Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.[1][2] | February 9, 1963
Spouse(s) | Alan Jonason (m. 2011) |
Website | madusa |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Alundra Blayze[1] Madusa[1] Madusa Miceli[1][3] |
Billed height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1] |
Billed weight | 150 lb (68 kg)[1] |
Trained by | Brad Rheingans[4] Eddie Sharkey[1][5] |
Debut | 1984[5] |
Retired | 2000 |
Debrah Ann Miceli[6][7] (born February 9, 1963),[8] better known as Madusa, is an American monster truck driver and retired professional wrestler. She is currently signed to National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) as a producer.[9] In professional wrestling Miceli is also known by the ring name Alundra Blayze, which she used while in the WWF/WWE. Outside of the WWF, she wrestled under her professional name of Madusa, which was shortened from "Made in the USA".[3] Her early career was spent in the American Wrestling Association, where she once held the AWA World Women's Championship. In 1988, she was the first woman to be awarded Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Rookie of the Year. The following year, she signed a contract with All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling, making her the first foreign wrestler to do so.
She later joined
Miceli is a former
Early life
Miceli was born in Minneapolis.[8] Before entering professional wrestling, she participated in both gymnastics and track, and at age 14, she worked at an Arby's fast-food restaurant.[4][5][13] During the beginning of her wrestling career, she also worked as a part-time nurse.[4]
Professional wrestling career
American Wrestling Association (1986–1989)
In 1984, Miceli trained with
All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling (1989–1991)
Miceli wrestled a six-week tour for All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling at the beginning of 1989,[5] where she won the IWA Women's title from Chigusa Nagayo before dropping it back to her the very next day. She then began training in Japan, learning the Japanese wrestling style, as well as Muay Thai, kickboxing, and boxing.[5] She eventually signed a three-year deal with All Japan, which made her the first non-Japanese wrestler to do so.[5] In addition, she worked for the TWA, feuding with Luna Vachon, whom she faced in a Hair vs Hair Mixed Tag Team match in September 1991.[22] Miceli and her partner Eddie Gilbert defeated Vachon and Cactus Jack, which resulted in Vachon having her head shaved.[22]
World Championship Wrestling (1991–1993)
She then went to WCW and helped
World Wrestling Federation (1993–1995)
In 1993, the WWF reinstated its Women's Championship, a title that had been vacant since 1990,[24] and Miceli was brought in by the company to revive the women's division.[25] She debuted under the ring name Alundra Blayze,[1] because WWF owner Vince McMahon did not want to pay Miceli to use the name Madusa, which she had trademarked.[4] She wrestled in a six-woman tournament to crown a new Women's Champion, and in the finals, she pinned Heidi Lee Morgan on December 13 to win the title.[24] After the tournament, Miceli asked WWF management to bring in new women for her to wrestle.[25] In mid-1994, Bull Nakano joined the WWF roster and began feuding with Blayze. Blayze defeated Nakano at SummerSlam, but lost the belt to her on November 20, 1994, in Japan at the Big Egg Wrestling Universe event.[26] Five months later on April 3, 1995, Blayze regained the title from Nakano on an edition of Monday Night Raw.[27] As part of the storyline, immediately following the win, she was attacked by Bertha Faye, who broke her nose.[28] According to Rhonda Sing (Faye), the storyline was written so Miceli could take time off to get breast implants and a nose job.[28] She returned to the ring in August 1995, losing the Women's Championship to Faye at SummerSlam on August 27.[27] Two months later, she won the title a third time, defeating Faye on October 23.[29] In December, due to financial troubles the WWF was having at the time she was released from her contract and was stripped of the title following her jump to rival company World Championship Wrestling,[30] and the WWF Women's Championship remained vacant until 1998.[29] Miceli was blacklisted by the WWF for the next 20 years, owing to her participation in a controversial incident upon returning to WCW during which she dropped the WWF Women's championship belt into a trash can.[10]
Return to WCW (1995–2001)
In December 1995, Miceli signed with WCW, and as part of a storyline by booker Eric Bischoff,[6] showed up on WCW Monday Nitro on December 18, where she threw the WWF Women's belt into a trash can.[5] She later admitted that she regretted the action and would not have done it had Bischoff not coerced her.[31] Miceli immediately began using the Madusa name again. Upon her debut she attacked Sherri Martel during her wedding to Col. Robert Parker. She had a match the following Monday on Nitro against Sherri Martel which she lost. After that, the company brought in Bull Nakano to feud with her; they battled in a match at Hog Wild in August 1996.[32] Due to pre-match stipulations, Madusa was allowed to destroy Nakano's motorcycle after the match.[32]
The company then decided to establish the WCW Women's Championship, but Madusa lost to Akira Hokuto in the finals of the tournament to crown the first champion on December 29 at Starrcade.[33] On June 15, Hokuto retained the title against Madusa at The Great American Bash in a Title vs. Career match.[1][34] The latter then took a nearly two-year hiatus from the company.
Madusa returned to WCW in April 1999 as part of
In January 2000, Madusa developed a rivalry with Oklahoma.[43] In a farcical Evening Gown match on an episode of WCW Thunder on January 12, Madusa defeated Oklahoma by stripping off his dress, but he attacked her after the match.[44] She eventually lost the Cruiserweight belt to Oklahoma at Souled Out on January 16, 2000.[1][40]
In the meantime, Miceli became an instructor at the
Late career and WWE Hall of Fame (2001–present)
On March 2, 2015, it was announced that Miceli would be inducted into the
In September 2015, Miceli was appointed the commissioner of Japanese women's promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom.[50]
On January 27, 2016, Miceli appeared on WWE Network's program Table for 3, along with fellow wrestlers Ivory and Molly Holly.[51]
In September 2017, the WWE Network released a documentary entitled "TrailBlayzer" detailing Miceli's careers in both wrestling and monster truck driving.
Miceli as Alundra Blayze was announced as an entrant into the battle royal for a women's championship opportunity at WWE Evolution, marking a return to the ring after an 18-year hiatus, however she was eliminated by Nia Jax[52]
On July 22, 2019, Alundra Blayze appeared as a heel and attacked
Returning to TNT for the first time in 20 years, Miceli was presenter of the All Elite Wrestling (AEW)'s Women's Tag Team Cup Tournament: The Deadly Draw, which began on August 3, 2020.[53] The tournament concluded on the August 22, 2020 Saturday episode of AEW Dynamite, where she gave the championship cup to the tournament winners Ivelisse and Diamante.[54][55]
Miceli would also appear in WWE on the July 26, 2022 episode of NXT in a backstage segment with Roxanne Perez and McKenzie Mitchell, announcing a fatal four-way elimination match for the vacant NXT Women's Tag Team Championship.
On January 23, 2023, Miceli appeared backstage during Raw is XXX, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Monday Night Raw.[56]
Miceli inducted Bull Nakano into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2024.
Monster truck career
Miceli entered the
As of January 2008, she is also the Executive Vice President of the Major League of Monster Trucks.[58] In 2009, she returned to Monster Jam for the first time since 2006.[59]
On October 10, 2014, she was injured in a Monster Jam event in Melbourne, Australia, and was taken to a Melbourne hospital for treatment.[60]
Other media
She appeared in the video game WCW Nitro, WCW Backstage Assault, WWE 2K16, WWE 2K17, WWE 2K18 and WWE 2K19.[61]
Personal life
After a brief first marriage to Eddie Gilbert in 1990, Miceli's second marriage was on February 14, 1998, to NFL player Ken Blackman, eight months after they met in June 1997.[1][35] They shared homes in Cincinnati and Homosassa, Florida.[35] In 1998, they opened a motorcycle shop called Spookee Custom Cycles, which made motorcycles for other NFL players such as Kimo von Oelhoffen, Darnay Scott, Bradford Banta, and Dan Wilkinson.[35] The couple later divorced in 2008.[3]
On June 25, 2011, Miceli married Alan Jonason, a sergeant major in the U.S. Army, in Memphis.[7] The wedding took place at Graceland and was broadcast over the internet for over 22,000 fans.
In 1995, she appeared in the films Shootfighter II, Death Match, and Intersanction II. In Japan, she released a CD of songs sung in Japanese.[4] She owns a grooming, pet spa, and doggy bakery called Koolkats and Hotdogs in Lecanto, Florida.[3][30] In February 2004, she provided commentary for boat races.[1]
Championships and accomplishments
Professional wrestling
Motorsports
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See also
- List of Jewish professional wrestlers
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Madusa's profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
- ^ a b "MAT MATTERS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MADUSA! LET'S SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Brink, Graham (January 21, 2005). "Have truck, will crush". St. Petersburg Times. Archived from the original on January 29, 2011. Retrieved 2009-03-19.
- ^ ISBN 1-55022-646-0.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Eck, Kevin. "Madusa's Bio". Madusa.com. Archived from the original on 2009-03-26. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
- ^ ISBN 1-4165-2729-X.
- ^ a b "Debrah & Alan". alananddebrah.ourwedding.com. 2011-07-21. Archived from the original on 2012-03-28. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-77041-671-0.
- ^ Nash, Anthony (December 27, 2022). "Madusa: You Can't Teach It, You Can't Learn It; Charisma Is Charisma And It Is A Gift". Wrestlezone. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
- ^ a b Kraft, Paul (March 13, 2014). "Madusa trashes her chances of ever returning to WWE". WrestleCrap. Archived from the original on April 4, 2015. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ a b Melok, Bobby. "Alundra Blayze to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2015". WWE.com. WWE. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ^ Various. "2Xtreme Monster Truck Series, Dawn Creten". @Xtreme Racing Series. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
- ^ a b c d e Di Cresce, Greg (February 6, 2004). "Madusa a natural for monster trucks". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ American Wrestling Association (1986). "Madusa Miceli vs Sherri Martel". AWA.
- ^ American Wrestling Association (1987-05-02). "Madusa Miceli vs Sherri Martel". AWA SuperClash 2.
- ^ "Kevin Wacholz profile". OWOW. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
- ^ "Wendi Richter's profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
- ^ "DDP's career". Wrestling museum. Archived from the original on 2008-09-14. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
- ^ American Wrestling Association (1988). "Badd Company vs Rock 'n' Roll RPMs". AWA.
- ^ American Wrestling Association (1988-12-13). "Badd Company & Madusa Miceli vs The Top Guns & Wendi Richter". AWA SuperClash 3.
- ^ prowrestlinghistory.com. "AWA SuperClash Results (III)". Retrieved 2007-04-07.
Ricky Rice, Derrick Dukes, & Wendi Richter beat Paul Diamond, Pat Tanaka, & Madusa Micelli beat (5:43) when Richter pinned Micelli.
- ^ a b Shoot with Gangrel and Luna Vachon (DVD). RF Video.
- ISBN 1-55022-584-7.
- ^ World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the originalon 2009-03-19. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-55022-762-8.
- World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the originalon 2009-03-19. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
- ^ World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the originalon 2009-03-22. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
- ^ a b Laroche, Stephen (January 9, 2001). "SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Rhonda Sing / Monster Ripper". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2008.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the originalon 2007-05-07. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
- ^ a b Ryan Murphy (August 5, 2010). "Where are they now? Alundra Blayze". WWE. Retrieved 2014-08-24.
- The Miami Herald.
- ^ ISBN 1-55022-661-4.
- ^ Furious, Arnold (2006-12-25). "The Furious Flashbacks – WCW Starrcade '96". 411mania. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
- World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the originalon 2007-12-12. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
- ^ a b c d e f g Murphy, Mike (1999-06-11). "Blackman wed to WCW star". The Cincinnati Post. Archived from the original on 2004-12-25.
- ^ ISBN 1-55022-661-4.
- ^ "Evan Karagias's profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
- ^ Powell, John (November 22, 1999). "Hart executes sixth world title reign". Slam Wrestling. Archived from the original on August 18, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
- ^ Wade. "WCW Monday Nitro – December 13, 1999". DDT Digest. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
- ^ World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the originalon 2007-04-10. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
- ^ Powell, John (December 20, 1999). "Goldberg screwed at Starrcade". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Spice's profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
- ^ Wade. "WCW Monday Nitro – January 10, 2000". DDT Digest. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
- ^ Wade. "WCW Thunder – Wednesday, January 12, 2000". DDT Digest. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
- ^ Spears, Jim (January 4, 2005). "Women's wrestlers today are tougher, better". The Times and Democrat. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
- ^ Powell, John (September 18, 2000). "Orndorff injured at Fall Brawl". Slam Wrestling. Archived from the original on May 29, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
- ^ @Madusa_rocks on Twitter, 6:40 PM – 24 Mar 2015
- ^ @WWEUniverse on Twitter, 6:28 PM – 28 Mar 2015
- ^ "PWTorch.com - WWE HALL OF FAME REPORT 3/28: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of 2015 Ceremony - Randy Savage inducted, Nash, Zbyszko, Schwarzenegger, Flair, Michaels, more". www.pwtorch.com.
- ^ メドゥーサがスターダムに特別プレゼンターとして出席. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). September 16, 2015. Archived from the original on September 18, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
- ^ "WWE Network: Molly Holly reveals the lengths she was willing to go to compete at WrestleMania on Table for 3". WWE.com. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
- ^ "WWE Evolution Results - Title Change, Ronda Rousey Vs. Nikki Bella, Last Woman Standing, More". 28 October 2018.
- ^ "Madusa, Shaul Gurrero & Veda Scott Appear During AEW Women's Tag Team Cup Tournament". Wrestlezone. 2020-08-03. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
- ^ "AEW Dynamite Results for August 22, 2020". All Elite Wrestling. August 22, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- ^ Boutwell, Josh (August 22, 2020). "AEW Dynamite Results – 8/22/20 (TNT Championship, The Elite vs. The Dark Order)". Wrestleview.com. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- ^ "List Of WWE Legend Appearances At WWE Raw XXX | Fightful News". www.fightful.com. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ^ a b c d e f "Madusa bio". Monster Jam Online. Archived from the original on 2009-03-05. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
- ^ "MLMT Pre-event Truck Display Program announced". Major League of Monster Trucks. January 1, 2008. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
- ^ "Monster Jam legends return to Rogers Centre for action filled tour stop". Rogers Centre. January 14, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
- ^ Former Wcw & Wwf Star Madusa Hospitalized | Pwinsider.Com
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Wrestling Games « Alundra Blayze « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH – The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
- ^ "The Best Tag Team League 1989". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
- ^ @CACReunion (November 12, 2019). "Good morning everyone! The recipient..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Thomas, Jeremy (December 18, 2020). "Various News: Madusa Wins PWI Lifetime Achievement Award, Full Shayna Baszler vs. Rhea Ripley Match". 411Mania. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
- ^ Johnson, Mike (November 14, 2022). "First Inductees Announce For Women's Wrestling Hall Of Fame". PWInsider. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
- World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
- ^ WWE Hall of Fame 2015, every inductee!, archived from the original on 2020-12-21, retrieved 2020-01-27
External links
- Alundra Blayze on WWE.com
- Madusa's profile at Cagematch.net , Wrestlingdata.com , Internet Wrestling Database
- Madusa on Twitter