Michelle McCool

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Michelle McCool
McCool in 2016
Birth nameMichelle Leigh McCool
Born (1980-01-25) January 25, 1980 (age 44)[1]
Palatka, Florida, U.S.[1]
Alma materFlorida State University
Spouse(s)
Jeremy Alexander
​
​
(m. 2001; div. 2006)​
Mark Calaway
​
(m. 2010)​
[2]
Children2
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Michelle McCool
Billed height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)[3][1]
Billed weight127 lb (58 kg)[1]
Billed fromPalatka, Florida[3][2]
Trained byDeep South Wrestling[1]
Ohio Valley Wrestling[1][2]
DebutNovember 18, 2004[2]
RetiredMay 1, 2011[4]

Michelle Leigh Calaway

WWE Divas Champion and a two-time WWE Women's Champion
.

McCool originally worked as a middle school teacher in Palatka, Florida. She joined WWE in 2004 after participating in the WWE Diva Search. From 2005 to 2007, she utilized the character of a personal trainer, before changing it to that of a teacher. At The Great American Bash in 2008, McCool became the inaugural WWE Divas Champion, holding the title for approximately five months. She then won the WWE Women's Championship at The Bash in 2009, becoming the first female wrestler to have held both titles. At Night of Champions in 2010, she unified both titles becoming the first and only WWE Unified Divas Champion. McCool held both titles on two occasions, which makes her a four-time champion overall. In November 2010, she was ranked number one in Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Female 50, and she retired the following year. Since 2018, McCool has made occasional appearances in WWE, including participating in matches.

Early life

Both of McCool's parents work in education; her mother, Jenny,

fitness contests, taught gymnastics and kickboxing, and worked as a personal trainer.[1]

Professional wrestling career

World Wrestling Entertainment/ WWE (2004-2011, 2018-present)

Development territories and training (2004–2006)

McCool first came to

singles debut match on March 24, losing to Marie.[2] A few months later, McCool became a part of the feud between MNM (Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury) and Heidenreich when she defended Heidenreich against MNM's manager Melina's verbal attacks.[1] In a match on June 30, Melina defeated McCool by pinning her with the illegal aid of the ring ropes as leverage.[1]

McCool was then sent to WWE's developmental facility,

K.C. James.[1]

Main roster debut (2006–2008)

McCool in March 2008

McCool returned to SmackDown! on June 2, 2006, this time as a

Bra and Panties match at The Great American Bash, which Massaro won.[10] She won her first singles match on the July 28 episode of SmackDown!, defeating Hall by illegally using the ropes as leverage.[11]

Soon after, she began acting as

mixed tag team match where Victoria and Kenny Dykstra defeated McCool and Chuck Palumbo.[20]

"All-American Diva" and Divas Champion (2008–2009)

McCool was then

Maryse and Cherry to determine SmackDown!'s top Diva, with McCool winning title.[3]

On the July 4, 2008, episode of SmackDown!, McCool won a

Natalya for the WWE Divas Championship at The Great American Bash. At the event, on July 20, McCool defeated Natalya to become the inaugural WWE Divas Champion.[22] McCool successfully defended the title against Maryse on SmackDown and at the Unforgiven pay-per-view in September, and against Maria on SmackDown in November.[23][24][25] On the December 26 episode of SmackDown!, McCool lost the Divas championship to Maryse.[26] After the match McCool turned heel by attacking Maria, the special guest referee of the match, and blaming her for the loss.[26] In the following weeks, McCool also attacked Eve Torres,[27] resulting in Torres' debut match, which McCool won.[28]

McCool then defeated

Lumberjill match on the October 2 episode of SmackDown.[33]

LayCool and retirement (2009–2011)

Main article: LayCool
Tribute to the Troops
event

McCool then allied with

two-on-one handicap match, in which Layla pinned Phoenix to win the championship.[40] Despite Layla's win, McCool and Layla cut the Women's Championship in half, and the duo were unofficially referred to as the "co-champions".[41]

On the July 30 episode of SmackDown!, McCool

tables match by Natalya and Beth Phoenix.[45][46] LayCool invoked their rematch clause in January 2011, prompting the scheduling of a two-on-one handicap match at the Royal Rumble. At the event, however, the match was altered to a fatal four-way with the addition of Eve Torres, who won the match.[47]

On the April 8 episode of SmackDown!, dissension began to show between McCool and Layla after they were defeated by Beth Phoenix and

loser leaves WWE.[50] At Extreme Rules, McCool was pinned by Layla, in what is her final full-time WWE match.[51]

In a 2019 article published by The Sportster, McCool revealed her departure from the WWE that she was dealing with numerous injuries, including a torn MCL and gave birth to her child the following year.

Lillian Garcia
's Chasing Glory podcast interview in 2016:

"It was tough just leaving in itself was tough because it got to a point where I was dealing with so much again mostly being Undertaker's girlfriend and why I was on TV and even having a writer throw the papers up one day and say 'Why don't we just call it the Michelle McCool and Undertaker show?!' It was nonstop and I went to Vince on numerous occasions and bless his heart he was wonderful, but I just said Vince, I don't wanna hate something that I grew up loving so much and the longer I stay the more I'm like like getting a sour taste in my mouth. So making that decision to leave was as hard as it is, but more than wanting to be in WWE or be a champion I've always wanted to be a mom."[52]

Sporadic appearances (2018–present)

On January 22, 2018, McCool was honored as part of a segment involving women that contributed to the company's success on the

Ember Moon.[55]

During WWE The Bump, during which she celebrated the 30th anniversary of her husband Undertaker's career, in 2020 she was asked who she would like to fight. She replied that she would gladly fight the "Queen of WWE", Charlotte Flair, and did not rule out such an option in the future.[56][57][unreliable source?]

On January 29, McCool returned to the

2022 Royal Rumble at number 10 and eliminated Dana Brooke. She lasted over 20 minutes before being eliminated by former rival, Mickie James.[citation needed
]

On January 28, 2023, McCool was seen sitting front row for the

2023 Royal Rumble with her children. McCool returned from the crowd at number 25, eliminating Tamina quickly after entering the match and helping 10 other superstars eliminate Nia Jax, before being eliminated by Rhea Ripley, making it to the final 10 women in the match.[citation needed
]

Other media

During the week of November 5, 2007, she appeared on six episodes of

Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader.[63]

McCool has appeared in seven WWE video games. She made her in-game debut in WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006.[64] Michelle also appears in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008,[65] WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009,[66] WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010,[67] WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011[68] and WWE '12.[69] Her most recent appearance is in WWE 2K24 as downloadable content.[70]

Personal life

McCool was married to Jeremy Louis Alexander, whom she began dating in high school.[1][71][72] The couple divorced in 2006.[1] She married fellow wrestler Mark Calaway, known professionally as The Undertaker, on June 26, 2010, in Houston, Texas.[73][74] Their first child together, their daughter Kaia, was born in August 2012.[75] They have a younger adopted son named Kolt.[76]

McCool is a devout

Christian crosses on her wrestling attire.[78]

She has had several wrestling-related injuries; in November 2007, she fractured her nose during an overseas WWE tour after

joint capsules and a torn MCL.[81] In 2016 she was diagnosed with skin cancer, and underwent successful treatment.[82] In April 2019 she publicly disclosed she had struggled with infertility, and had suffered several miscarriages.[83]

Championships and accomplishments

McCool is the inaugural and two-time WWE Divas Champion
McCool is also a two-time WWE Women's Champion

Notes

  1. ^ McCool originally injured her back during a WWE European tour. Because of pain in her back, she was unaware of the sternum injury until she went to the hospital for treatment. Tests also revealed that she had an enlarged kidney.[14]

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External links

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