Nancy Benoit World Championship Wrestling (1996-1997) What happened in 1996? After being dumped by Sandman and Scorpio in ECW, she once again resurfaced in WCW, first appearing on the January 22, 1996 episode What happened in the episode? one of many women who stood in the aisle and waved as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage came to the ring. Did she appear in following episodes? On the February 5 episode of Nitro she turned on Savage during his match with Chris Benoit and rejoined Flair, Did she wrestle or just wave? I don't know.
What was her wrestling name?
What was Nancy Benoit's wrestling name?
After being dumped by Sandman and Scorpio in ECW, she once again resurfaced in WCW, first appearing on the January 22, 1996 episode of WCW Monday Nitro as one of many women who stood in the aisle and waved as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage came to the ring. On the February 5 episode of Nitro she turned on Savage during his match with Chris Benoit and rejoined Flair, Arn Anderson, Brian Pillman, and Benoit in the then-current incarnation of the Four Horsemen. Miss Elizabeth also managed the stable. In 1996, Pillman had left the Horsemen, but they added Steve McMichael and his wife Debra in June, which didn't sit well with Woman. In her next angle, the two bickered, not getting along in general. The Four Horsemen were often given interview time on Nitro and when it came time for Debra to speak on the mic, she'd often go into a soliloquy regarding Woman's looks and fashion sense -- usually when the two weren't within the vicinity of each other. Despite the heavy tension, the two managers never had a physical altercation. At the same time, she started an on-screen relationship with Benoit, who at the time was involved in a feud with her real-life husband, Kevin Sullivan. On December 7, on WCW Saturday Night, during a post-match interview with Sullivan, a home movie of the couple canoodling in a kitchen was played in front of him. Woman taunted Sullivan by saying, "You can't find me" and "I'm my own woman," while Benoit added: "You consider yourself the master of human chess. Well, my bishop just took your queen". After the video, Sullivan stood there speechless, and his manager Jimmy Hart led him off stage. This feud between Benoit and Sullivan saw Woman clashing with Sullivan's then-valet Jacquelyn at ringside. In one match, the two ladies were strapped together, took shots at each other, and used the strap connecting them as a weapon against the men. Eventually, the Benoit-Nancy on-screen relationship developed into a real-life affair off-screen. Because of this, it is often joked that 'Kevin Sullivan booked his own divorce.' The two were indeed divorced in 1997. What's more, Sullivan lost a retirement match to Benoit. His intent had been to retire from in-ring action and focus on booking. Nancy's final WCW appearance (and professional wrestling appearance as Woman) took place on May 26, 1997 on Monday Nitro as she accompanied Benoit to the ring for a confrontation with Jimmy Hart regarding the whereabouts of Sullivan, who wasn't in the arena. On the following week's show, Benoit came alone to ringside without her by his side. After managing him for a little over half a year, no reason was given for Woman's sudden disappearance, and she was never mentioned on WCW programming again. CANNOTANSWER
Nitro
Nancy Elizabeth Benoit (formerly Daus, Sullivan, née Toffoloni; May 17, 1964 – June 22, 2007) was an American professional wrestling manager and model. She was best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling in the mid-1990s under the ring name Woman.

Early life
After graduating from DeLand (Florida) High School, Toffoloni got a job answering phones at State Farm Insurance. When George Napolitano needed a beautiful young girl for the cover of the June 1984 edition of the pro-wrestling magazine Wrestling All Stars, fellow photographer Bill Otten suggested the 20-year-old Nancy Toffoloni Daus for the role. Toffoloni, who had worked as a model, often sat alongside her then-husband Jim. She had also been selling programs at the Orlando shows and appeared as Para in "Apartment Wrestling" features. It was on this shoot where she met Kevin Sullivan, who eventually wanted her to be a part of his wrestling entourage. After months of convincing, she finally became an on-air valet, taking the ring name "Fallen Angel".

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1984–1989)
As "Fallen Angel", Toffoloni made her in-ring debut on June 30, 1984, in Miami, Florida, for Florida Championship Wrestling.

Toffoloni became a part of Kevin Sullivan's stable of kayfabe "Satanists", which also included wrestlers The Lock, Luna Vachon, The Purple Haze, and Sir Oliver Humperdink. Toffoloni and Kevin Sullivan traveled throughout the United States using the "Satanist" gimmick for promotions such as Angelo Savoldi's ICW and Southwest Championship Wrestling. The two married in 1985. On August 3, 1985, she wrestled Debbie Combs in Hawaii for NWA Polynesian Wrestling, in which she lost by disqualification.

World Championship Wrestling (1989–1990)
Nancy Sullivan first appeared in WCW as a "fan" of Rick Steiner named Robin Green, wearing a Steiner T-shirt and large glasses. She would sit in the audience and would interact with Steiner whenever he appeared. She eventually turned on him, aligning herself with Kevin Sullivan and adopting the name "Woman" and becoming the manager of Doom (Butch Reed and Ron Simmons). After leaving Doom, she aligned herself with Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen.

Eastern/Extreme Championship Wrestling (1993–1996)
In late-1993, Nancy and Kevin Sullivan joined the Philadelphia-based promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling, where she reverted to the ring name "Woman". In December 1993, Kevin Sullivan and The Tazmaniac won the ECW Tag Team Championship. They held the championship until March 1994, when they were defeated by The Public Enemy.

After Sullivan left ECW in spring 1994, Woman began managing The Sandman. The Sandman's character was estranged from his wife and valet, Peaches, who had left him after he accidentally struck her during a match while temporarily blinded. Woman drove a wedge between The Sandman and Peaches, convincing him that Peaches was cheating on him with Tommy Cairo. In keeping with The Sandman's character, Woman would open his beers and light his cigarettes prior to matches. She began carrying a Singapore cane with which she would strike The Sandman's opponents. At When Worlds Collide on May 14, 1994, Woman and The Sandman lost to Cairo and Peaches in a Singapore Cane match, after which Peaches caned The Sandman in the groin until Woman threw salt in her eyes, enabling The Sandman to regroup and cane Cairo and Peaches.

In mid-1994, The Sandman began feuding with Tommy Dreamer after he kissed Woman. The feud culminated in an "I Quit" match on October 1, 1994, during which The Sandman was seemingly blinded when Dreamer pushed a lit cigarette into his eye and then caned him in the face. Following the bout, Woman announced that she was leaving The Sandman as he was now "useless". After Tommy Cairo mocked The Sandman, a guilt-stricken Dreamer challenged him to a match at November to Remember on November 5, 1994. At the same event, Peaches attempted to reconcile with The Sandman. Woman interrupted the reconciliation, caning Peaches and threatening The Sandman. After Dreamer came to the ring to stop Woman, The Sandman revealed that he was not in fact blinded and attacked Dreamer, with his estrangement from Woman a ploy to pit Dreamer and Cairo against one another.

In April 1995 at Three Way Dance, Woman again left The Sandman, aligning herself with Shane Douglas. At Hostile City Showdown on April 15, 1995, she helped The Sandman defeat Douglas for his second ECW World Heavyweight Championship by striking him in the knee with a Singapore cane, revealing the turn to have been another ruse.

Following The Sandman's victory, Woman began carrying the ECW World Heavyweight Championship to ringside. Throughout mid-1995, she helped The Sandman defend his championship in a series of bouts with Cactus Jack. In September 1995, she began also managing The Sandman's ally, ECW World Television Champion 2 Cold Scorpio. In late 1995, The Sandman began feuding with Mikey Whipwreck, during which a controversial storyline began in which Woman became visibly aroused while watching The Sandman cane Whipwreck. The Sandman's reign lasted until October 28, 1995, when he lost to Whipwreck in a ladder match after Stunning Steve Austin prevented Woman from interfering.

On October 28, 1995, 2 Cold Scorpio defeated Rocco Rock in a singles bout to win the ECW World Tag Team Championship, then selected The Sandman as his partner. The Sandman regained the ECW World Heavyweight Championship in a three-way dance with Whipwreck and Austin at December to Dismember on December 9, 1995, giving Woman control of all three championships.

On December 29, 1995, at Holiday Hell, Mikey Whipwreck defeated 2 Cold Scorpio in a singles match with the ECW World Tag Team Championship on the line. The Sandman's third reign as ECW World Heavyweight Champion lasted until January 27, 1996, when he lost to Raven. In February 1996 at Big Apple Blizzard Blast, Woman announced that she was returning to World Championship Wrestling, parting ways with The Sandman and 2 Cold Scorpio.

Return to WCW (1996–1997)
Nancy Sullivan (as "Woman") made her return to WCW on the January 22, 1996 episode of WCW Monday Nitro as one of many women who stood in the aisle and waved as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage came to the ring. On the February 5 episode of Nitro she turned on Savage during his match with Chris Benoit and rejoined Flair, Arn Anderson, Brian Pillman, and Benoit in the then-current incarnation of the Four Horsemen. Miss Elizabeth also managed the stable.

In 1996, Pillman had left the Horsemen, but they added Steve McMichael and his wife Debra in June, which didn't sit well with Woman. In her next angle, the two bickered, not getting along in general. The Four Horsemen were often given interview time on Nitro and when it came time for Debra to speak on the mic, she'd often go into a soliloquy regarding Woman's looks and fashion sense – usually when the two weren't within the vicinity of each other. Despite the heavy tension, the two managers never had a physical altercation.

At the same time, she started an on-screen relationship with Benoit, who at the time was involved in a feud with her real-life husband, Kevin Sullivan. On December 7, on WCW Saturday Night, during a post-match interview with Sullivan, a home movie of the couple canoodling in a kitchen was played in front of him. Woman taunted Sullivan by saying, "You can't find me" and "I'm my own woman," while Benoit added: "You consider yourself the master of human chess. Well, my bishop just took your queen". After the video, Sullivan stood there speechless, and his manager Jimmy Hart led him off stage. This feud between Benoit and Sullivan saw Woman clashing with Sullivan's then-valet Jacquelyn at ringside. In one match, the two ladies were strapped together, took shots at each other, and used the strap connecting them as a weapon against the men.

Eventually, the Chris Benoit-Nancy Sullivan on-screen relationship developed into a real-life affair off-screen. Because of this, it is often joked that Kevin Sullivan "booked his own divorce." The two were indeed divorced in 1997. What's more, Sullivan lost a retirement match to Benoit. His intent had been to retire from in-ring action and focus on booking.

Woman's final WCW appearance (and professional wrestling appearance as Woman) took place on May 26, 1997, on Monday Nitro as she accompanied Benoit to the ring for a confrontation with Jimmy Hart regarding the whereabouts of Sullivan, who wasn't in the arena. On the following week's show, Benoit came alone to ringside without her by his side. After managing him for a little over half a year, no reason was given for Woman's sudden disappearance, and she was never mentioned on WCW programming again.

Personal life
Before her marriage to Kevin Sullivan in 1985, Toffoloni had been married to and divorced from Jim Daus.

In early 1997, while married to Kevin Sullivan, she was having an extramarital affair with Chris Benoit. She and Benoit became engaged later in 1997 after her divorce from Sullivan, although Benoit referred to her as only his fiancée even after they were married. She managed her husband's career from their home in Atlanta.

She gave birth to their son Daniel Christopher Benoit on February 25, 2000. She married Chris Benoit on November 23, 2000. However, in May 2003, she filed for divorce, citing the marriage as "irrevocably broken" and alleging "cruel treatment." She dropped the suit in August 2003, as well as a restraining order filed on her husband.

In December 2006, Nancy Benoit had back and neck fusion surgery with Lloyd Youngblood, the same surgeon who had previously done a 3–hour neck operation on Nancy's husband Chris on June 28, 2001.

After Nancy Benoit's death in 2007, Hustler published nude photographs of her from a shoot taken when she was 20 years old. The length of time between the events caused controversy, causing critics to claim that Hustler owner Larry Flynt was attempting to capitalize on the event. The family of Nancy Benoit took legal action against Hustler. The appellate court ruled that, "The photographs published by [Flynt] neither relate to the incident of public concern conceptually [the murders] nor correspond with the time period during which Benoit was rendered, against her will, the subject of public scrutiny".

Death

On June 25, 2007, Benoit, her husband Chris, and their son Daniel were found dead in their home in suburban Atlanta at around 2:30 p.m. It first was reported by the WWE Mobile Alerts service and posted to their official website soon after.

Lieutenant Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department told ABC News it was being investigated as a double murder-suicide, and the police were not searching for any suspects outside of the house, as the instruments of death were located at the scene of the crime.

During a press conference on June 26, Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard reported that Chris Benoit had killed his wife and son and committed suicide. A Bible was left by Nancy's body, and she died of asphyxiation. She had bruises on her back and stomach consistent with an attacker pressing a knee into her back while pulling on a cord around her neck. Daniel also died of asphyxiation, without signs of restraint. He had internal injuries to the throat area, but no bruises, indicating he may have been killed by a choke. Benoit killed Nancy on Friday, Daniel on Saturday, then asphyxiated himself with the cord of a weight machine in his basement on Sunday.

A memorial for Nancy and Daniel took place in Daytona Beach, Florida, on July 14, 2007. Both were cremated and their ashes placed in starfish-shaped urns for Nancy's family. Chris was also cremated, but the fate of his ashes has not been publicly revealed.

See also
 Chris Benoit double-murder and suicide
 The Four Horsemen
 List of premature professional wrestling deaths

References

External links 
 
 

1964 births
2007 deaths
American female professional wrestlers
American murder victims
American professional wrestlers of Italian descent
Deaths from asphyxiation
Deaths by strangulation in the United States
Female models from Massachusetts
The Four Horsemen (professional wrestling) members
American people of Italian descent
People murdered in Georgia (U.S. state)
Professional wrestlers from Massachusetts
Professional wrestling managers and valets
Sportspeople from Boston
20th-century American women
21st-century American women
Nellya Baughman (August 21, 1935 – May 11, 2008) was an American professional wrestler who was best known by her ring name Judy Grable. She was an active wrestler during the 1950s and 1960s. In addition to her nickname "The Barefoot Contessa" due to her preference for wrestling barefoot, she was also known as "the acrobatic blonde with the educated flying feet."

Professional wrestling career
Grable trained for her professional wrestling career with The Fabulous Moolah in her school in Columbia, South Carolina. She debuted in 1953 using the name Peaches Grable. Moolah's female trainees worked in Boston under promoter Paul Bowser, and in Boston, Grable and Moolah were involved in a feud.

She wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories through the 1950s and the 1960s. In September 1956, a battle royal was held to determine the new NWA World Women's Champion, but Grable lost to long-time rival The Fabulous Moolah. On September 20, 1959, Grable made an appearance as a contestant on the popular television show What's My Line? The episode became famous in part because of the highly risque banter from guest panelist Groucho Marx and consequent malapropisms by regular panelist Dorothy Kilgallen and host John Daly.

Even though she retired in the late 1960s, Grable's last in-ring work occurred in Superstar Wrestling in 1974.

On March 31, 2017, Grable was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a part of the Legacy wing.

Personal life
Grable was the youngest of six children, including four brothers and one sister. She was a tomboy who liked fishing, hunting, and sports. She also wrestled at Grand Junction High School. Her family later moved to Florida, where Grable became interested in the circus. She was employed at Ringling Brothers Circus as an acrobat for six months, deciding she would rather wrestle after falling off a high wire.

In the late 1960s, Grable retired from wrestling after marrying a serviceman and returned to school, graduating in 1978. She was then employed as a nurse's assistant in a home for veterans. One of her daughters works as a wrestler under the name Debbie Grable.

Grable died on May 11, 2008, after living with diabetes, strokes, and Alzheimer's.

Championships and accomplishments
Cauliflower Alley Club
Other honoree (2002)

Georgia Championship Wrestling
NWA Southern Women's Championship (Georgia version) (2 times)

Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
Women's wrestler (2011)
 WWE
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2017)

Notes

References

External links
 
 
 

1935 births
2008 deaths
American female professional wrestlers
Place of death missing
People from Bremerton, Washington
Professional wrestlers from Washington (state)
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
WWE Hall of Fame Legacy inductees
Stampede Wrestling alumni
20th-century American women
20th-century American people
21st-century American women Ethel Blanche Hairston ( Wingo; May 14, 1935 – September 14, 2018) was an American professional wrestler whose ring name was Ethel Johnson. She debuted at age 16, becoming the first African-American women's champion. She was a fan favorite, billed as "the biggest attraction to hit girl wrestling since girl wrestling began."

Professional wrestling career 
Johnson started her training after her sister Babs Wingo, the first African-American woman to integrate professional wrestling, in the 1950s, signing with the promoter Billy Wolfe. Their younger sister Marva Scott would later join professional wrestling as well. In 1952, Johnson, along with her sisters worked three matches including a tag match in the main event at Baltimore, Maryland, which drew the highest record crowd of 3,611 fans. By 1954, Johnson and Wingo received top billing alongside Gorgeous George, after drawing 9,000 fans at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. While touring Latin America, Johnson worked under the name Rita Valdez.

Johnson was known for her athleticism, being one of the first female wrestlers to perform a standing dropkick in her matches, as well as including a variation of the flying headscissors

During her time in wrestling, Johnson faced popular wrestlers at the time such as June Byers and Penny Banner, and even challenging Mildred Burke for her NWA World Women's Championship. Eventually, Johnson caught Stu Hart's eye and began working for his promotion Big Time Wrestling as well as wrestling at Capitol Wrestling Corporation. In her final years in wrestling, Johnson worked at American Wrestling Association, where her last match was against her sister Marva Scott, in 1976.

Personal life 
Johnson was born Ethel Blanche Wingo in Decatur, Georgia, to Gladys Chase and Clifford Wingo on May 14, 1935. Johnson had two other wrestling sisters: her older sister, Betty (ring name: Babs Wingo), and younger sister, Marva (ring name: Marva Scott).

Johnson took her stage name to differentiate her from Betty, who became a professional at about the same time. They often wrestled each other, but many fans would not know that they were related.  Johnson said it was every women's wrestlers' dream to perform in Madison Square Garden, but women's wrestling was banned in New York during her prime. She retired in 1977 without ever performing there.

Johnson died of heart disease on September 14, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. She was 83.

Filmography

Championships and accomplishments 
 Independent
 Colored Women's World Championship (3 times)
 Ohio Women's Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Marva Scott
 Texas Colored Women's Championship (2 times)
 National Wrestling Alliance
 NWA World Women's Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with June Byers
WWE
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2021)

References 

1935 births
2018 deaths
African-American female professional wrestlers
American female professional wrestlers
People from Decatur, Georgia
Professional wrestlers from Georgia (U.S. state)
Sportspeople from DeKalb County, Georgia
Stampede Wrestling alumni
WWE Hall of Fame Legacy inductees
20th-century African-American sportspeople
21st-century African-American people
20th-century African-American women
21st-century African-American women