Women's wrestling legend Joanie Laurer, better known as Chyna, was found dead at the age of 45 Wednesday. Chyna was an unstoppable force in the ring over the course of her wrestling career, and revolutionzied what it meant to be a female performer at the height of the WWE's Attitude Era. Here are some of the most memorable moments from Chyna's career.
Chyna wins the Intercontinental Championship
Via the WWE Network
The Intercontinental title is the second-most important championship in the business, but its one that many wrestlers want to win the most. The Intercontinental title, historically, is held by one of the hardest working and most respected wrestlers on the roster, who was expected to work every event and put on the best show of the night. WWE legends like Randy Savage, The Ultimate Warrior, Mr. Perfect, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels all had long Intercontinental title runs. Only one woman in the history of WWE has captured the belt.
Chyna faced Jeff Jarrett in a "Good Housekeeping Match" at No Mercy in 2001, and the outside of the ring was littered with everyday items that were legal to use as weapons. Chyna smashed Jarrett's signature guitar over his head to pick up the win and make history.
Chyna begins long Women's Championship run at WrestleMania X-Seven
Via the WWE Network
Chyna needed two minutes and 39 seconds to win the women's title for the first and only time in her career at what is generally regarded as the best WreslteMania of all-time. After effortlessly lifting Ivory over her head, Chyna let her fall to the mat and won with one of the most relaxing pins you'll ever see. Chyna would go on to hold the belt for 214 days
Via the WWE Network
Chyna enters the 1999 Royal Rumble
Via the WWE Network
Before she became the first woman to ever participate in the King of the Ring tournament, Chyna was the first woman to enter the Royal Rumble. She came in the 1999 Rumble as the 30th entrant, and knocked out Mark Henry before being clotheslined over the top rope by Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Chyna becomes the No. 1 contender for the WWE title
Via the WWE Network
On the same episode of Raw that Y2J made his WWE debut, Chyna became the No. 1 contender for the WWE title after beating Triple H and The Undertaker in a No. 1 contender match. Commissioner Shawn Michaels announced that Chyna would be the surprise participant in the match, which led Triple H to try and talk him out of it in fear of Chyna - The Game's bodyguard - "getting hurt." When Triple H said the match was "no place for a woman," Chyna had a perfect response.
Stone Cold Steve Austin miraculously returned from being "knocked unconscious" early in the show to interfere in the main event, delivering a brutal chair shot to knock out Triple H. Stone Cold dragged Chyna atop Triple H force the pin, and Chyna became the No. 1 contender. She never got to wrestle for the title, however, as she lost the honor to Mankind on the road to Summerslam.
Chyna wins the Intercontinental title for the second time
Chyna's first Intercontinental title run lasted 56 days before she dropped the belt to Chris Jericho at Armageddon, but she won the title again a year later alongside her "boyfriend" Eddie Guerrero in an intergender tag match at Summerslam in 2000.
Via the WWE Network
