Exclusive Portrait: Chyna of World Wrestling Federation Fame Dies at 45

Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 21, 2016 - 12:21pm

REDONDO BEACH, Calif. – She was an actress, model, bodybuilder and even adult film star, but Chyna – AKA Joanie Laurer – will always be remembered as the “Ninth Wonder of the World” during her undefeated reign as World Wrestling Federation (WWF) Woman’s Champion and gender crossover WWF Intercontinental Champion. She was found dead on April 20th, 2016, in her Redondo Beach (California) home at the age of 45.

WWF Legend Chyna in Chicagoland, November 21st, 2015
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Chyna was born in upstate New York, and graduated college in 1992 with a major in Spanish Literature. After a stint in the Peace Corps, she jumped around in a number of jobs, while competing in bodybuilding competitions. After joining a training facility, her first wrestling gig occurred in 1995, and joined the WWF in 1997.

Her schtick became wrestling against men, and she became the first woman to qualify for the “King of the Ring” tournament in 1999, and later that year won the WWF Intercontinental Championship from Jeff Jarrett. She parlayed that into a successful career as a woman pro wrestling champion, and later did modeling, acting, adult films and a couple of photo essays in Playboy.

Chyna was found dead at her home in Redondo Beach, with no evidence of foul play. The investigation into the cause is pending. HollywoodChicago.com photographer Joe Arce took this Exclusive Portrait of Chyna at last year’s “Day of the Dead” convention, and it’s published for the first time.

Sources for this article came from CNN.com and Wikipedia. Chyna, AKA Joan Marie Laurer, 1969-2016