Debra Miceli
Encyclopedia
Debrah Ann Miceli is a Monster truck driver and former professional wrestler
. She is best known under her ring name
s Madusa (shorthened from Made in the USA) or Alundra Blayze. Her early career was spent in the American Wrestling Association
, where she held the AWA World Women's Championship
one time. In 1988, Miceli was also 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 World Championship Wrestling
(WCW), where she was a member of the Dangerous Alliance
, a group of wrestlers managed
by Paul E. Dangerously
. In 1993, she joined the rival World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) under the name Alundra Blayze. In the WWF, she feuded
with Bull Nakano and Bertha Faye, while holding the WWF Women's Championship
a total of three times. Two years after joining the WWF, Miceli returned to WCW, showing up on an episode of Monday Nitro
to throw the WWF Women's Championship belt into a trash can. For the next six years, she worked in WCW, where she feuded with Bull Nakano, Oklahoma, and became the first woman to hold the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship
. After training wrestlers at the WCW Power Plant
, she left the company in 2001.
In addition to wrestling, Miceli competes in the world of monster truck
s. She drives a truck named Madusa, which was also her ring name for much of her professional wrestling career. She won the 2004 co-championship at the Monster Jam World Finals
for freestyle in the first-ever three-way tie. The following year, she was the only female competitor in the Super Bowl of Motorsports, and she won the Racing Championship in the Monster Jam World Finals.
in Minneapolis, Minnesota and began working on the independent circuit
for $5 a match. In 1986, she started wrestling in the American Wrestling Association
(AWA) feuding with Sherri Martel
as Madusa Miceli. After Martel left the AWA, she replaced her as "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly
's manager, who often teamed with Nick Kiniski
as "The Perfect Tag Team". In a tournament final, she won the AWA World Women's Championship
over Candi Devine
on December 27, 1987. At that time Madusa also began managing the AWA World Heavyweight Champion
Curt Hennig
. She later lost the title to Wendi Richter
on November 26, 1988. Hennig and Madusa joined the Diamond Exchange
, a stable led by Diamond Dallas Page
that included Badd Company
. With Badd Company she faced the team of the Top Guns (Ricky Rice
and Derrick Dukes
) and Wendi Richter at the only AWA pay-per-view
SuperClash III. Both Badd Company’s Tag-Team Title
and Wendi Richter’s AWA World Women's Championship were on the line, but since Richter pinned Miceli, Badd Company remained the champions. In 1988, Miceli was also the first woman to be awarded Pro Wrestling Illustrated
s Rookie of the Year.
at the beginning of 1989, 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. She eventually signed a three-year deal with All Japan, which made her the first non-Japanese wrestler to do so. 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. Miceli and her partner Eddie Gilbert defeated Vachon and Cactus Jack
, which resulted in Vachon having her head shaved.
form his Dangerous Alliance
. She acted primarily as Alliance member Rick Rude's manager. On October 25, Dangerously kicked her out of the Dangerous Alliance at Halloween Havoc. She, however, defeated him by count-out on November 18, 1992 at the Clash of the Champions.
, a title that had been vacant since 1990, and Miceli was brought in by the company to revive the women's division. She debuted under the ring name Alundra Blayze, because WWF owner Vince McMahon
did not want to pay Miceli to use the name Madusa, which she had trademarked. 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.
After the tournament, Miceli asked WWF management to bring in new women for her to wrestle. In mid-1994, Bull Nakano joined the WWF roster and began feuding with Miceli, who was still using the name Alundra 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. Five months later on April 3, 1995, Blayze regained the title from Nakano on an edition of Monday Night Raw. As part of the storyline, immediately following the win, she was attacked by Bertha Faye, who broke her nose. In reality, the storyline was written so Miceli could take time off to get breast implants and a nose job. She returned to the ring in August 1995, losing the Women's Championship to Faye at SummerSlam
on August 27. Two months later, she won the title a third time, defeating Faye on October 23. 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
, and the WWF Women's Championship remained vacant until 1998.
, showed up on WCW Monday Nitro
on December 18 where she threw the WWF Women's Title belt into a trash can. She would later admit she regretted the action and would not have done it had Bischoff not coerced her to. Miceli immediately began using the Madusa name again, and the company brought in Bull Nakano to feud with her; they battled in a match at Hog Wild in August 1996. Due to pre-match stipulations, Madusa was allowed to destroy Nakano's motorcycle after the match.
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
. On June 15, Hokuto retained the title against Madusa at The Great American Bash in a Title vs. Career match. The latter then took a nearly two year hiatus from the company.
Madusa returned to WCW in April 1999 as part of Randy Savage
's faction Team Madness
with Gorgeous George
and Miss Madness
. After that storyline ended, Madusa entered into a tournament for the WCW Championship
, but she was defeated and eliminated from the tournament. She was later re-entered into the tournament in a match against Evan Karagias
, but was eliminated the next week. After her elimination, Madusa put all her focus on managing Karagias. After Karagias won the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship
at Mayhem, he was found flirting with Spice
of the Nitro Girls
. At Starrcade
, however, Spice gave Karagias a low blow during the match, and Madusa pinned him to become the first female ever to win the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship. Spice them aligned herself with Madusa and became her manager for a short time.
In January 2000, Madusa developed a rivalry with Oklahoma. 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. She eventually lost the Cruiserweight belt to Oklahoma at Souled Out on January 16, 2000.
In the meantime, Miceli became an instructor at the WCW Power Plant
, where she helped train women such as Nora Greenwald
(Molly Holly) to wrestle. Before WCW's collapse, she engaged in a brief feud with Torrie Wilson
and Shane Douglas
, who defeated her and partner Billy Kidman at Fall Brawl in a Mixed Tag Team Scaffold match. Madusa took a big bump during this match and wasn't seen again on WCW TV. She left the company when she heard that Vince McMahon
, the owner of the World Wrestling Federation
, was going to buy WCW. Because she had a previous falling-out with McMahon, she opted not to stay with the company. She retired from professional wrestling for good in 2001 because she did not like the direction in which women's wrestling was going; according to her, it was becoming less about real wrestling and more about Bra and Panties matches.
business under Dennis Anderson
in 1999. She made her first American hot rod appearance at the Trans World Dome
. Afterward, she purchased her own truck and named it Madusa, as she still held the rights to the name. She began winning freestyle competitions in 2001. Miceli won the 2004 co-championship at the Monster Jam World Finals
for freestyle in the first-ever three-way tie. On March 2005 in Las Vegas, she beat her trainer Dennis Anderson in the final bracket of the Monster Jam World Finals for the Racing Championship, thus making her the first woman to win the Monster Jam World Finals racing championship. Also in 2005, she was the only female competitor in the Super Bowl of Motorsports.
As of January 2008, she is also the Executive Vice President of the Major League of Monster Trucks
. In 2009, she returned to Monster Jam for the first time since 2005.
, Italy
, but raised in several foster homes in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Before entering professional wrestling, she participated in both gymnastics and track, and at age 14, she worked at an Arby's fast-food restaurant
. During the beginning of her wrestling career, Miceli also worked as a nurse part-time.
In June 1997, she met National Football League
player Ken Blackman
, and they married seven months later on February 14, 1998. They shared homes in both Cincinnati and Homosassa, Florida
. 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
. The couple later divorced.
In February 2004, Madusa provided commentary for boat races. She also planned to write a book pertaining to her years in Professional Wrestling.
In 1995, she appeared in the movie Shootfighter II. In Japan, she released a CD of songs sung in Japanese. Miceli owns a grooming, pet spa, and doggy bakery called Koolkats and Hotdogs in Lecanto, Florida
.
On June 25, 2011, Miceli married Alan Jonason, a sergeant in the United States Army
in Memphis, Tennessee
.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. She is best known under her ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
s Madusa (shorthened from Made in the USA) or Alundra Blayze. Her early career was spent in the American Wrestling Association
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
, where she held the AWA World Women's Championship
AWA World Women's Championship
The AWA World Women's Championship was the female title in the American Wrestling Association from 1961 until 1990.-Title history:Silver-shaded lines in the history indicate periods of unknown lineage.-See also:*American Wrestling Association...
one time. In 1988, Miceli was also the first woman to be awarded Pro Wrestling Illustrated's
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
Rookie of the Year. The following year, she signed a contract with All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
, nicknamed Zenjo was a joshi puroresu promotion established in 1968 by Takashi Matsunaga and his brothers. The group held their first card on June 4 of that year...
, making her the first foreign wrestler to do so. She later joined World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW), where she was a member of the Dangerous Alliance
Dangerous Alliance
The Dangerous Alliance was a heel professional wrestling stable that made a name for itself in World Championship Wrestling in the early '90s and the American Wrestling Association in 1987, with Adrian Adonis, Randy Rose, and Dennis Condrey making up the AWA incarnation of the group.-American...
, a group of wrestlers managed
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
by Paul E. Dangerously
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
. In 1993, she joined the rival World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) under the name Alundra Blayze. In the WWF, she feuded
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with Bull Nakano and Bertha Faye, while holding the WWF Women's Championship
WWE Women's Championship
The WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification...
a total of three times. Two years after joining the WWF, Miceli returned to WCW, showing up on an episode of Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
to throw the WWF Women's Championship belt into a trash can. For the next six years, she worked in WCW, where she feuded with Bull Nakano, Oklahoma, and became the first woman to hold the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship
WWE Cruiserweight Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Cruiserweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and was originally a World Championship Wrestling title. It was challenged by cruiserweights at a maximum weight of 215 lbs...
. After training wrestlers at the WCW Power Plant
WCW Power Plant
The WCW Power Plant was a professional wrestling school located in Atlanta, Georgia and owned and operated by World Championship Wrestling. The Power Plant, which was developed from a school operated by Jody Hamilton, was in operation throughout the 1990s...
, she left the company in 2001.
In addition to wrestling, Miceli competes in the world of monster truck
Monster truck
A monster truck is a pickup truck, typically styled after pickup trucks' bodies, modified or purposely built with extremely large wheels and suspension...
s. She drives a truck named Madusa, which was also her ring name for much of her professional wrestling career. She won the 2004 co-championship at the Monster Jam World Finals
Monster Jam World Finals
The Monster Jam World Finals is an annual monster truck event held in late March at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. It is the championship event of the USHRA Monster Jam series. It consists of racing and freestyle segments, and the winner of each is considered the series champion in that...
for freestyle in the first-ever three-way tie. The following year, she was the only female competitor in the Super Bowl of Motorsports, and she won the Racing Championship in the Monster Jam World Finals.
American Wrestling Association (1986–1989)
In 1984, Miceli trained with Eddie SharkeyEddie Sharkey
Eddie Sharkey is an American professional wrestling trainer. He is often called "The Trainer of Champions", and has been instrumental in training some of the biggest names in the industry, including the Road Warriors , "Ravishing" Rick Rude, Tom Zenk, Bob Backlund, Jerry Lynn, Sean Waltman, Nord...
in Minneapolis, Minnesota and began working on the independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
for $5 a match. In 1986, she started wrestling in the American Wrestling Association
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
(AWA) feuding with Sherri Martel
Sherri Martel
Sherri Schrull was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri....
as Madusa Miceli. After Martel left the AWA, she replaced her as "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly
Kevin Wacholz
Kevin Wacholz is a former professional wrestler who once worked for the World Wrestling Federation in 1992 as Nailz. He was also known as "Mr...
's manager, who often teamed with Nick Kiniski
Nick Kiniski
Nick Kiniski is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his work with WCCW, PNW and AWA and for being one half of the tag team American Breed with Paul Diamond in Texas All-Star Wrestling.-Career:...
as "The Perfect Tag Team". In a tournament final, she won the AWA World Women's Championship
AWA World Women's Championship
The AWA World Women's Championship was the female title in the American Wrestling Association from 1961 until 1990.-Title history:Silver-shaded lines in the history indicate periods of unknown lineage.-See also:*American Wrestling Association...
over Candi Devine
Candi Devine
Candace Maria Rummel is a semi-retired American professional wrestler better known by her ring name Candi Devine...
on December 27, 1987. At that time Madusa also began managing the AWA World Heavyweight Champion
AWA World Heavyweight Championship
The American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and the highest ranked championship in the defunct American Wrestling Association. All AWA trademarks, including the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, are now owned by WWE...
Curt Hennig
Curt Hennig
Curtis Michael "Curt" Hennig , also known by the ring name Mr. Perfect, was an American professional wrestler, manager and color commentator who worked for, among other promotions, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World...
. She later lost the title to Wendi Richter
Wendi Richter
Wendi Richter is a retired American professional wrestler. She began her professional wrestling career in companies such as the National Wrestling Alliance, where she teamed with Joyce Grable, with whom she held the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship twice. In the 1980s, she joined the World...
on November 26, 1988. Hennig and Madusa joined the Diamond Exchange
Diamond Exchange
The Diamond Exchange was a professional wrestling stable led by Diamond Dallas Page in American Wrestling Association, as well as in World Championship Wrestling where it was called the Diamond Mine.-AWA:...
, a stable led by Diamond Dallas Page
Diamond Dallas Page
Dallas Page , better known by his ring name "Diamond" Dallas Page , is an American retired professional wrestler, fitness instructor and actor...
that included Badd Company
Badd Company
Badd Company was a professional wrestling tag team in the American Wrestling Association in the late 1980s, which later went by the name the Orient Express. It is rumored that the team name was derived from the rock band Bad Company...
. With Badd Company she faced the team of the Top Guns (Ricky Rice
Ricky Rice
Ricky Rice is an American professional wrestler who competed in Midwest regional promotions during the late 1980s, most notably with tag team partners Derrick Dukes and Jon Paul DeMans as The Top Guns in Eddie Sharkey's Minneapolis-based Pro Wrestling America and the American Wrestling...
and Derrick Dukes
Derrick Dukes
Derrick Dukes is an American professional wrestler best known for his stint in the American Wrestling Association in the late 1980s as one half of the tag team The Top Guns with Ricky Rice. The team was originally made up off Rice and Jon Paul DeMans...
) and Wendi Richter at the only AWA pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
SuperClash III. Both Badd Company’s Tag-Team Title
AWA World Tag Team Championship
The American Wrestling Association World Tag Team Championship was professional wrestling world tag team championship in the American Wrestling Association from 1960 until the promotion folded in 1991.-History :...
and Wendi Richter’s AWA World Women's Championship were on the line, but since Richter pinned Miceli, Badd Company remained the champions. In 1988, Miceli was also the first woman to be awarded Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
s Rookie of the Year.
All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling (1989–1991)
Miceli wrestled a six week tour for All Japan Women's Pro-WrestlingAll Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
, nicknamed Zenjo was a joshi puroresu promotion established in 1968 by Takashi Matsunaga and his brothers. The group held their first card on June 4 of that year...
at the beginning of 1989, where she won the IWA Women's title from Chigusa Nagayo
Chigusa Nagayo
is a retired Japanese female professional wrestler best known for her mainstream popularity in the 1980s as a member of the tag team The Crush Gals with long-time partner Lioness Asuka. She was the founder of the GAEA Women's Professional Wrestling organization . She briefly competed as alter-ego...
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
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
, kickboxing, and boxing. She eventually signed a three-year deal with All Japan, which made her the first non-Japanese wrestler to do so. In addition, she worked for the TWA, feuding with Luna Vachon, whom she faced in a Hair vs Hair Mixed Tag Team match
Professional wrestling match types
Many types of matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, can be found in the form of performing art that is professional wrestling....
in September 1991. Miceli and her partner Eddie Gilbert defeated Vachon and Cactus Jack
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
, which resulted in Vachon having her head shaved.
World Championship Wrestling (1991–1993)
She then went to WCW and helped Paul E. DangerouslyPaul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
form his Dangerous Alliance
Dangerous Alliance
The Dangerous Alliance was a heel professional wrestling stable that made a name for itself in World Championship Wrestling in the early '90s and the American Wrestling Association in 1987, with Adrian Adonis, Randy Rose, and Dennis Condrey making up the AWA incarnation of the group.-American...
. She acted primarily as Alliance member Rick Rude's manager. On October 25, Dangerously kicked her out of the Dangerous Alliance at Halloween Havoc. She, however, defeated him by count-out on November 18, 1992 at the Clash of the Champions.
World Wrestling Federation (1993–1995)
In 1993, the WWF reinstated its Women's ChampionshipWWE Women's Championship
The WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification...
, a title that had been vacant since 1990, and Miceli was brought in by the company to revive the women's division. She debuted under the ring name Alundra Blayze, because WWF owner Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
did not want to pay Miceli to use the name Madusa, which she had trademarked. She wrestled in a six-woman tournament to crown a new Women's Champion, and in the finals, she pinned Heidi Lee Morgan
Heidi Lee Morgan
Heidi Lee Morgan the daughter of Lester Morgan, is a retired American professional wrestler who competed in the World Wrestling Federation, International World Class Championship Wrestling, Ladies Pro Wrestling Association, and National Wrestling Federation...
on December 13 to win the title.
After the tournament, Miceli asked WWF management to bring in new women for her to wrestle. In mid-1994, Bull Nakano joined the WWF roster and began feuding with Miceli, who was still using the name Alundra Blayze. Blayze defeated Nakano at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1994)
SummerSlam was the seventh annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 29, 1994 at the newly-opened United Center in Chicago, Illinois, which had opened eleven days earlier.The pay-per-view had two main events...
, but lost the belt to her on November 20, 1994 in Japan at the Big Egg Wrestling Universe
Big Egg Wrestling Universe
The Big Egg Wrestling Universe was an professional wrestling event held at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 20, 1994 and attended by 32,500 fans. However, some sources claim the event was attended by over 42,000 fans...
event. Five months later on April 3, 1995, Blayze regained the title from Nakano on an edition of Monday Night Raw. As part of the storyline, immediately following the win, she was attacked by Bertha Faye, who broke her nose. In reality, the storyline was written so Miceli could take time off to get breast implants and a nose job. She returned to the ring in August 1995, losing the Women's Championship to Faye at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1995)
SummerSlam was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It was the eighth annual SummerSlam event. It took place on August 27, 1995 at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
on August 27. Two months later, she won the title a third time, defeating Faye on October 23. 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
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
, and the WWF Women's Championship remained vacant until 1998.
World Championship Wrestling (1995-2001)
In December 1995, Miceli signed with WCW and, as part of a storyline concocted by booker Eric BischoffEric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, showed up on WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
on December 18 where she threw the WWF Women's Title belt into a trash can. She would later admit she regretted the action and would not have done it had Bischoff not coerced her to. Miceli immediately began using the Madusa name again, and the company brought in Bull Nakano to feud with her; they battled in a match at Hog Wild in August 1996. Due to pre-match stipulations, Madusa was allowed to destroy Nakano's motorcycle after the match.
The company then decided to establish the WCW Women's Championship
WCW Women's Championship
The World Championship Wrestling Women's Championship was a short-lived title for the women's division in World Championship Wrestling. It lasted from 1996 until 1997, when it was abandoned...
, but Madusa lost to Akira Hokuto in the finals of the tournament to crown the first champion on December 29 at Starrcade
Starrcade (1996)
Starrcade was the fourteenth annual Starrcade professional wrestling pay-per-view event. It was the ninth Starrcade event produced by World Championship Wrestling , and it took place on December 29, 1996 from the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee...
. On June 15, Hokuto retained the title against Madusa at The Great American Bash in a Title vs. Career match. The latter then took a nearly two year hiatus from the company.
Madusa returned to WCW in April 1999 as part of Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
's faction Team Madness
Team Madness
Team Madness was a professional wrestling heel stable in World Championship Wrestling led by Macho Man Randy Savage, that began on April 1999 and ended three months later on July.-Background:...
with Gorgeous George
Stephanie Bellars
Stephanie Bellars is a professional wrestling valet and the former girlfriend of "Macho Man" Randy Savage. She worked for WCW and ECW. She has been known as Gorgeous George and George Frankenstein.-Personal life:...
and Miss Madness
Nora Greenwald
Nora Kristina Greenwald , better known by her ring name Molly Holly, is an inactive American professional wrestler. Greenwald is best known for her appearances with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment .Greenwald began her professional wrestling career in WCW, where she...
. After that storyline ended, Madusa entered into a tournament for the WCW Championship
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
, but she was defeated and eliminated from the tournament. She was later re-entered into the tournament in a match against Evan Karagias
Evan Karagias
Evan Karagias is an American professional wrestler and actor. he is a 3 time WSL World Heavyweight Champion-Biography:Karagias's father's family are of Greek origin...
, but was eliminated the next week. After her elimination, Madusa put all her focus on managing Karagias. After Karagias won the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship
WWE Cruiserweight Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Cruiserweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and was originally a World Championship Wrestling title. It was challenged by cruiserweights at a maximum weight of 215 lbs...
at Mayhem, he was found flirting with Spice
Melissa Bellin
Melissa Anne Grill Petersen , also known by her ring name Spice, is a former member of World Championship Wrestling's Nitro Girls dance team. She also worked for WCW as a valet and wrestler.-Early career:...
of the Nitro Girls
Nitro Girls
The Nitro Girls were a dance team in World Championship Wrestling. Similar to the Fly Girls from In Living Color, their initial function was to dance and entertain the live crowds during commercial breaks.-History:...
. At Starrcade
Starrcade (1999)
Starrcade was the seventeenth annual Starrcade professional wrestling pay-per-view event. It was the twelfth Starrcade event produced by World Championship Wrestling , and it took place on December 19, 1999 from the MCI Center in Washington, D.C....
, however, Spice gave Karagias a low blow during the match, and Madusa pinned him to become the first female ever to win the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship. Spice them aligned herself with Madusa and became her manager for a short time.
In January 2000, Madusa developed a rivalry with Oklahoma. In a farcical Evening Gown match on an episode of WCW Thunder
WCW Thunder
WCW Thunder was a professional wrestling show produced by World Championship Wrestling which aired on TBS from January 8, 1998 to March 21, 2001...
on January 12, Madusa defeated Oklahoma by stripping off his dress, but he attacked her after the match. She eventually lost the Cruiserweight belt to Oklahoma at Souled Out on January 16, 2000.
In the meantime, Miceli became an instructor at the WCW Power Plant
WCW Power Plant
The WCW Power Plant was a professional wrestling school located in Atlanta, Georgia and owned and operated by World Championship Wrestling. The Power Plant, which was developed from a school operated by Jody Hamilton, was in operation throughout the 1990s...
, where she helped train women such as Nora Greenwald
Nora Greenwald
Nora Kristina Greenwald , better known by her ring name Molly Holly, is an inactive American professional wrestler. Greenwald is best known for her appearances with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment .Greenwald began her professional wrestling career in WCW, where she...
(Molly Holly) to wrestle. Before WCW's collapse, she engaged in a brief feud with Torrie Wilson
Torrie Wilson
Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
and Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
, who defeated her and partner Billy Kidman at Fall Brawl in a Mixed Tag Team Scaffold match. Madusa took a big bump during this match and wasn't seen again on WCW TV. She left the company when she heard that Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
, the owner of the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
, was going to buy WCW. Because she had a previous falling-out with McMahon, she opted not to stay with the company. She retired from professional wrestling for good in 2001 because she did not like the direction in which women's wrestling was going; according to her, it was becoming less about real wrestling and more about Bra and Panties matches.
Monster trucks
Miceli entered the monster truckMonster truck
A monster truck is a pickup truck, typically styled after pickup trucks' bodies, modified or purposely built with extremely large wheels and suspension...
business under Dennis Anderson
Dennis Anderson
Dennis Anderson is a professional monster truck driver. He is the creator and driver of "Grave Digger" on the USHRA Monster Jam circuit. Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, he now resides in Poplar Branch, North Carolina. In Poplar Branch, he has his own shop where he signs autographs and shoots...
in 1999. She made her first American hot rod appearance at the Trans World Dome
Edward Jones Dome
The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome (more formally known as the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center, and previously known as The Trans World Dome (from 1995–2001) is a multi-purpose stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and home of the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. It was...
. Afterward, she purchased her own truck and named it Madusa, as she still held the rights to the name. She began winning freestyle competitions in 2001. Miceli won the 2004 co-championship at the Monster Jam World Finals
Monster Jam World Finals
The Monster Jam World Finals is an annual monster truck event held in late March at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. It is the championship event of the USHRA Monster Jam series. It consists of racing and freestyle segments, and the winner of each is considered the series champion in that...
for freestyle in the first-ever three-way tie. On March 2005 in Las Vegas, she beat her trainer Dennis Anderson in the final bracket of the Monster Jam World Finals for the Racing Championship, thus making her the first woman to win the Monster Jam World Finals racing championship. Also in 2005, she was the only female competitor in the Super Bowl of Motorsports.
As of January 2008, she is also the Executive Vice President of the Major League of Monster Trucks
Major League of Monster Trucks
The Major League of Monster Trucks is an organization which promotes and sanctions monster truck events in the United States. It produced events at venues on the west coast and at various Speedway Motorsports owned tracks...
. In 2009, she returned to Monster Jam for the first time since 2005.
Personal life
Miceli was born in MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, but raised in several foster homes in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Before entering professional wrestling, she participated in both gymnastics and track, and at age 14, she worked at an Arby's fast-food restaurant
Arby's
Arby's is a fast food restaurant chain in the United States and Canada. Roark Capital Group owns 81.5% of the company, with Wendy's Company owning the other 18.5%. It is primarily known for selling roast beef sandwiches and curly fries. The Arby's menu also includes chicken sandwiches, appetizers,...
. During the beginning of her wrestling career, Miceli also worked as a nurse part-time.
In June 1997, she met National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player Ken Blackman
Ken Blackman
Kenneth Blake Blackman is a former professional American football player who played guard for three seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals....
, and they married seven months later on February 14, 1998. They shared homes in both Cincinnati and Homosassa, Florida
Homosassa, Florida
Homosassa is a census-designated place in Citrus County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,294 at the 2000 census.-Historic:...
. In 1998, they opened a motorcycle shop called Spookee Custom Cycles, which made motorcycles for other NFL players such as Kimo von Oelhoffen
Kimo von Oelhoffen
Kimo K. von Oelhoffen is a retired American football defensive tackle. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Boise State....
, Darnay Scott
Darnay Scott
Darnay Scott is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft.-High school career:...
, Bradford Banta
Bradford Banta
Dennis Bradford Banta, is a retired American football tight end and long snapper in the National Football League.-Professional career:...
, and Dan Wilkinson
Dan Wilkinson
Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson is a former defensive tackle who played 13 seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted 1st overall in the 1994 NFL Draft...
. The couple later divorced.
In February 2004, Madusa provided commentary for boat races. She also planned to write a book pertaining to her years in Professional Wrestling.
In 1995, she appeared in the movie Shootfighter II. In Japan, she released a CD of songs sung in Japanese. Miceli owns a grooming, pet spa, and doggy bakery called Koolkats and Hotdogs in Lecanto, Florida
Lecanto, Florida
Lecanto is a city and suburb of Beverly Hills, Florida, and is part of the Inverness-Beverly Hills Metropolitan Area. It is the smallest city in Citrus County.-Geography:Lecanto is located at ....
.
On June 25, 2011, Miceli married Alan Jonason, a sergeant in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Airplane spin
- Bridging German suplex
- Signature moves
- Belly to back suplex
- Diving crossbody
- Electric chair drop
- Gutwrench suplex
- HandstandHandstandA handstand is the act of supporting the body in a stable, inverted vertical position by balancing on the hands. In a basic handstand the body is held straight with arms and legs fully extended, with hands spaced approximately shoulder-width apart...
headscissors takedown to an opponent sitting on the top turnbuckle - Legsweep
- Multiple kick variations
- Front drop, sometimes from the second rope
- Multiple shoot, sometimes finished with a spin sole
- Spin
- Spinning heel
- Northern Lights suplex
- PowerbombPowerbombA powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
- Running corner bodypress
- Running kneeling mat slam
- Snap suplex
- Spinning toe hold
- Superplex
- Hairpulling
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Diamond Dallas PageDiamond Dallas PageDallas Page , better known by his ring name "Diamond" Dallas Page , is an American retired professional wrestler, fitness instructor and actor...
- Paul E. DangerouslyPaul HeymanPaul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
- SpiceMelissa BellinMelissa Anne Grill Petersen , also known by her ring name Spice, is a former member of World Championship Wrestling's Nitro Girls dance team. She also worked for WCW as a valet and wrestler.-Early career:...
- Diamond Dallas Page
- Wrestlers managed
- The Dangerous AllianceDangerous AllianceThe Dangerous Alliance was a heel professional wrestling stable that made a name for itself in World Championship Wrestling in the early '90s and the American Wrestling Association in 1987, with Adrian Adonis, Randy Rose, and Dennis Condrey making up the AWA incarnation of the group.-American...
- Curt HennigCurt HennigCurtis Michael "Curt" Hennig , also known by the ring name Mr. Perfect, was an American professional wrestler, manager and color commentator who worked for, among other promotions, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World...
- Evan KaragiasEvan KaragiasEvan Karagias is an American professional wrestler and actor. he is a 3 time WSL World Heavyweight Champion-Biography:Karagias's father's family are of Greek origin...
- "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin KellyKevin WacholzKevin Wacholz is a former professional wrestler who once worked for the World Wrestling Federation in 1992 as Nailz. He was also known as "Mr...
- The Perfect Tag Team (Kevin Kelly and Nick KiniskiNick KiniskiNick Kiniski is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his work with WCCW, PNW and AWA and for being one half of the tag team American Breed with Paul Diamond in Texas All-Star Wrestling.-Career:...
) - Rick Rude
- "Macho Man" Randy SavageRandy SavageRandall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
- The Dangerous Alliance
Professional wrestling
- All Japan Women's Pro-WrestlingAll Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling, nicknamed Zenjo was a joshi puroresu promotion established in 1968 by Takashi Matsunaga and his brothers. The group held their first card on June 4 of that year...
- IWA World Women's ChampionshipIWA World Women's ChampionshipThe IWA World Women's Championship was a major title in All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling. It had its origins with Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, Alberta in 1987.-History:-External links:*...
(2 times)
- IWA World Women's Championship
- American Wrestling AssociationAmerican Wrestling AssociationThe American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
- AWA World Women's ChampionshipAWA World Women's ChampionshipThe AWA World Women's Championship was the female title in the American Wrestling Association from 1961 until 1990.-Title history:Silver-shaded lines in the history indicate periods of unknown lineage.-See also:*American Wrestling Association...
(1 time)
- AWA World Women's Championship
- International World Class Championship WrestlingInternational World Class Championship WrestlingInternational World Class Championship Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion based in Boston, Massachusetts. It was promoted by Angelo Savoldi and his sons Mario, Tom, and Joseph Savoldi....
- IWCCW Women's ChampionshipIWCCW Women's ChampionshipThe ICW / IWCCW Women’s Championship was a championship in International World Class Championship Wrestling that existed from 1985 until the federation closed it’s doors in 1995...
(1 time)
- IWCCW Women's Championship
- World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
- WCW Cruiserweight ChampionshipWWE Cruiserweight ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Cruiserweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and was originally a World Championship Wrestling title. It was challenged by cruiserweights at a maximum weight of 215 lbs...
(1 time)
- WCW Cruiserweight Championship
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF Women's ChampionshipWWE Women's ChampionshipThe WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification...
(3 times) - WWE.com placed Alundra #13 on their list of top 25 most impactful women
- WWF Women's Championship
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Rookie of the Year (1988)
Motorsports
- United States Hot Rod AssociationUnited States Hot Rod AssociationThe United States Hot Rod Association is an organization owned by Feld Entertainment that markets various motorsports. These include monster trucks as well as motocross, quad racing and others...
- USHRA Monster Jam World FinalsMonster Jam World FinalsThe Monster Jam World Finals is an annual monster truck event held in late March at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. It is the championship event of the USHRA Monster Jam series. It consists of racing and freestyle segments, and the winner of each is considered the series champion in that...
FreestyleFreestyle (monster trucks)Freestyle, in Monster Truck competition, is an event where the goal is to perform tricks and stunts with the truck in order to demonstrate driver skill and truck capability. Some freestyle events are judged competitions, while others are merely exhibitions....
Co-Championship (2004) - USHRA Monster Jam World Finals RacingAuto racingAuto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
Championship (2005)
- USHRA Monster Jam World Finals