Michelle McCool
Encyclopedia
Michelle Leigh McCool is a retired American professional wrestler
who is best known for her time in WWE.
McCool originally worked as a middle school
teacher in Palatka, Florida
. She joined WWE in 2004 after participating in the 2004 WWE Diva Search. In her initial on-screen role, she acted primarily as a personal trainer and occasional wrestler. She also acted as the manager to the team of K. C. James
and Idol Stevens
, collectively known as the Teacher's Pets, in 2006 after changing her on-screen character to that of a teacher. At The Great American Bash
in 2008, she 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 WWE Unified Divas Champion. She has held both titles on two occasions which makes her a four-time champion overall.
(WWE) as a competitor in the 2004 WWE Diva Search, losing to Christy Hemme
. Although she was eliminated, WWE signed her to a three year deal in November. Despite not winning the contest, she later debuted on SmackDown! as a fan favorite
with a "personal trainer" gimmick. She wrestled in her first SmackDown! match, teaming
with The Big Show to defeat Dawn Marie
and René Duprée
on March 3, 2005. A few months later, McCool became a part of the feud between MNM
and Heidenreich
when she defended Heidenreich against MNM's manager
Melina's
verbal attacks. In a match on June 30, Melina defeated McCool by pinning her with the illegal aid of the ring ropes as leverage. After the match, MNM performed their finisher, the Snapshot, on McCool.
McCool was then sent to WWE's developmental facility, Deep South Wrestling (DSW), where she wrestled, performed interviews, hosted segments, and provided color commentary
. While in DSW, she was hospitalized after having an allergic reaction to a prescribed medication
and was temporarily sidelined to recover. Eventually, she started to train in WWE's other developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling
(OVW). While in OVW, she began managing the duo of Amish Roadkill
and K.C. James
.
with a "sexy teacher" gimmick, pulling on her real life experiences. Upon her arrival, she aligned with Kristal Marshall
to feud with Jillian Hall
and Ashley Massaro
. This feud led to a Fatal Four-Way Bra and Panties match at The Great American Bash
, which Massaro won. She won her first singles match on the July 28 edition of SmackDown!, defeating Hall by illegally using the ropes as leverage. Soon after, she began acting as valet
for the team of K. C. James and Idol Stevens
, who, because of her association with them, were nicknamed The Teacher's Pets. The trio began feuding with Paul London and Brian Kendrick
, and their valet Massaro, for the WWE Tag Team Championship
, but never won the title. The feud ended when London and Kendrick won a match against them at No Mercy
in October. On November 28, McCool was hospitalized with an enlarged kidney, a broken sternum
, and an electrolyte
imbalance.1 She was released from the hospital on December 2.
and McCool, including a Mixed Tag Team match where Victoria and Kenny Dykstra defeated McCool and Chuck Palumbo
.
McCool then began accompanying her on-screen friend Chuck Palumbo during matches against Jamie Noble
. After a series of matches between the men, Noble won a date with McCool by defeating Palumbo in a match. In the storyline, Palumbo accidentally elbowed McCool during a match, causing her to suffer a concussion. The partnership was dissolved when McCool refused to accept his apology. She then went on to compete in a series of contests with Victoria, Eve Torres
, Maryse
and Cherry
to determine SmackDown!s top Diva, winning the title. At The Great American Bash
on July 20, 2008, McCool defeated Natalya Neidhart to become the inaugural WWE Divas Champion
.
. After the match McCool blamed Maria
, the special guest referee of the match, for her loss and attacked her, establishing herself as a villain. In the following weeks, McCool also attacked Eve Torres
, resulting in Eve's debut match, which McCool won. McCool then defeated Gail Kim
on the May 22 taping of SmackDown to become the number one contender for the WWE Women's Championship
, which she would win a month later at The Bash by defeating Melina. She retained the championship against Melina during a rematch on July 26 at Night of Champions
and also during a "Lumberjill" match on the October 2 edition of SmackDown.
McCool then formed an alliance with Layla
, and entered into a feud with Mickie James
, which resulted in a five-on-five Elimination match at Survivor Series
, which James' team won. James then became the number one contender for McCool's championship at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, where McCool successfully retained the championship. McCool, however, lost the WWE Women's Championship to James at the 2010 Royal Rumble
, though she regained it on the February 26 edition of SmackDown when special guest referee Vickie Guerrero
interfered, costing James the Championship. On the April 23 edition of SmackDown, she and Layla attacked Beth Phoenix
with a spray and table. The attack was a reference to the upcoming Extreme Makeover WWE Women's Championship match between McCool and Phoenix at Extreme Rules
, which McCool lost. On May 14, 2010, McCool and Layla faced the then-WWE Women's Champion Phoenix in a two–on–one handicap match, in which Layla pinned Phoenix and won the WWE Women's Championship.
On the July 20 edition of SmackDown, McCool took the place of Layla in her WWE Women's Championship match against Tiffany
, defeating her and retaining the title. At Night of Champions
McCool defeated Melina to unify the WWE Women's Championship and the WWE Divas Championship, thus becoming the first ever WWE Unified Divas Champion. At Survivor Series
on November 21, she lost the Divas Championship when Natalya defeated McCool and Layla in a two-on-one handicap match. At TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs
, she and Layla were defeated in the first ever Divas tag team tables match by Natalya and Beth Phoenix. At WrestleMania XXVII
on April 3, 2011, McCool, Layla and Dolph Ziggler (accompanied by Vickie Guerrero) lost to Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi
, Trish Stratus
, and John Morrison in a six-person mixed tag team match after Snooki pinned McCool.
. McCool accepted under one condition, the Loser Leaves WWE. McCool lost the match at Extreme Rules, which forced her to leave WWE.
with several other WWE wrestlers and Divas. She also appeared on the February 6, 2008 episode of Project Runway
with Maria Kanellis
, Candice Michelle
, Torrie Wilson
, Kristal Marshall
, and Layla El
. On June 3, 2008, she appeared on The Best Damn Sports Show Period
with John Cena
. In addition, McCool appeared in the January 2009 edition of Muscle & Fitness
, along with Eve Torres and Maryse
. She also appeared on a special WWE edition of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader.
. McCool later received her Master's degree in Educational leadership
from Florida State University
. Before becoming involved in professional wrestling, she taught seventh grade
science for four years in Palatka, Florida
. She also competed in National Physique Committee fitness contests. Both of her parents also work in education; her mother is a teacher and her father is a superintendent
. She has an older brother who played football at the University of Cincinnati
.
McCool was married to Jeremy Louis Alexander, whom she began dating in high school. The couple divorced in 2006. She married fellow wrestler Mark Calaway, known professionally as The Undertaker, on June 26, 2010 in Austin, Texas
.
McCool is a Christian. Her wrestling outfits incorporate Christian crosses. She has had several wrestling-related injuries; in November 2007, she fractured her nose during an overseas WWE tour after Victoria
's clothesline hit her in the face. She has been hospitalized twice, had two broken ribs, a broken sternum
, and a broken xiphoid process
. When she chose to leave the WWE, she mentioned that her foot had been injured for two months with a broken toe, torn joint capsules and a torn MCL
.
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...
who is best known for her time in WWE.
McCool originally worked as a middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
teacher in Palatka, Florida
Palatka, Florida
Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
. She joined WWE in 2004 after participating in the 2004 WWE Diva Search. In her initial on-screen role, she acted primarily as a personal trainer and occasional wrestler. She also acted as the manager to the team of K. C. James
Kasey James
Kurt Sellers , better known as K.C. James or James Curtis, is an American professional wrestler who was best known for working in World Wrestling Entertainment.-Early career:...
and Idol Stevens
Aaron Stevens (wrestler)
Aaron Haddad is an American professional wrestler. He is contracted to WWE, and appears in Florida Championship Wrestling , a WWE developmental territory, as Damien Sandow. He is the current FCW 15 Champion...
, collectively known as the Teacher's Pets, in 2006 after changing her on-screen character to that of a teacher. At The Great American Bash
The Great American Bash (2008)
The Great American Bash was the fifth annual Great American Bash professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
in 2008, she became the inaugural WWE Divas Champion
WWE Divas Championship
The WWE Diva's Championship is a unified professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is competed for by WWE Divas. The championship was created by WWE in 2008, and was introduced in storyline by then-SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero as an alternative to Raw's Women's Championship...
, holding the title for approximately five months. She then won the WWE 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...
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 WWE Unified Divas Champion. She has held both titles on two occasions which makes her a four-time champion overall.
Diva Search and training (2004–2006)
McCool first came to World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld 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...
(WWE) as a competitor in the 2004 WWE Diva Search, losing to Christy Hemme
Christy Hemme
Christina Lee "Christy" Hemme is an American actress, singer, model, professional wrestling valet and former professional wrestler. Hemme is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, as a backstage interviewer and ring announcer.-Early life:Hemme was born in Poway, California, but she...
. Although she was eliminated, WWE signed her to a three year deal in November. Despite not winning the contest, she later debuted on SmackDown! as a fan favorite
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
with a "personal trainer" gimmick. She wrestled in her first SmackDown! match, teaming
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
with The Big Show to defeat Dawn Marie
Dawn Marie Psaltis
Dawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE...
and René Duprée
René Goguen
René Goguen better known by his ring name René Duprée, is a French Canadian professional wrestler. Goguen is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he is a one-time World Tag Team Champion with Sylvain Grenier as the tag team La Résistance and a one time WWE Tag Team...
on March 3, 2005. A few months later, McCool became a part of the feud between MNM
MNM
MNM was a villainous professional wrestling stable in World Wrestling Entertainment and Ohio Valley Wrestling that consisted of Joey Mercury , Johnny Nitro, and their manager Melina Perez....
and Heidenreich
Jon Heidenreich
Jon Heidenreich is an American professional wrestler, better known simply as Heidenreich. He is best known for his tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a one time WWE Tag Team Champion with Road Warrior Animal as a part of the Road Warriors.-Early career:Prior to professional...
when she defended Heidenreich against MNM's manager
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...
Melina's
Melina Perez
Melina Nava Perez is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Women Superstars Uncensored. She is best known for her time with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring mononym Melina....
verbal attacks. In a match on June 30, Melina defeated McCool by pinning her with the illegal aid of the ring ropes as leverage. After the match, MNM performed their finisher, the Snapshot, on McCool.
McCool was then sent to WWE's developmental facility, Deep South Wrestling (DSW), where she wrestled, performed interviews, hosted segments, and provided color commentary
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
. While in DSW, she was hospitalized after having an allergic reaction to a prescribed medication
Medical prescription
A prescription is a health-care program implemented by a physician or other medical practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient. Prescriptions may include orders to be performed by a patient, caretaker, nurse, pharmacist or other therapist....
and was temporarily sidelined to recover. Eventually, she started to train in WWE's other developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
(OVW). While in OVW, she began managing the duo of Amish Roadkill
Michael Depoli
Michael DePoli is a retired professional wrestler best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling. He worked for World Wrestling Entertainment in its Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental territory...
and K.C. James
Kasey James
Kurt Sellers , better known as K.C. James or James Curtis, is an American professional wrestler who was best known for working in World Wrestling Entertainment.-Early career:...
.
Debut and the Teacher's Pets (2006–2007)
She returned to SmackDown! on June 2, 2006, this time working as a villainous characterHeel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
with a "sexy teacher" gimmick, pulling on her real life experiences. Upon her arrival, she aligned with Kristal Marshall
Kristal Marshall
Kristal Marshall is an American model, beauty queen, and former professional wrestler best known for her work in World Wrestling Entertainment on its SmackDown! brand and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion working as Kristal Lashley the kayfabe wife of Bobby Lashley and his real life...
to feud with Jillian Hall
Jillian Hall
Jillian Faye Fletcher is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Women Superstars Uncensored. She is also known for her tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Jillian Hall or simply Jillian...
and Ashley Massaro
Ashley Massaro
Ashley Marie Massaro is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to World Independent Ladies Division Wrestling. She is best known for her work with World Wrestling Entertainment and her appearance on Survivor: China....
. This feud led to a Fatal Four-Way Bra and Panties match at The Great American Bash
The Great American Bash (2006)
The Great American Bash was the third annual Great American Bash professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
, which Massaro won. She won her first singles match on the July 28 edition of SmackDown!, defeating Hall by illegally using the ropes as leverage. Soon after, she began acting as valet
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...
for the team of K. C. James and Idol Stevens
Aaron Stevens (wrestler)
Aaron Haddad is an American professional wrestler. He is contracted to WWE, and appears in Florida Championship Wrestling , a WWE developmental territory, as Damien Sandow. He is the current FCW 15 Champion...
, who, because of her association with them, were nicknamed The Teacher's Pets. The trio began feuding with Paul London and Brian Kendrick
Paul London and Brian Kendrick
Paul London and Brian Kendrick are a professional wrestling tag team best known for their time together in World Wrestling Entertainment . The team never had an official team name, but were just referred to as "the tag team of London and Kendrick." In 2006 London and Kendrick put the tag team name...
, and their valet Massaro, for the WWE Tag Team Championship
WWE Tag Team Championship
The WWE Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship in WWE. It was established as a second title for tag teams in WWE in 2002 to complement the original World Tag Team Championship...
, but never won the title. The feud ended when London and Kendrick won a match against them at No Mercy
No Mercy (2006)
No Mercy was the eighth annual No Mercy professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on October 8, 2006 from the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina and was a SmackDown! brand-exclusive event.The main event was a Fatal Four-Way match for...
in October. On November 28, McCool was hospitalized with an enlarged kidney, a broken sternum
Sternal fracture
A sternal fracture is a fracture of the sternum , located in the center of the chest. The injury, which occurs in 5–8% of people who experience significant blunt chest trauma, may occur in vehicle accidents, when the still-moving chest strikes a steering wheel or dashboard or is injured by a...
, and an electrolyte
Electrolyte
In chemistry, an electrolyte is any substance containing free ions that make the substance electrically conductive. The most typical electrolyte is an ionic solution, but molten electrolytes and solid electrolytes are also possible....
imbalance.1 She was released from the hospital on December 2.
All–American Diva; Divas Champion (2007–2008)
McCool returned on the March 30, 2007 edition of SmackDown!, where she participated in a 10-Diva tag team match with Victoria, the former WWE Women's Champion, Melina Perez, Kristal Marshall, and Jillian Hall in a losing effort. On the April 13 edition of SmackDown!, McCool became a fan favorite once again when she came to the aid of Ashley Massaro after she was attacked by Jillian Hall backstage. Subsequently, a series of matches took place between VictoriaLisa Marie Varon
Lisa Marie Varon , is an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder and fitness competitor of Puerto Rican and Turkish descent...
and McCool, including a Mixed Tag Team match where Victoria and Kenny Dykstra defeated McCool and Chuck Palumbo
Chuck Palumbo
Charles "Chuck" Palumbo is an American professional wrestler, currently working for Nu-Wrestling Evolution . Palumbo is best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment...
.
McCool then began accompanying her on-screen friend Chuck Palumbo during matches against Jamie Noble
Jamie Noble
James Howard Gibson better known by his WWE ring name Jamie Noble, is an American former professional wrestler currently working for WWE as a trainer. He is best known for his work from 2002 to 2009 when a severe back injury forced him to retire from competition...
. After a series of matches between the men, Noble won a date with McCool by defeating Palumbo in a match. In the storyline, Palumbo accidentally elbowed McCool during a match, causing her to suffer a concussion. The partnership was dissolved when McCool refused to accept his apology. She then went on to compete in a series of contests with Victoria, Eve Torres
Eve Torres
Eve Marie Torres is an American dancer, model, and professional wrestler. She is working for WWE on Raw brand. She is a two time WWE Divas Champion.Torres began her career as a model and dancer...
, Maryse
Maryse Ouellet
Maryse Ouellet is a Professional Glamour Model and a former professional wrestler, better known simply as Maryse. She most recently worked for WWE...
and Cherry
Kara Drew
Kara Elizabeth Drew is a former American professional wrestler and valet, better known by her ring name Cherry. She is best known for working in World Wrestling Entertainment as the manager of former Tag Team Champions, Deuce 'n Domino, and as a performer for its SmackDown brand.After becoming...
to determine SmackDown!s top Diva, winning the title. At The Great American Bash
The Great American Bash (2008)
The Great American Bash was the fifth annual Great American Bash professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
on July 20, 2008, McCool defeated Natalya Neidhart to become the inaugural WWE Divas Champion
WWE Divas Championship
The WWE Diva's Championship is a unified professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is competed for by WWE Divas. The championship was created by WWE in 2008, and was introduced in storyline by then-SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero as an alternative to Raw's Women's Championship...
.
Heel turn; LayCool, Various championships (2009–2011)
On the December 25, 2008 episode of SmackDown!, McCool lost the Divas Championship to MaryseMaryse Ouellet
Maryse Ouellet is a Professional Glamour Model and a former professional wrestler, better known simply as Maryse. She most recently worked for WWE...
. After the match McCool blamed Maria
Maria Kanellis
Maria Louise Kanellis, , or simply Maria, is a singer-songwriter, actress, model, and professional wrestler, best known for her time with World Wrestling Entertainment. Kanellis's career began as a contestant on the reality show Outback Jack in 2004...
, the special guest referee of the match, for her loss and attacked her, establishing herself as a villain. In the following weeks, McCool also attacked Eve Torres
Eve Torres
Eve Marie Torres is an American dancer, model, and professional wrestler. She is working for WWE on Raw brand. She is a two time WWE Divas Champion.Torres began her career as a model and dancer...
, resulting in Eve's debut match, which McCool won. McCool then defeated Gail Kim
Gail Kim
Gail Kim is a Canadian professional wrestler of Korean descent, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she is the current TNA Women's Knockout Champion and one half of the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions with Madison Rayne...
on the May 22 taping of SmackDown to become the number one contender for the WWE 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...
, which she would win a month later at The Bash by defeating Melina. She retained the championship against Melina during a rematch on July 26 at Night of Champions
Night of Champions (2009)
Night of Champions was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on July 26, 2009 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was the second annual event to be promoted solely under the Night of Champions name and the...
and also during a "Lumberjill" match on the October 2 edition of SmackDown.
McCool then formed an alliance with Layla
Layla El
Layla El is an English dancer, model and professional wrestler of Moroccan and Spanish descent. She is employed by WWE as a WWE Diva and appears on the SmackDown brand as Layla...
, and entered into a feud with Mickie James
Mickie James
Mickie Laree James , better known simply as Mickie James, is an American professional wrestler and singer of mixed Native American-Caucasian descent, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she is a former two-time TNA Women's Knockout Champion.James began her professional...
, which resulted in a five-on-five Elimination match at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2009)
Survivor Series was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on November 22, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.. It was the 23rd annual Survivor Series event. It featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown and ECW brands...
, which James' team won. James then became the number one contender for McCool's championship at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, where McCool successfully retained the championship. McCool, however, lost the WWE Women's Championship to James at the 2010 Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble (2010)
Royal Rumble was the twenty-third annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on January 31, 2010 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia and featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown and ECW brands...
, though she regained it on the February 26 edition of SmackDown when special guest referee Vickie Guerrero
Vickie Guerrero
Vickie Lynn Guerrero is an American professional wrestling personality, manager, shifting authority figure and occasional wrestler. She is the widow of professional wrestler Eddie Guerrero, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand...
interfered, costing James the Championship. On the April 23 edition of SmackDown, she and Layla attacked Beth Phoenix
Beth Phoenix
Elizabeth Kocianski is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE where she wrestles on the Raw brand under the ring name Beth Phoenix, where she is the reigning WWE Divas Champion....
with a spray and table. The attack was a reference to the upcoming Extreme Makeover WWE Women's Championship match between McCool and Phoenix at Extreme Rules
Extreme Rules (2010)
Extreme Rules was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on April 25, 2010 at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. It was the second event promoted under the Extreme Rules name...
, which McCool lost. On May 14, 2010, McCool and Layla faced the then-WWE Women's Champion Phoenix in a two–on–one handicap match, in which Layla pinned Phoenix and won the WWE Women's Championship.
On the July 20 edition of SmackDown, McCool took the place of Layla in her WWE Women's Championship match against Tiffany
Taryn Terrell
Taryn Nicole Terrell , better known by her ring name Tiffany is an American model, professional wrestler and former general manager. She is best known for her time in World Wrestling Entertainment . She also trained at WWE's developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling...
, defeating her and retaining the title. At Night of Champions
Night of Champions (2010)
Night of Champions was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , that took place on September 19, 2010 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. It was the third annual event to be promoted solely under the Night of Champions name and the tenth...
McCool defeated Melina to unify the WWE Women's Championship and the WWE Divas Championship, thus becoming the first ever WWE Unified Divas Champion. At Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2010)
Survivor Series was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , that took place on November 21, 2010 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida...
on November 21, she lost the Divas Championship when Natalya defeated McCool and Layla in a two-on-one handicap match. At TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2010)
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on December 19, 2010 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. It was the second annual TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs event...
, she and Layla were defeated in the first ever Divas tag team tables match by Natalya and Beth Phoenix. At WrestleMania XXVII
WrestleMania XXVII
WrestleMania XXVII was the twenty-seventh annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , held on April 3, 2011 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia...
on April 3, 2011, McCool, Layla and Dolph Ziggler (accompanied by Vickie Guerrero) lost to Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi
Nicole Polizzi
Nicole Elizabeth "Snooki" Polizzi is an American reality television personality who appeared on the MTV reality show Jersey Shore starting in 2009.- Early life :Polizzi was born in Santiago, Chile...
, Trish Stratus
Trish Stratus
Patricia Anne Stratigias , better known by her ring name Trish Stratus, is a Canadian professional wrestler, actress and television personality currently signed with WWE. She is also a former fitness model....
, and John Morrison in a six-person mixed tag team match after Snooki pinned McCool.
Feud with Layla and departure (2011)
On the April 8 edition of SmackDown, LayCool began to fall out again after being defeated by Phoenix and Kelly Kelly after McCool avoided being tagged in Layla, blaming a back injury. After more arguing in the following weeks, the team disbanded. On the April 29 edition of SmackDown, McCool faced Layla in a singles match, ending in a double countout. After the match, Layla challenged McCool to no disqualifications and no count outs match at Extreme RulesExtreme Rules (2011)
Extreme Rules was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by WWE, which took place on May 1, 2011 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida...
. McCool accepted under one condition, the Loser Leaves WWE. McCool lost the match at Extreme Rules, which forced her to leave WWE.
Other media
During the week of November 5, 2007, she appeared on six episodes of Family FeudFamily Feud
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
with several other WWE wrestlers and Divas. She also appeared on the February 6, 2008 episode of Project Runway
Project Runway
Project Runway is an American reality television series on Lifetime Television, previously on the Bravo network, which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted in time, materials and theme...
with Maria Kanellis
Maria Kanellis
Maria Louise Kanellis, , or simply Maria, is a singer-songwriter, actress, model, and professional wrestler, best known for her time with World Wrestling Entertainment. Kanellis's career began as a contestant on the reality show Outback Jack in 2004...
, Candice Michelle
Candice Michelle
Candice Michelle Beckman-Ehrlich better known as Candice Michelle or just Candice, is an American model, actress, and professional wrestler best known for her time with World Wrestling Entertainment....
, 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...
, Kristal Marshall
Kristal Marshall
Kristal Marshall is an American model, beauty queen, and former professional wrestler best known for her work in World Wrestling Entertainment on its SmackDown! brand and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion working as Kristal Lashley the kayfabe wife of Bobby Lashley and his real life...
, and Layla El
Layla El
Layla El is an English dancer, model and professional wrestler of Moroccan and Spanish descent. She is employed by WWE as a WWE Diva and appears on the SmackDown brand as Layla...
. On June 3, 2008, she appeared on The Best Damn Sports Show Period
The Best Damn Sports Show Period
The Best Damn Sports Show Period is an American sports television show on Fox Sports Net and Comcast SportsNet. The show regularly featured irreverent and opinionated interviews with top athletes, coaches, celebrities, and entertainers. It also aired Top 50 countdown shows and other sports...
with John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
. In addition, McCool appeared in the January 2009 edition of Muscle & Fitness
Muscle & Fitness
Muscle & Fitness is an American bodybuilding magazine founded by Joe Weider, but now published by American Media, Inc.-History:Muscle & Fitness has a more mainstream focus than its companion publication, Flex...
, along with Eve Torres and Maryse
Maryse Ouellet
Maryse Ouellet is a Professional Glamour Model and a former professional wrestler, better known simply as Maryse. She most recently worked for WWE...
. She also appeared on a special WWE edition of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader.
Personal life
Before and during high school, McCool played softball. She also played first base at Pasco-Hernando Community CollegePasco-Hernando Community College
Pasco–Hernando Community College is the youngest two-year community college in Florida. With four campuses in Brooksville, Dade City, New Port Richey and Spring Hill, PHCC serves Pasco and Hernando counties in the central west coast of Florida....
. McCool later received her Master's degree in Educational leadership
School leadership
School leadership is the process of enlisting and guiding the talents and energies of teachers, pupils, and parents toward achieving common educational aims. This term is often used synonymously with educational leadership in the United States and has supplanted educational management in the United...
from Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. Before becoming involved in professional wrestling, she taught seventh grade
Seventh grade
Seventh grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The seventh grade is the seventh school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 12–13 years old. Traditionally, seventh grade was the next-to-last year of elementary school...
science for four years in Palatka, Florida
Palatka, Florida
Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
. She also competed in National Physique Committee fitness contests. Both of her parents also work in education; her mother is a teacher and her father is a superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
. She has an older brother who played football at the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
.
McCool was married to Jeremy Louis Alexander, whom she began dating in high school. The couple divorced in 2006. She married fellow wrestler Mark Calaway, known professionally as The Undertaker, on June 26, 2010 in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
McCool is a Christian. Her wrestling outfits incorporate Christian crosses. She has had several wrestling-related injuries; in November 2007, she fractured her nose during an overseas WWE tour after Victoria
Lisa Marie Varon
Lisa Marie Varon , is an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder and fitness competitor of Puerto Rican and Turkish descent...
's clothesline hit her in the face. She has been hospitalized twice, had two broken ribs, a broken sternum
Sternal fracture
A sternal fracture is a fracture of the sternum , located in the center of the chest. The injury, which occurs in 5–8% of people who experience significant blunt chest trauma, may occur in vehicle accidents, when the still-moving chest strikes a steering wheel or dashboard or is injured by a...
, and a broken xiphoid process
Xiphoid process
The xiphoid process, or xiphisternum or metasternum, is a small cartilaginous process of the lower part of the sternum which is usually ossified in the adult human. By age 15 to 29, the xiphoid usually fuses to the body of the sternum with a fibrous joint. Unlike the synovial articulation of major...
. When she chose to leave the WWE, she mentioned that her foot had been injured for two months with a broken toe, torn joint capsules and a torn MCL
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Simply flawless (Big boot) — 2008–2011
- Wings of Love (Lifting double underhook sitout facebuster) — 2007–2009
- Faithbreaker (Belly to back inverted mat slam) — 2009–2011
- MADT – Make a Diva Tap (Heel hook) — 2009–2010
- Final Exam (Spinning side slam backbreaker) — 2005–2007
- Signature moves
- Hair-pull backbreaker — used as a finishing move in 2004
- Baseball slide
- Belly to belly suplex
- European uppercut
- Running corkscrew neckbreaker
- Roundhouse kickRoundhouse kickA roundhouse kick is a kick in which the attacker swings his leg around in a semicircular motion, striking with the front of the leg or foot. This type of kick is utilized in many different martial arts and is popular in both non-contact and full-contact martial arts competitions...
- Russian legsweep floated over into a pin
- With LaylaLayla ElLayla El is an English dancer, model and professional wrestler of Moroccan and Spanish descent. She is employed by WWE as a WWE Diva and appears on the SmackDown brand as Layla...
- Finishing moves
- Simply Flawless (Leg trap (Layla) / Big boot (Michelle McCool) combination)
- Double running big boot
- Signature moves
- Double forward Russian legsweep
- Finishing moves
- 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...
- Chuck PalumboChuck PalumboCharles "Chuck" Palumbo is an American professional wrestler, currently working for Nu-Wrestling Evolution . Palumbo is best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment...
- Vickie GuerreroVickie GuerreroVickie Lynn Guerrero is an American professional wrestling personality, manager, shifting authority figure and occasional wrestler. She is the widow of professional wrestler Eddie Guerrero, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand...
- LaylaLayla ElLayla El is an English dancer, model and professional wrestler of Moroccan and Spanish descent. She is employed by WWE as a WWE Diva and appears on the SmackDown brand as Layla...
- Alicia Fox
- Chuck Palumbo
- Wrestlers managed
- Amish RoadkillMichael DepoliMichael DePoli is a retired professional wrestler best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling. He worked for World Wrestling Entertainment in its Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental territory...
- Jon HeidenreichJon HeidenreichJon Heidenreich is an American professional wrestler, better known simply as Heidenreich. He is best known for his tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a one time WWE Tag Team Champion with Road Warrior Animal as a part of the Road Warriors.-Early career:Prior to professional...
- K.C. JamesKasey JamesKurt Sellers , better known as K.C. James or James Curtis, is an American professional wrestler who was best known for working in World Wrestling Entertainment.-Early career:...
and Idol StevensAaron Stevens (wrestler)Aaron Haddad is an American professional wrestler. He is contracted to WWE, and appears in Florida Championship Wrestling , a WWE developmental territory, as Damien Sandow. He is the current FCW 15 Champion... - Chuck PalumboChuck PalumboCharles "Chuck" Palumbo is an American professional wrestler, currently working for Nu-Wrestling Evolution . Palumbo is best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment...
- Jamie NobleJamie NobleJames Howard Gibson better known by his WWE ring name Jamie Noble, is an American former professional wrestler currently working for WWE as a trainer. He is best known for his work from 2002 to 2009 when a severe back injury forced him to retire from competition...
- LaylaLayla ElLayla El is an English dancer, model and professional wrestler of Moroccan and Spanish descent. She is employed by WWE as a WWE Diva and appears on the SmackDown brand as Layla...
- KavalLow KiBrandon Silvestry is an American professional wrestler. He is best known under his ring names Low Ki, Senshi in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and Kaval in World Wrestling Entertainment. He is a former one-time PWG World Champion and a former ROH Champion...
- Amish Roadkill
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "Move It Up" by Billy Lincoln
- "Not Enough for Me" by Jim JohnstonJim Johnston (composer)James Alan "Jim" Johnston is an American music composer who has been working for WWE since 1985. His work is often accredited to the names Jim Johnston, James A...
Championships and accomplishments
- 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 ranked her #1 of the best 50 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2010
- PWI Woman of the Year (2010)
- World Wrestling Entertainment
- WWE Divas ChampionshipWWE Divas ChampionshipThe WWE Diva's Championship is a unified professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is competed for by WWE Divas. The championship was created by WWE in 2008, and was introduced in storyline by then-SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero as an alternative to Raw's Women's Championship...
(2 times) - WWE 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...
(2 times) - Slammy Award for Diva of the Year (2010)
- Slammy Award for Knucklehead Moment of the Year (2010) – with LaylaLayla ElLayla El is an English dancer, model and professional wrestler of Moroccan and Spanish descent. She is employed by WWE as a WWE Diva and appears on the SmackDown brand as Layla...
- WWE.com placed Michelle #10 on their list of top 25 most impactful women
- WWE Divas Championship
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards
- Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic (2009) Exploiting Mickie James' weight issues