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Chyna is arguably the most dominant woman to ever compete in the WWE ring. Billed as "The Ninth Wonder of the World”, Chyna was a founding member of the iconic stable, Degeneration X.
Chyna's legacy stands the test of time
She made her WWE debut on Feb. 16, 1997, at the pay per view event, In Your House, where she attacked Marlena during Triple H's match with Goldust. Later, Chyna became The Cerebral Assassin's bodyguard and muscle for Degeneration X. The WWE Hall of Famer had an incredible physique that allowed her to match the strength of male wrestlers.
Chyna defeated Ivory to win the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 17. She later vacated the title and left WWE (then WWF) on Nov. 30, 2001, to pursue an acting career. Despite the turmoils Chyna went through after her departure from WWE, her legacy and dominant performance weren't tainted as she is recognized as one of the all-time greats. Here are three reasons why Chyna may be the greatest female wrestler of all time.
#3. Chyna was Intercontinental Champion
Chyna began a feud with Jeff Jarret that led to a match for the Intercontinental Championship at WWE Unforgiven at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. She lost the bout but would get her revenge at No Mercy at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. At the event, she won the Intercontinental Championship from Jericho in a match that lasted eight minutes and twenty-five seconds after she hit him over the head with his guitar.
With this epic victory, The Ninth Wonder of the World became the first woman in WWE history to win the title. This placed Chyna in a class of her own and adds her to a list of trailblazers for intergender wrestling. Although she didn't have multiple runs as WWE Women’s Champion, she still cements her legacy as the only woman to hold a prestigious title reserved for the workhorse of the company. This feat makes her the most dominant female wrestler to have ever competed in the squared circle.
#2. Chyna was the number one contender for the WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is the oldest and most prestigious championship in WWE. Since its inception in 1963, all-time greats like Buddy Rogers and contemporary stars such as Randy Orton have held the title. Challenging for the title is a huge honor. It's every wrestler’s dream and Chyna is no exception.
Being the number one contender for the WWE Championship is in itself a massive accomplishment. Chyna achieved this feat when she became the number one contender after she defeated Triple H.
She lost this spot the following week on the August 16, 1999 episode of RAW to Mankind. This was a historic accomplishment, to say the least for one of the most imposing performers of The Attitude Era. To date, no other woman has been able to accomplish this.
Fans are only left to wonder what could have been if Chyna went on to face Stone Cold Steve Austin in the main event of SummerSlam as the number one contender. With her power and Austin’s intensity, the WWE Universe could have witnessed a mouthwatering clash for the ages.
#1. Chyna was a two-time men Royal Rumble participant
Chyna is the only woman who competed in back to back men’s Royal Rumble matches, in 1999 and 2000. Three other women participated in WWE's famous stipulation match—Beth Phoenix in 2010, Kharma in 2012, and Nia Jax in 2019.
Chyna qualified for the 1999 men’s Royal Rumble match when she took part in a corporate Rumble for the number 30 spot. Vince McMahon wanted to ensure that he would be the final entrant in the men’s Royal Rumble match. Unfortunately for him, he had to go toe to toe with Chyna, who eliminated him to make history as the first woman ever to qualify for the Royal Rumble match. At the event, she threw out Mark Henry and lasted 35 seconds.
At the next Royal Rumble in 200, Chyna was entrant number 17. She eliminated Chris Jericho, who she had feuded with for the Intercontinental title. However, The Big Boss Man took her out later in the match. She lasted for 38 seconds bu that doesn’t take away from the fact that she made history, appearing in the men’s Royal Rumble match for the second year in a row.
