WWE's rising Phoenix

[Black Widow]

TNA features the best women's wrestling division on television, but WWE does have Beth Phoenix.

''I have so much experience, and I've been through the trenches,'' she said. ``I'm street smart as well as technically smart. I bring to the table something that no other [WWE diva] brings.

``Although my road to the top was a little bit longer and difficult, it's definitely tremendous. That road makes me appreciate what I have a lot more, and it makes me obviously more dangerous.''

Phoenix, 27, would fit better with TNA's stellar female roster, but the Glamazon provides credibility, along with Mickie James and Victoria, for WWE's inexperienced diva division.

''Achievement usually comes to me when I put the other divas back in their place where they should be,'' said the former WWE women's champ. ``Stepping in the ring with me, that's taking a huge risk, and I usually beat some sense into them.

``If they're smart, they don't come back. Some people just don't get the point, like Candice [Michelle]. She keeps coming back, getting hurt again, getting surgery, and she's coming back again. Uh, sometimes I wish they would just give up because the beatings are going to continue. Obviously, like I said, one of these days they will get the point.''

Backing up the arrogance, Phoenix is the total package of women's wrestling -- talented and powerful, Awesome Kong-like with looks and a mouth. She works hard toward recapturing the gold.

''A belt is something that keeps your pants up,'' she said. ``A championship title like what I held is representative that I was the greatest female wrestler at that time in the entire world.

``I wear that with the utmost pride. It's a treasure and a wonderful moment to come out there every time and display that to the world.''

With the 2006 departure of WWE's top female Trish Stratus who fans adored, Phoenix has helped fill a void with WWE women, even as a villainous character, helping lead them. The 5-8, 150-pound blonde bombshell dubbed herself the Glamazon.

''The Glamazon is a name I came up with for myself,'' she said. ``I heard it used in the fashion world, but the way it's applied to me is a little bit different because I'm different from the norm or the cookie cutter diva.

``I'm voluptuous and beautiful, but at the same time, I bring that fighter instinct, and I have the ring experience. For me, it was really important to set myself apart from everybody else, Giving myself that label, that name, I feel like it does that for me and the fans.''

Phoenix, real name Elizabeth Kocanski, was the first female on the Notre Dame High School wrestling team in Elmira, N.Y. She also competed for the USA Wrestling club team, winning the Northeast freestyle women's championship (72 kg weight class) and the New York State Fair Tournament in 1999. That same year she was named the Most Outstanding wrestler at the Brockport Freestyle Tournament.

After graduating high school in 1999, she enrolled in Canisius College in Buffalo as well as a professional wrestling school, trained by Stu Hart Dungeon trainees Robin Knightwing and Joey Knight, who she later married.

Wrestling the independent circuit, she debuted against Alexis Laree, better known as Mickie James. She competed against females and males.

In July 2004, she appeared in Ohio Valley Wrestling, the then feeder group to WWE in Louisville, Ky. She worked with Chris Masters, Idol Stevens, Ariel, Katie Lea Burchill, Danny Basham and ODB.

With the backing of Stratus, Phoenix debuted on WWE Raw in May 2006. A month later, she injured her jaw against Victoria. Sidelined for two months, she did not return to Raw until July 2007, but it's been full-speed ahead.

''Some of the divas with less experience, I take it upon myself to teach them a lesson,'' she said. ``Nothing smartens you up quicker than a nice kick upside the head, and most of the time they smarten up and step back and step out of the ring.

``Those girls who keep coming back, showing that heart, I'm always happy to just knock them around again. Candice, Ashley, Maria, anybody who's next in line, bring it.''

Phoenix does every time.

• Speaking video games, Phoenix gave her choice for wrestler she would use other than herself.

``I'd probably go with Randy Orton, him being a [multi-time] champion, and he's pretty devious. I like his style. I like his tactics in the ring. He's a winner. So, obviously, I'd pick a winner.''

• WWE's One Night Stand pay-per-view is 8 p.m. Sunday, June 1 at the San Diego Sports Arena in Rey Mysterio's hometown.

• WWE's Smackdown Your Vote! released the 2008 18-30 Voter Issues Paper, a guide to help young adults articulate the issues important to them in this national election and a platform through which the candidates can provide their responses to issues important to this voting demographic.

The 18-30 VIP addresses the economy, Iraq war, education, health care and the environment as the most important issues on the minds of young voters.

The 18-30 VIP has been provided to candidates Sen. John McCain, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama to obtain their responses. In 2004, when the 18-30 VIP was first issued by Smackdown Your Vote!, presidential candidates President George W. Bush, Sen. John Kerry, Ralph Nader and Michael Badnarik responded to the questions posed in the 18-30 VIP.

Their answers were provided to college groups, voting organizations, online sources, educators and the general public to encourage young adults to vote in the 2004 election. Turnout of 18-to 24-year-old voters increased by 11 percent to approximately 11.6 million in the 2004 election.

''WWE greatly appreciates Senators McCain, Clinton and Obama for taking the time to speak directly to our audience of young voters on a recent Monday Night RAW, which received a tremendous response,'' Gary Davis, WWE vice president, Corporate Communications and executive director of Smackdown Your Vote!, said in a release.

``We now ask these candidates to lay out their positions on issues critical to 18- to 30-year-olds in this election by addressing the questions posed by our national 18-30 Voter Issues Paper.''

Through its Smackdown Your Vote! program, established in 2000, WWE continues to encourage civic engagement. In addition to WWE, partners in the creation of the 2008 18-30 VIP include: CIRCLE, Harvard University's Institute of Politics, the League of Women Voters, Mobilize.org, mun2, New Voters Project, PIRG, Rock the Vote, Sacred Heart University and the University of Virginia's Youth Leadership Initiative.

The 18-30 VIP is downloadable through smackdownyourvote.com and printed copies are available upon request. Visit vote.wwe.com/documents/27270_VIP_pamphlet.pdf.

• WWE's Great American Bash pay-per-view sold out in less than one hour. The Great American Bash occurs Sunday, July 20 from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island. WWE will release more tickets originally held for production from now until the day of show.

• WWE will tape RAW, Smackdown and WWE's ECW on Sunday, Aug. 31 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Tickets go on sale Saturday, July 19.

• Florida Championship Wrestling, the feeder group to WWE, is 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Bourbon Street Night Club, 4331 US 19 N., New Port Richey, Fla. Tickets $7 at the door. Visit fcwwrestling.com.


miamiherald.com

[JohnCenaFan28]

Nice read, thanks.