Torrie Wilson (born July 24, 1975) is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model perhaps best known for her work with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), most recently working on its SmackDown! brand.
As a fitness competitor, Wilson won the Miss Galaxy competition in 1998.[4][6] Shortly after, she was signed by World Championship Wrestling, where she stayed from 1999 until 2001.[5][6][7] In 2001, she began appearing on World Wrestling Federation (WWF) television as part of The Invasion storyline.[1] Her most high profile storyline took place in 2003 when she feuded with Dawn Marie.[1][8] Wilson has also been a part of the all-female stable, or group of affiliated wrestlers, known as Vince's Devils, which ended its run in 2006.[2]
Aside from wrestling, Wilson has been on the cover of several magazines, including FHM and Playboy, which she posed for twice.
Wilson was born in Boise, Idaho,[4] and she claims that she was painfully shy growing up.[6][8][9] She quickly found friends, however, in her small town.[4] She found her niche in many school activities, including cheerleading and dance, and was very competitive in track and field.[4][6]
During her sophomore year of high school, after Wilson's interest in modeling grew more serious, her mother urged her to pursue it.[4] They visited an agency and were informed that Torrie would have to lose weight to be considered for jobs.[4] In the process of losing weight, she began a bout with anorexia and then bulimia that lasted from ages fourteen to twenty.[4][6]
After recovering from the disorder, Wilson became involved in fitness.[4][5] She began eating six meals a day and working out.[6] She placed third in her first competition,[4] and she later won the Miss Galaxy competition in 1998.[4][6] She then spent some time on the Extreme Fitness Team.[10] As part of the Women's Tri-Fitness Championships in 1998, Wilson won first place in the Grace and Physique round.[11]
Later in 1998, Wilson moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting.[4][8] She began acting classes and was introduced to an agent who helped her gain a few jobs.Wilson's start in wrestling came when she attended a World Championship Wrestling (WCW) show with her boyfriend in 1999.[5][6][8] After going backstage, she was asked to walk out to the ring with Scott Steiner.[5] Later, Kevin Nash expressed an interest in doing a storyline with her.[1][5][8] She debuted as "Samantha", who was brought in by the nWo to seduce David Flair into turning on his father, Ric Flair.[1][12] They appeared together on February 21 when Wilson slapped Ric Flair, and David zapped him with a taser.[13] At the 1999 Bash at the Beach, Wilson acted as a valet for Flair as he captured the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship from Dean Malenko.[1]
Although she left WCW television afterwards, she returned in the fall of 1999 under her real name.[1] Wilson began managing Billy Kidman and his Filthy Animals teammates.[1] As a result, she found herself involved in the Animals continuing feud with The Revolution.[1] In November, Wilson and Eddie Guerrero were shown flirting on the "Kidcam," a hidden camera segment, which led to a storyline feud between Kidman and Guerrero.[1] Following this, Wilson once again disappeared from television. Wilson, however, returned on January 19, 2000, and in April 2000, Kidman and Wilson joined a stable known as the New Blood, making them both heels, or villainous characters. As part of their newest storyline, Kidman became jealous of the attention Wilson began to give to fellow New Blood member Horace Hogan. In June, Wilson gave Kidman a low blow at the Great American Bash, causing him to lose to Horace’s uncle, Hulk Hogan.[1]
Wilson was taken off of television following the encounter, reappearing at July's Bash at the Beach during a match between Shane Douglas and Buff Bagwell. After the match, Wilson and Douglas left together, which led to a feud between Kidman and Douglas.[14] At September's Fall Brawl, Wilson and Douglas defeated Kidman and Madusa in a mixed tag team match with scaffolding erected above the ring.[7] Wilson was released from her contract in December 2000.
Wilson made her WWF television debut on the June 28, 2001 episode of SmackDown! as part of The Alliance during the Invasion angle in 2001.[1] In her first storyline with the company, she portrayed Vince McMahon's latest affair.[15] She also regularly teamed with fellow WCW performer Stacy Keibler. The duo made their wrestling debuts in the WWF in a Bra and Panties match against Lita and Trish Stratus at the InVasion pay-per-view, which Stratus and Lita won by stripping their opponents to their underwear. The following night on RAW, Wilson defeated Stratus in a Paddle on a Pole match.[7] Despite her relative lack of in-ring experience, Wilson, alongside Keibler and Ivory, regularly feuded with the WWE Divas,[16] as well as interfering in matches on behalf of other wrestlers in The Alliance.
She turned face, a character who is a fan favorite, during the Invasion storyline when her character began an on-screen romance with Tajiri.[1] This new romance caused Keibler to turn on Wilson, and as a result, Wilson defected to the WWF. Wilson defeated Keibler in a lingerie match at No Mercy defeating her opponent in a ring full of pillows, while dressed in lingerie.In May 2003, Wilson appeared in a pictorial and on the cover of Playboy.[1] A few months earlier, when her pictorial was announced, a short storyline feud with Nidia developed, with the latter being jealous of the fact that Wilson was picked for the cover and spread in the magazine.[25] In weekly vignettes aired on SmackDown!, both Nidia and her on-screen boyfriend Jamie Noble made trips to The Playboy Mansion to complain to Hugh Hefner about his picking Wilson over Nidia.[25]
Soon after, on an April 2003 episode of SmackDown! during a segment labeled as Torrie's Playboy Coming Out Party former diva and Playboy centerfold Sable made her return to WWE after a three year absence.[1] This began a storyline between the two women where for weeks, Sable played mind games with Wilson, being friendly one moment and unfriendly the next.[26] This all led up to a bikini contest between the two at Judgment Day, which Wilson won.[27] After the contest, Wilson kissed the former Women's Champion Sable on the lips, showing her that there was "no hard feelings" due to Wilson's win over the WWE veteran.[28]
Continuing her feud with Noble and Nidia from earlier in the year, Wilson managed Billy Gunn upon his WWE return in the summer of 2003.[1] The feud came to an end after Nidia and Noble both turned face and sided with Gunn and Wilson. After the formation of this alliance, Wilson, Nidia, and Dawn Marie feuded with Shaniqua for a short period of time, which led to Shaniqua physically dominating Wilson and Nidia in a handicap match.[7]
Wilson teamed with Sable in March 2004 to feud with RAW divas Stacy Keibler and Miss Jackie.[1] The feud centered around the latter duo's storyline jealously of Wilson and Sable's Playboy cover status, as well as their recently being named cover girls yet again, as the two divas were announced to be featured together in an upcoming Playboy March 2004 issue.[1] After weeks of rivalry, Wilson and Sable defeated Keibler and Miss Jackie in a Playboy Evening Gown match at WrestleMania XX by stripping their opponents of their evening gowns.[1][29] Later in the year, Wilson engaged in a short feud with Sable, who defeated her at the Great American Bash.[1]
In November 2004, Wilson began feuding with Hiroko.[1] On February 10, 2005 on a special edition of SmackDown! (recorded on February 4 in Saitama, Japan), Torrie defeated Hiroko in a kimono match by removing her kimono first.
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