trish stratus: stratusfaction comes to an end

Stratusfaction Comes to an End

When that catchy Lil' Kim ditty blasts out of the Air Canada Centre tonight, when Trish Stratus walks to the ring with thousands of cheering fans giving her a sendoff fit for the queen of the divas, she's bound to have a tear in her eye.

Whoa! It's time to rock n' roll, This time I'm in control.

There've been so many memories, so many highlights stuffed into a six-plus-year WWE career ... and this will be her final night. It's much more than a storyline. Trish is leaping out of her career and right into marriage ... in real life ... saying "yes" to her high-school sweetheart Ron on Sept. 30.

"Really, I'm trying not to think about it because I might burst into tears," says Patricia Anne Stratigias over the phone. "I'm happy, I'm sad and I'm anxious. Next time I retire, remind me not to get married at the same time.

"It's been such a crazy ride. These people became my second family. It's a textbook story with a fairytale ending."

And what a career it's been. She's a six-time women's champ and a Diva of the Decade, a blonde bombshell with beauty and brains ... and a girl whose ambition not so long ago was to be a doctor.

I'm ready to take a break," she says. "I've been on the road for the last 10 years of my life.

"I've missed going out to see my nephews' hockey games ... I've missed my girlfriends' weddings and the birth of their kids. I want to stop and smell the roses and enjoy life.

"I haven't had a chance to enjoy the process of being a bride yet. My fiance and I have been together for 14 years. He grew up with my cousins in East York . Then he moved to Richmond Hill and I met him on a school bus in Grade 8.

"We became best friends, then boyfriend and girlfriend when we were 17.

"I'm going to be a professional vacationer for awhile. I've been everywhere, but I haven't really seen anything. So we're going to start in Greece and end off (the honeymoon) with fish and chips in London ."

Trish says the wedding will be big: "I'm Greek, he's Italian." And among the guests will be diva buddies Lisa Moretti (Ivory) and Nora Greenwald (Molly Holly), who will soon embark on the KickAss for Gas: The Wedding Tour. The former WWE divas will embark on a drive of more than 2,000 miles in a Scamp camper, appearing at wrestling shows along the way.

Trish would love to leave the WWE on a high note tonight, with a win over Lita ... and her seventh women's championship.

"It's been a wonderful ride," she says. "There's not one moment I would change. And hopefully I can walk away from Sept. 17 and retire as a seven-time champion."

Trish will maintain her home-town roots by moving right around the corner from her mom in Richmond Hill .

trish stratus: trish stratus & hubby

Trish Stratus & Hubby

Long before she was posing for magazine covers as a fitness model, before she was a wrestling diva, before she was hosting CBC’s The Second City’s Next Comedy Legend (which just aired its first season), Trish Stratus was falling in love with her high school sweetheart, Ron.* Here’s what the former WWE vixen and her home builder hubby have to say about how they keep things interesting.

ON HOW THEY MET AND FELL IN LOVE:

Ron says… We’ve known each other since we were kids, but, of course, boys and girls at that age don’t really like each other. Then we met years down the road [in high school]…That’s when her sister and I became good friends. It’s kind of weird because I’d be calling the house for her sister and then I’d end up talking to Trish. It just progressed naturally from there.

Trish says…The summer of Grade 12 he said to me, “I can’t be friends with you anymore because the more I hang out with you, the more I fall in love with you.” We spent the summer apart and were totally missing each other, and my mom said to me, “What do you have to lose? You’ve already lost your best friend.” So I called him up and said, “Will you be my boyfriend?” That was the beginning.

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING FRIENDS FIRST:

Ron says… We’ve always come to the conclusion that when we’re in our 60s or 70s, the physical attraction won’t matter. My worst fear would be sitting in a restaurant and having nothing to talk about.

Trish says… That’s why we have such a lasting relationship—because we were friends and foremost. We weren’t playing that girlfriend-boyfriend role when you are on your best behaviour and then the reality check hits you later. You see your true self when you’re friends.

ON BRAINS VERSUS BEAUTY:

Ron says… Without brains, beauty is nothing. I don’t think I’d be with Trish this long if there weren’t anything upstairs.

Trish says… I used to get asked all the time, “How do you feel about people viewing you as a sex symbol?” And I’d say, “That’s fine, I got your attention and now I have something to say.” I’ve always viewed those openings as an opportunity to knock down preconceived notions of what a successful woman should be. Brains and foremost.

ON STAYING FIT TOGETHER:

Ron says… She does a lot more than I do, but it’s fun to get out. It doesn’t mean we have to go to the gym, but we like to be active—ride bikes, go rollerblading, that kind of stuff.

Trish says…I’ve always trained for the purpose of my job, but when I injured my back three years ago, Ron and I started going for these long walks and we both loved it. We bonded, and Ron started losing weight without trying.

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMOUR:

Ron says… There’s a lot of comedy in our relationship. We make fun of each other a lot—jokingly, of course.

Trish says… Humour is actually one of the most important elements in a relationship. It’s nice to be with a fellow goofball.

ON KEEPING THINGS FRESH:

Ron says… We’re both really busy people. That has kept it fresh just naturally, I guess. If I saw somebody 24 hours, seven days a week, I can see how things could get stale. But we’ve never had a routine to fall into—it’s just whatever comes at us.

Trish says… Every year we say, “Okay, what are we going to do this year that’s new?” When we got married, we took dance lessons for a full year and we actually choreographed a tango routine for our dance. Another year, we totally got into the videogame Dance Dance Revolution. We’re such nerds. And this year we’re taking golf lessons.

trish stratus: trish bows out on top

Trish bows out on top

Before a vociferously partisan crowd and amidst chants of “Thank you Trish!” six-time Women’s Champion Trish Stratus made it lucky number seven by defeating Lita in front of 16,105 of her hometown supporters in Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. Trish paid homage to another classic Canadian Superstar by applying the Sharpshooter, forcing Lita to tap out and hand over the Women’s Championship to the woman who has been the penultimate WWE Diva for the past seven years.

It was clearly a moving night for Trish, who had been riding a wave of emotion since news broke on WWE.com that she would be retiring after Unforgiven. It was not Trish, however, but her long-time rival Lita, who made the announcement, frustrating the most decorated Diva in WWE history. It was only appropriate that Trish’s final match would come against Lita, the Diva with whom she has waged more than a few all-out grudge matches and the woman she faced in her WWE debut. Lita could not have wanted anything more than to taint Trish’s legacy by defeating her on her home turf in her final match, but Trish made sure that she ended the intensely personal rivalry the same way she has conducted herself throughout her storied career: on her terms and no one else’s.

As Trish made her way to the ring, it was clear that her emotions were swirling as she took her time at the top of the stage to give a long, pensive look around the arena. She appeared to be soaking in the rush of a WWE entrance one last time, wishing she could acknowledge each and every one of the WWE fans in the sold-out Air Canada Centre.

She would get her chance to do so at the conclusion of what was, not surprisingly, an intensely physical contest between two bitter rivals. After nearly scoring several pin-falls, Trish was finally able to corner Lita and lock in the Sharpshooter, lifting the impassioned crowd to its feet as they raucously cheered their hometown hero.

Once Lita submitted, the torrent of emotion gave way to relieved triumph, as the capacity crowd saluted Trish with a standing ovation. Announcers Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler joined in the celebration, as did a bleary-eyed Lilian Garcia, while Trish held the Women’s Championship high above her head for the seventh and final time. Then, in the classy fashion WWE fans have come to know and revere from their favorite Diva, Trish took a bow and blew a kiss to the still frenzied crowd, as her emotional roller coaster finally eased back into the station.

Trish got her storybook ending, but it is a curious ending for the Women’s Championship because – for the first time in WWE history – a Champion is retiring with the gold. Will Trish relinquish her championship? If so, who will take over? Certainly Trish would not turn it back over to previous champ Lita, her most bitter rival. Will the Women’s Championship simply be retired along with its greatest ambassador? The world will be looking to RAW tomorrow night for answers. For now, Trish can celebrate a well-fought match, a well-deserved Women’s Championship and a magical seven-year ride in WWE that will not soon be forgotten.

trish stratus: trish tells it like it is

Trish tells it like it is

There’s no denying that Trish Stratus is the quintessential Diva in WWE. She made her debut in 2000 and has worked tirelessly over the last six years to become the most accomplished Diva in WWE history. Through hard work and perseverance Trish overcame the stigma of being just another pretty face to become a six-time Women’s Champion. So, with the 2006 Diva Search Contest coming up, who better to talk about the annual event than the most successful Diva herself – Trish.

This year’s contest will be the third of its kind, and Stratus isn’t surprised in the least that it has lasted this long.

“Of course it’s still around because you can’t beat a bunch of sexy women on RAW every week,” she said. “We know that is a formula that works. So I’m not surprised at all.”

While the contest is returning this year, there is a new twist. The Diva Search will be held on both RAW and SmackDown for the first time ever. Previously, the contest had been a RAW exclusive. Stratus thinks spreading the contest out over both brands is a smart move that can benefit the contestants.

“It will give the contestants more exposure, which is good, and it might give them a chance to interact with both RAW and SmackDown Superstars,” she said. “Obviously we have Divas on both shows, and it will be good for the contestants to get a feel for both brands.”

Even though the Diva Search has been a success in terms of ratings and finding new talent, Trish says that the contest isn’t perfect.

“I think there should be a preliminary question on the application such as what does WWE stand for?” she said. “If they get it right or wrong, it would be a good way to weed them out. I would also like to see more personality and get to know each contestant a little bit more throughout the process. I just need to see more than a pretty face and hotdog eating skills.”

Several of the current Divas got their first WWE exposure through the Diva Search Contest. Playboy cover girl Candice, Maria, Kristal and of course, last year’s winner Ashley, were all contestants in the Diva Search. So, surely the contest is paying dividends, right? Well, maybe not according to Trish.

“Well, Ashley broke her leg so I don’t know if it is working out that well. I don’t know, I think that this time around we have to get more of their physical attributes out, and I mean that as physical, not “physical” if you know what I mean,” joked Trish. “That is what the audience demands, and that is what a Diva of today is all about. She gets into the ring and she kicks ass. A little more athleticism should be seen.”

And when a new winner of the contest is crowned this year, Trish will be ready to greet her in her own special way.

“Any Diva who wants to come along, I will be more than happy to Stratisfy her.”

trish stratus: significant diva on diva action

Significant Diva on Diva action

At Unforgiven, Trish Stratus won her record-setting seventh Women’s Championship. It was her last match before retirement, and while it cemented her place in Women’s wrestling history, it also left the championship vacant.

An 8-Diva tournament began Monday on RAW to crown the next Women’s Champion, and the RAW Divas all shared their thoughts on what the revered award means to them.

Besides Trish, such legends as Sheri Martel, Wendy Richter and Fabulous Moolah have all held the Women’s Championship. For many of the Divas, to be held in the same esteem as these women is what being champion is all about.

“All of the top women in the WWE have held the Women’s Championship,” explained one former champion, Mickie James. “I think it’s prestigious and honorable to be the Women’s Champion. I was really honored to hold it when I first won it from Trish at WrestleMania 22 (before losing it to Lita). It’s a huge honor to be crowned Women’s Champion and it is an honor I look forward to having again.”

Lita, a three-time champion who lost the gold to Trish at Unforgiven, agreed.

“I think that the championship means a lot not only for its historical value; within the last five years or so, there have been more women on the roster in WWE than ever before, so there’s more competition,” she said. “I think a tournament is a great opportunity for the Divas to showcase their talent and to see competition that sometimes gets lost in the entertainment that the Divas also provide to the show.”

“It’s a big deal,” Melina confessed. “Men have more than one championship, but for women, there’s just one for all of us and it means a lot. It represents the cream of the crop, the top of all the Divas.”

All of the Divas share a respect for the Women’s Championship that transcends their own desire to be champ.

“I’m just starting; I think it’s just the very beginning for me, so there is no comparison between me and those legends,” said a sincere Maria. “I’m going to fight tooth and nail. In the end, if I don’t wind up as champion, I just hope that someone who really and truly deserves it does get it.”

During Trish’s many reigns, it was always important to her that the Women’s Championship represented women’s empowerment. Her example has left an impression, as all of the RAW Divas listed qualities of a Women’s Champion that were in line with Trish’s vision.

“The championship embodies a woman who is strong, independent and all the things that I aspire to be,” beamed Torrie Wilson. “Like the other Divas, I’m a strong and independent woman who isn’t afraid to show my athletic ability and isn’t some weak little girl that’s going to go cry in the corner.”

Another thing the Divas all felt strongly about was that part of being the Women’s Champion was being a role model for other girls and women.

“I think that I show women that they can be everything they want,” boasted Victoria . “They can be tough and strong and sexy because I am all of those things. Plus I have a college background, so I am not just some muscle head.”

Candice Michelle thinks she has an equally personal message to bring to the WWE fans. Not coming from a strong wrestling background, Candice has been training hard since joining WWE to make up for lost time.

“I want to show people that if you believe in something and you have the dedication and you go after your dreams, anything can happen,” said Candice. “If you don’t go after your dreams somebody else will, so you just have to go for it, otherwise it will never happen.”

Monday night marked the beginning of the women’s tournament. It seems like a fitting way to crown the new champ after Trish’s legendary career, by highlighting eight talented, strong, confident, beautiful, competitive women doing what they love best. All the Divas are aware of the large shoes to fill as Women’s Champion, but all are looking forward to the potential challenge.

trish stratus: trish the dirty dish

Trish the dirty dish
Bad girl grappler

It's an answer that only an expert can give and Trish Stratus certainly qualifies. Just why is wrestling so darn popular? If any proof is required, there are about 16,000 rabid fans expected at Rexall Place tonight for World Wrestling Entertainment's Backlash pay-per-view event.

Additional evidence comes from the fact that more than 500 people were lined up around the top floor of Kingsway Garden Mall yesterday hoping to score an autograph from Canada 's queen of the ring.

"It's a great escape from everyday," reasoned Stratus who chatted with the Sun before a Nintendo-sponsored meeting with her fans at EB Games.

The great thing is we have these great characters that tell stories that people can relate to. And the characters, people can really relate to. You have the bad girl who someone may not necessarily be, but they want to be. We have a wide array of characters and we tell stories physically in the ring so it's action-packed and exciting."

The world of professional wrestling has often been characterized as a soap opera for men. True enough, figured Stratus, but it's not nearly as gender-specific as it once was, thanks in large part to the enhanced talent level of WWE's ladies.

"The interest is growing in the women's division because the women are going out there and doing what the men do," said the five-foot-four blond beauty, who was voted Diva of the Decade by WWE fans.

"I'm seeing a lot more females in the audience and there's a lot of younger girls who are looking up to the women as role models because we're athletic, we're sexy and strong. It's a cool thing to have those role models out there and to see women making it in a male-dominated world.''

The Toronto native, who will be teaming up with "love interest" Christian against the jilted Chris Jericho tonight, has graciously accepted the role model duties, whether they've meant meeting her devotees in person or answering their vast array of queries on her popular website (trishstratus.com).

"As long they recognize what we do on principle - the hard work and effort that we put into our job - I don't mind being that kind of role model," said Stratus, who is thrilled with her new challenges that being a "heel'' (bad guy) brings to her character.

"Female fans come to me knowing our lifestyle is to be fit and athletic so I've taken that and tried to use it as a platform to talk to women from my following before as a fitness model. I get so much feedback I've a section on the website devoted to training and Nu -Trish-on."

trish stratus: trish stratus eyes return

Trish Stratus Eyes Return

In the summer of 2001, Trish Stratus was out of action as she recovered from an ankle injury.

Stratus had three months to watch RAW from the comfort of her living room and contemplate her eventual return.

“During that time away, I decided to make the commitment to be a full-time wrestler once I returned,” Stratus told WWE.com. “And when I came back I won the Women’s Championship for the first time, so that was a career-changing decision.”

Now, four years later, Stratus is nearly fully recovered from a herniated disc in her lower back. Stratus, who last appeared on WWE television at Backlash in May, has been keeping up with RAW from home, and is looking forward to another successful comeback.

“I’ve been sitting at home and watching how the RAW landscape has changed,” Stratus said. “It’s very interesting. But I look forward to coming back and doing what I do best, and that’s delivering Stratusfaction."

“This is what I do for a living, and I’ve missed it very much,” Stratus added. “I’m very excited to come back and defend the Women’s Championship.”

Stratus appeared at some recent live events near her home in Toronto as part of Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel, which was subsequently cancelled as part of Jericho’s recent dismissal from RAW.

Stratus is also scheduled to be part of upcoming shows in Memphis , Jackson and Chattanooga , Tennessee . She expects to return to RAW soon.

Stratus said her recovery was a bit more difficult than she first expected. In fact, it wasn’t until Stratus added yoga to her rehabilitation program that she saw marked improvement.

“I’m feeling great on a day-to-day basis now,” Stratus said. “Originally, it was supposed to take eight weeks, but after eight weeks I was still having problems running or sitting too long bothered me. But I started to incorporate yoga with my physical therapy and that helped me along.