She is the first woman in WWE history to have held the Women's Championship six times, more than the four title reigns of The Fabulous Moolah in which WWE recognizes. [1] Stratus's ability as an in-ring performer has evolved over the years and she is generally seen as one of the best women professional wrestlers in the business.
As a fitness model, she has been featured on the cover of many major health and fitness magazines such as Musclemag, Flare and Total Women's Fitness. She also released a popular calendar series called "Dream Team". As a sports entertainer, she was proclaimed the WWE Diva of the Decade on RAW's 10th Anniversary show, indicating her position as one of professional wrestling's most influential women. She was voted as the three time WWE Babe of the Year (2001-2003) but was defeated by Stacy Keibler in the 2004 competition.
Contents |
Career
Background
In 1997, with the World Wrestling Federation experiencing a change in "Attitude"--rougher-edged characters like Stone Cold Steve Austin replacing the clean-cut heroes of yore like Bret Hart--Patricia Anne Stratigias was a student at York University in Toronto, majoring in biology and kinesiology in hopes of reaching her goal of attending medical school. However, York University went on strike, leaving Stratigias with no other choice at that time but to pursue other career options. After accepting a job at a local gym, Stratigias found herself responding to the urging of her peers there and became a fitness model. Under the stage name of Trish Stratus, Stratigias quickly risen as one of the most popular models in the fitness industry, having appeared on over twenty fitness magazine covers around the world. This caught the attention of the WWF, whose agents told Stratus that if she felt she had more to her than her looks alone, then she should start training for a wrestling career. Soon afterward, Stratus began her training at the gym of Ron Hutchinson, the same facility where Superstars like Edge and Christian had also trained for the ring. The WWF again had contacted her in late-1999, and this time, Stratus was ready to start her career in sports-entertainment, having been a fan since her childhood. Growing up, Stratus idolized Hulk Hogan, and also had siblings and relatives who helped increase her interest in sports entertainment.
Debut: T & A
Her first WWF
appearance took
place on March
19,
More and more,
Stratus found
herself getting
physically
involved in the
action, taking
her lumps from
Superstars like
The Big Show and
Chyna, and even
suffering a
stink face from
Rikishi. It was
not long before
Stratus began
competing in
actual matches,
one of the
earliest
examples being a
six-person tag
team match at
Fully Loaded on
July 23,
McMahon's Mistress
In early
2001, Stratus
became involved
in a storyline
with WWF
Chairman Vince
McMahon, during
a time when
Vince's wife
Linda was
"institutionalized"
following a
demand Vince had
made for a
divorce during a
live show in
Madison Square
Garden in
November
The following
week on RAW,
Stratus actually
gave Vince an
apology for the
disruption she
felt he had
caused in his
life. Vince then
said that the
apology would
only be accepted
if she stripped
down to her
undergarments,
got on all
fours, and
barked like a
dog. Shockingly,
she did. Few
knew however
that this was
all part of a
master plan
Stratus had set
into motion to
embarrass her
antagonist, and
at WrestleMania
X-Seven a month
later, it all
became crystal
clear. During a
Street Fight
between Vince
and his son,
then-WCW "owner"
Shane McMahon,
Stratus rolled
out a seemingly
catatonic Linda
McMahon in a
wheelchair to
the ring. When
the action was
taken to the
floor, Stratus
walked up to
Vince and
slapped the
taste out of his
mouth before
chasing
Stephanie from
ringside.
Shortly
thereafter,
Linda stood up
out of her
wheelchair and
kicked Vince in
the groin,
enabling Shane
to gain control
of the match and
eventually pin
his father.
Wrestling: Early Success
After her
episode with the
McMahon family,
Stratus began
focusing
wrestling in the
ring full-time.
Her journey was
temporarily cut
short in the
summer of 2001,
however, when
Stratus chipped
a bone in her
ankle and
underwent
surgery to
repair it. It
would be at
least four
months before
Stratus would
fully heal and
be able to
continue her
pursuit of
wrestling glory.
As she rehabbed,
Stratus kept
herself visible
by co-hosting
"Excess" on TNN.
When she was not
doing the show,
Stratus
continued
training and
rehabilitation,
preparing
herself for her
comeback in the
ring. No one
realized at that
time how much
she would excel
once she
returned to
active
competition. She
received
extensive ring
training from
Dave "Fit"
Findlay, a
former WCW
Television and
Hardcore
Champion.
Findlay's
schoolings
served Stratus
well. By the
time she
returned to the
ring, she was
better prepared
for in-ring
combat than she
had ever been
before.
Her return came
at the Survivor
Series on
November 18,
2001, in a
six-pack
challenge for
the vacant WWE
Women's
Championship,
with Stratus
facing off with
Lita, Mighty
Molly,
Jacqueline,
Ivory, and
former ECW
mainstay Jazz.
Stratus pinned
Ivory after
unveiling her
new
Stratusfaction
finisher--an
updated version
of the classic
Bulldog headlock
which saw
Stratus apply
the headlock,
climb the ropes,
and in mid-air,
catapult herself
backwards to the
canvas with her
opponent's head
still gripped in
her arms. Trish
Stratus had won
her first WWE
Women's
Championship.
Stratus would go
on to show
significant
improvement
between the
ropes, winning
the Championship
on two more
occasions in
2002, from Jazz
and Molly Holly,
respectively.
She even managed
to win the
Hardcore
Championship
from Crash
Holly, on May 6,
2002, before
losing it the
same night to
Steven Richards.
Stratus also
became WWE's
most popular
Diva, gracing
the cover of WWE
Divas 2002
swimsuit
magazine (an
alternate cover
with Lita), and
also winning the
Woman of the
Year achievement
award as voted
by the readers
of Pro Wrestling
Illustrated
magazine.
Wrestling: 2003
The year 2003
was a roller
coaster ride for
Stratus. At
WrestleMania XIX
on March 30,
2003, Stratus
won her fourth
WWE Women's
Championship, in
a triple threat
match against
two of her
greatest rivals,
the psychotic
Victoria and
Jazz. Despite
losing the
Championship
back to Jazz the
following month,
Stratus stayed
in the hunt for
the fifth
Women's
Championship.
Stratus was
engaged in a
heated feud with
newcomer Gail
Kim, who won the
Women's
Championship on
her first
televised WWE
match, by
winning an
battle royal. A
miscommunication
between Stratus
and Kim during a
tag team match
on Raw--in which
Stratus misfired
a Chick kick and
accidentally
nailed her
partner--left
Kim embittered.
Two weeks
later, the now
former Champion
Gail Kim, who
lost the title
to Molly Holly
the previous
week, appeared
to be saving
Stratus from a
two-on-one
assault by Molly
and Victoria.
Kim helped
Stratus to her
feet before
viciously
clotheslining
her to the mat.
Soon, Molly
approached Kim
with the idea of
forever ending
Stratus'
wrestling
career, and for
a time, it
seemed as though
it would happen.
Thanks to an
assist from the
returning Lita,
however, it
would be Stratus
who gained the
last laugh.
One Canadian Dollar
October 2003
would mark the
beginning of
what would be
Stratus' most
emotional WWE
saga; the
triangle between
Stratus, Chris
Jericho, and
Christian. One
night on Raw, as
Stratus was
being attacked
by Victoria and
Steven Richards,
Jericho
inexplicably
rushed the ring
and warded off
the attackers.
Even Stratus
seemed
dumbfounded
initially. Soon,
however, Stratus
started to
slowly warm up
to Jericho,
seeing a side of
him that many
fans and fellow
competitors did
not see very
often. One which
apparently
showed warmth,
caring, and
compassion.
Stratus and
Jericho appeared
smitten with
each other. At
the same time,
Jericho's friend
and tag team
partner
Christian was
courting Stratus'
close friend
Lita. To many
fans, neither
courtship looked
to be on the up
and up. As it
turned out, they
were anything
but.
On the December
1, 2003 RAW,
Jericho and
Christian were
overheard in the
locker room
mocking Stratus'
and Lita's
affections, and
revealed a bet
the two of them
had with one
another--for one
Canadian
dollar--to see
which man could
sleep with their
chosen Diva
first. Stratus,
who was to
present Jericho
with a handmade
Canadian hockey
jersey as a
gift, heard
every word and
every laugh from
outside the
dressing room,
and it brought
her to tears.
The Triangle
The following
week, Stratus
and Lita
confronted and
assaulted
Jericho and
Christian in
front of a
nationwide
viewing audience
on Raw, leading
to a "Battle of
the S--es" tag
team match held
at Armageddon on
December 14,
2003. While
Christian seemed
to take pride in
beating down his
female
opponents,
Jericho seemed
to want no part
of it.
Apparently,
Jericho was
starting to
develop true
feelings for
Stratus, and was
having a
difficult time
going through
with the match
before him. In
what now can be
viewed as a
harbinger of
things to come,
Stratus seemed
to take a lot
more pleasure in
beating down
Jericho than
Jericho had in
facing her in a
match. Soon, it
became obvious
that Jericho was
feeling an
enormous amount
of guilt for
initiating the
Canadian dollar
bet.
At first,
Stratus was
unwilling to
show Jericho any
forgiveness, but
appeared to
accept his
apologies enough
to at least
accept him as a
friend.
Meanwhile,
Christian
appeared to be
harboring
jealousy,
accusing Stratus
of driving a
wedge into his
partnership with
Jericho and
labeling her
"Yoko Ono". But
soon, Christian
also appeared to
have something
of a change of
heart, albeit a
very
condescending
one. To the face
of Jericho, he
was very
accepting of his
feelings for
Stratus...but to
Stratus' face,
Christian seemed
to be courting
her affections.
It looked like
everything
became crystal
clear on the
February 23,
2004 RAW, when
Christian was
booked to face
Stratus in a
one-on-one match
by Raw General
Manager Eric
Bischoff. In the
dressing room
prior to the
contest,
Christian--feigning
friendship with
Stratus--promised
her he would lay
down and allow
her to pin him.
In the ring,
however,
Christian
instead plowed
Stratus down
with a
clothesline, and
locked her in
Jericho's
submission hold,
the Walls of
Jericho. Stratus
was taken out of
action for
several weeks
with injuries,
and Christian
gloated over his
actions. A match
was soon signed
for WrestleMania
XX on March 14,
2004, in Madison
Square Garden,
pitting Chris
Jericho against
his former best
friend,
Christian.
Dark Stratusfaction
It appeared
this long and
intense angle
would reach its
conclusion on
this night.
Unbeknown to the
fans in
attendance, it
was only just
getting warmed
up. Stratus
surged toward
the ring late in
the match,
appearing to be
firmly in
Jericho's
corner.
Christian,
apparently
disgusted by
Stratus'
presence, pulled
her violently
into the ring
and attempted to
attack her.
Jericho made the
save, but when
he leaned down
to assist his
fallen friend,
Stratus thrust
forth an elbow,
apparently
believing that
it was
Christian. Her
elbow jabbed
Jericho's
temple, and
Christian scored
a roll up pin
for the
three-count.
After the match,
Stratus appeared
to be all
apologies, but
as she and
Jericho argued
in the ring,
Christian came
running back
down the aisle,
to seemingly get
his hands on
Stratus in a
violent and
hateful manner
once again. As
Jericho tried to
hold Stratus
back, though,
the fans
witnessed the
turn of Trish
Stratus.
Stratus suddenly
reared back and
throttled
Jericho with a
vicious
haymaker, which
Christian
followed with
the Un-Prettier.
Christian and
Stratus walked
away holding
hands, mocking
their former
friend who sat
in the ring
looking on with
an expression of
disbelief.
Before they
departed,
Christian
grabbed Stratus'
hair, pulled her
to his lips, and
passionately
kissed his new
girlfriend.
The following
night on Raw,
after the two
squashed Spike
Dudley in an
unprovoked
attack, Stratus
revealed on how
she had never
forgiven Jericho
for the Canadian
dollar bet, how
her feelings of
sadness and hurt
ate away at her
for months as
she plotted her
ultimate
revenge. She
also revealed to
the fans how
much she "likes
it rough". She
ended the promo
by proclaiming
to Jericho and
to the world,
"You can't get
no...Stratusfaction."
Wrestling: Stratus Makes History
The Stratus-Christian
union would
continue for
several more
months, and even
saw the addition
of a "problem
solver" to their
mix, the hulking
Tyson Tomko. As
the
Jericho-Christian
feud reached its
conclusion,
Stratus
refocused
herself on the
Women's
Championship. At
Bad Blood on
June 13, 2004,
the Women's
Championship was
defended by
Victoria, in a
Fatal Four Way
Elimination
Match. Lita
appeared to have
victory at hand
following a DDT
to Gail Kim, but
Stratus moved in
for the kill,
rolling up Lita
from behind for
the win and the
title. This win
was historic for
Stratus, as she
became the
first-ever five
time WWE Women's
Champion.
Stratus would
continue to hold
the title for
the next six
months, fending
off all
challenges and
even tying the
record for the
fastest match in
wrestling
history, pinning
Nidia in just
three seconds on
the July 5, 2004
RAW.
As Stratus'
reign continued,
her union with
Christian
dissolved, and
her bitter feud
with Lita
escalated. Their
confrontations
became more
violent by the
week, at one
point even
seeing Stratus'
nose broken
during a match
between the two
at the 2004
Survivor Series.
On the December
6, 2004 RAW,
Lita finally
managed to win
the title from
Stratus, in a
hard-fought main
event. Just a
month later, on
January 9, 2005
at New Year's
Revolution in
Puerto Rico,
Lita defended
her title
against Stratus.
Lita tore her
ACL when she
connected with a
Lou Thesz press
off the ring
apron, onto the
arena floor.
Stratus quickly
took advantage
of the
situation,
nailing Lita
with a "Chick
Kick" to the
head to win her
record sixth
Women's
Championship.
Stratus
successfully
defended her
title at
WrestleMania 21
on April 3, 2005
against 2004
Diva Search
winner Christy
Hemme.
In May 2005,
Stratus was
removed from
competition, due
to a herniated
disc. Storyline
wise, she was
attacked by
Viscera after he
failed to take
out Lita's
"husband" Kane.
She berated him
after the match
and he gave her
a bear hug and
followed up with
a big splash.
Outside of wrestling
Stratus has
appeared on Mad
TV twice and
various comedy
shows in Canada
including Royal
Canadian Air
Farce and
performing on
stage at Second
City. Stratus
has also
recorded a song
called "I Just
Want You", as
part of the WWE-produced
compilation
album, WWE
Originals.
Trish is also
one of the many
WWE Divas who
continually
refuses to pose
n--- for
Playboy. In a
March 15, 2005
inteview with
Byte This! (an
online talk
show), Trish is
quoted as
saying;
"I just feel that I want to leave my mark in the ring. And I
want to walk
away, [unlike
how] people will
say about Torrie
Wilson, 'Oh yea,
she's the one
that did
Playboy.' And I
don't want that
to be
overshadowed by
anything I do in
the ring. I want
people to go 'Oh
right, Trish
Stratus. She was
the greatest
Women's Champion
ever.'"
Trish's
catchphrase is "Stratusfaction
Guaranteed"
(which she has
made a
registered
trademark), in
which True
Stratusfaction
is the feeling
of constantly
being challenged
and meeting
those
challenges. Her
motto is,
"Preparedness
meets
opportunity."
Stratus's
mother, Alice is
a teacher of
Polish decent
and her father,
John is a real
estate agent of
Greek descent.
Trish has two
sisters, Christy
and Melissa.
Additional statistics
- Natural Hair Color: Brunette
- Eye Color: Hazel
- Measurements: 36-24-36
- Shoe Size: 7 & 1/2
- Dominant Hand: Right
Finishing maneuvers
- Chick Kick
- Stratusfaction
- Bulldog (2001-2003)
Signature maneuvers
- Stratusphere (Handstand Frankensteiner)
- Air Canada (Lou Thesz Press)
- Matrix Evasion (bends backwards to avoid an opponent's attack, as seen in The Matrix)
Championships/Accomplishments
WWE highlights
- 6-Time WWE Women's Champion
- 1-Time WWE Hardcore Champion
- 3-Time WWE Babe of the Year (2001-2003)
- WWE Diva of the Decade
Title lineage
|
Preceded
by: Vacated |
WWE
Women's
Champion First reign |
Succeeded
by: Jazz |
|
Preceded
by: Jazz |
WWE
Women's
Champion Second reign |
Succeeded
by: Molly Holly |
|
Preceded
by: Molly Holly |
WWE
Women's
Champion Third reign |
Succeeded
by: Victoria |
|
Preceded
by: Victoria |
WWE
Women's
Champion Fourth reign |
Succeeded
by: Jazz |
|
Preceded
by: Victoria |
WWE
Women's
Champion Fifth reign |
Succeeded
by: Lita |
|
Preceded
by: Lita |
WWE
Women's
Champion Sixth reign |
Succeeded
by: Current champion |
|
Preceded
by: Crash Holly |
WWE
Hardcore
Champion First reign |
Succeeded
by: Steven Richards |
Job titles
- Trish Stratus Enterprises - Fitness Model
- Live Audio Wrestling - Co-host / Sports Entertainment Analyst
- Apocalypse Wrestling Federation - Sports Entertainer
- World Wrestling Entertainment - Excess Co-host / Color Commentator
- World Wrestling Entertainment - Sports Entertainer