Lisa Marie Varon

name=Lisa Marie Varon

Wrestling career

World Championship Wrestling

While visiting Torrie Wilson backstage at a WCW show, a road agent asked Varon to appear in a segment with Scott Hall. Varon filmed the segment, which featured her sitting on Hall's lap and playing with his hair, and began considering pursuing a career in wrestling. After Wilson tried, unsuccessfully, to obtain a WCW contract for Varon, she returned to California in an attempt to secure work in the television industry.

Related Topics:
Road agent - Scott Hall

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World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment

Early career

While working for Crunch Fitness as a trainer in Los Angeles, California in 2000, Varon met World Wrestling Federation employee Chyna, who complemented her on her appearance and encouraged her to become a wrestler. Chyna introduced Varon to WWF officials Jim Ross and Kevin Kelly, and she was hired. Varon was assigned to Ultimate Pro Wrestling, a Southern Californian developmental territory and training camp of the WWF. While training in UPW, Varon was given the gimmick of a domineering cheerleader known as the H.B.I.C. (Head Bitch In Charge).

Related Topics:
Trainer - Los Angeles, California - 2000 - World Wrestling Federation - Chyna - Jim Ross - Kevin Kelly - Ultimate Pro Wrestling - Southern Californian - Gimmick - Cheerleader

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Like several other divas, including Ivory and Lita, Varon made her on-screen debut in the WWF as one of The Godfather's "hos" (whores), Victoria (named after the British monarch of the same name). After The Godfather lost a match to Bull Buchanan on July 19, 2000, and was subsequently indoctrinated by the conservative Right to Censor faction, Varon and the other hos were, in storyline terms, made redundant. Varon, billed as the "head ho", began a "save the hos" campaign, protesting with placards during R.T.C. matches. R.T.C. eventually responded, with leader Steven Richards ordering The Godfather, now known as "The Goodfather", to drive Varon through a table on the August 7, 2000, episode of RAW. Varon, in her capacity as ho, made one more appearance on WWF television. On the October 9, 2000, episode of RAW, GTV footage of Varon and another ho, Mandy, cavorting in a shower with Eddie Guerrero was responsible for the on-screen breakup of Guerrero and his fiancée, Chyna, precipitating the heel turn of Guerrero.

Related Topics:
Divas - Ivory - Lita - The Godfather's - "hos" (whores) - British monarch - Bull Buchanan - July 19 - Indoctrinated - Right to Censor - Faction - Storyline - Steven Richards - Table - August 7 - RAW - October 9 - GTV - Eddie Guerrero - Heel - Turn

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Varon, by now contracted as a wrestler, was sent to Memphis Championship Wrestling in Memphis, Tennesse, another WWF developmental territory. In MCW, she acted as commissioner for a time, managed Steve Bradley, and feuded with Stacy Carter and R.T.C. member Ivory. In 2001, with MCW closing, she was transferred to Ohio Valley Wrestling in Louisville, Kentucky, where she trained under Molly Holly. Using the name Queen Victoria, Varon managed "The Machine" Doug Basham and The Damaja, later known collectively as the Basham Brothers

Related Topics:
Memphis Championship Wrestling - Memphis, Tennesse - Commissioner - Managed - Steve Bradley - Feuded - Stacy Carter - 2001 - Ohio Valley Wrestling - Louisville, Kentucky - Molly Holly - Name - "The Machine" Doug Basham - The Damaja - Basham Brothers

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As a heel

After spending a considerable amount of time training in MCW and OVW, Varon returned to the WWF, by now renamed World Wrestling Entertainment, on the July 7, 2002 episode of Sunday Night Heat, losing to Trish Stratus. She was formally reintroduced on the August 5, 2002 episode of RAW as Victoria, the heel trainee of Molly Holly. Her character was quickly established as that of a psychopath who was jealous of Stratus' success and wanted to make her life a living hell. In the culmination of a feud lasting four months, Varon defeated Stratus for the WWE Women's Championship in a hardcore match at Survivor Series 2002 on November 17, 2002 in Madison Square Garden. The following night on RAW, she defeated Stacy Keibler, debuting her finisher, the "Widow's Peak". After the match, Steven Richards foiled an attempt at retribution by Stratus, beginning a pairing that would last for over a year.

Related Topics:
World Wrestling Entertainment - July 7 - 2002 - Sunday Night Heat - Trish Stratus - August 5 - RAW - Heel - Molly Holly - Character - Psychopath - Feud - WWE Women's Championship - Hardcore match - Survivor Series 2002 - November 17 - Madison Square Garden - Stacy Keibler - Widow's Peak - Steven Richards

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Varon's feud with Stratus continued for several more months, encompassing a street fight on the January 27, 2003 episode of RAW which was won by Varon, considered by some fans to be among the best women's matches in WWE history. Varon's reign lasted until WrestleMania XIX, held on March 29, 2003 in Seattle, Washington, when she lost to Stratus in a triple threat match which also included Jazz. Following the loss, it was speculated that Varon had dropped the title in order to allow for her to have surgery on her right knee, which she had injured some time earlier. However, instead of having surgery, Varon opted (on the advice of Stone Cold Steve Austin) to wear a knee brace during matches, a trait she continues to this day.

Related Topics:
Street fight - January 27 - 2003 - WrestleMania XIX - March 29 - Seattle, Washington - Jazz - Stone Cold Steve Austin - Brace

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For the remainder of 2003, Varon continued to compete in the women's division, in addition to accompaying the by now self-proclaimed "General Manager of Heat" Stevie Richards wherever he went. As time progressed, she began to receive face, prompting the WWE creative team to turn her into a face by the end of 2003.

Related Topics:
Face - Creative

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The face run

With the WWE creative team unconvinced that Varon's gimmick would befit a face wrestler, Varon began to exhibit certain characteristics of a "good girl," such as having a more revealing wardrobe, allowing young boys to kiss her while she approached the ring, and dancing at the top of the ramp to techno music. The drastic character change was criticised by a number of fans who complained that it lacked an explanation and deprived Varon of an unique gimmick.

Related Topics:
Dancing - Techno music

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Varon's face run began with a feud with then-Women's Champion Molly Holly. On the February 23, 2004 episode of RAW, Varon won a four-way elimination match which included Holly, Jazz, and Lita (who took the pinfall) to capture the Women's Championship for a second time. Her feud with Molly reached its zenith at WrestleMania XX on March 14, 2004 , where Varon pinned Holly, who subsequently had her head shaved bald as a result of a stipulation of the match. She lost the Women's Championship on June 13, 2004 at Bad Blood 2004 in a four-way match which also included Gail Kim (with whom she was feuding with at the time), the by now heel Stratus, and Lita (the title changed hands when Stratus pinned Lita). The match was originally scheduled to be a singles bout between Varon and Kim, but Straus and Lita were added to the match on the episode of RAW preceding the pay-per-view.

Related Topics:
February 23 - Lita - WrestleMania XX - March 14 - Head shaved bald - June 13 - 2004 - Bad Blood 2004 - Gail Kim

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Varon renewed her feud with Stratus, with Stevie (who had left her without any on-air explanation several months earlier) coming to her aid while dressed as a woman when she was menaced by Stratus' henchman, Tyson Tomko. However, a hand injury suffered by Stratus at a house show would derail the feud for several weeks. Their feud resumed after SummerSlam 2004, but by this point, WWE was more concerned with building up a feud between Trish and Lita, so their feud received little attention. Their second feud culminated on September 12, 2004 at Unforgiven 2004, where Stratus retained her title with the help of Tomko.

Related Topics:
Dressed as a woman - Tyson Tomko - House show - SummerSlam 2004 - September 12 - Unforgiven 2004

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Following the end of the feud, Varon continued to compete in the women's divison, albeit with her on-air time greatly reduced. In November 2004, WWE announced a "change of direction" in the women's division and released Gail Kim, Nidia, and Jazz. Between her diminished appearances, the aformentioned releases, WWE's decision to hire most of the women who had competed in that year's Diva Search and the announcement of a second Diva Search the following year, the departure of Molly Holly in April 2005 and a planned WWE roster cut in light of a projected fall in revenue, it was widely assumed that Varon would be released from the company. However, this was not the case.

Related Topics:
November 2004 - Nidia - Diva Search - April 2005

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Back to a heel

On the May 30, 2005 episode of RAW, Varon became a heel once again by attacking Maria Kanellis, Candice Michelle, Jerry "The King" Lawler and Christy Hemme following a loss to Christy in a swimsuit contest, citing jealousy at the opportunities Hemme had received. Her actions were met with applause by the audience, which was interpreted by some as annoyance on the part of the crowd at the influx of female performers with limited wrestling experience. Three weeks later, Varon knocked Hemme unconscious with a glass pitcher, leaving her bleeding from the back of the head. She then went on to defeat Hemme at Vengeance 2005 on June 26, 2005, where once again she enjoyed the support of the live audience.

Related Topics:
May 30 - 2005 - Maria Kanellis - Candice Michelle - Jerry "The King" Lawler - Christy Hemme - Swimsuit contest - Bleeding - Vengeance 2005 - June 26

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Several weeks later, on the August 7, 2005 episode of Heat, Varon, once again fueled by jealousy, attacked Stacy Keibler. She defeated Keibler two weeks later in a dark match which was available as a free "bonus match" on WWE.com. Her feuds with Hemme and Keibler were abruptly terminated by the announcement on the August 22, 2005 episode of RAW that her rivals had been traded to SmackDown! in exchange for Torrie Wilson and Candice Michelle. The following week on RAW, Varon was introduced as the enforcer of Wilson and Michelle, and squashed their enemy, the 2005 Diva Search winner, Ashley Massaro, in a short match. The next week, she helped Wilson defeated Massaro by illegally attacking Massaro in the course of the match. Massaro would get revenge for her beatings on the next RAW, as she introduced a returning Trish Stratus (now a face), who proceded to take out the heels with Massaro. This would set up a tag match at Unforgiven, where the team of Massaro and Stratus would beat Varon and Wilson when Stratus pinned Varon. The next night on RAW, Stratus would defeat Wilson in a match where afterwards, the heels would attack the faces, punctuated by Varon hitting a Widow's Peak on Stratus.

Related Topics:
August 7 - Stacy Keibler - Dark match - August 22 - SmackDown! - Torrie Wilson - Candice Michelle - Enforcer - Squashed - Ashley Massaro - Unforgiven

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