Ringbelles Roundup (24 May 2011)
The Big News
Christina Crawford was eliminated from Tough Enough last night, putting an end to any prospect of a woman winning the show for the first time since 2002. She was cut by Steve Austin for not showing enough charisma during this week’s challenge, and had lost her confidence after suffering an ankle injury on last week’s show when her leg buckled from delivering a top rope axehandle.
It doesn’t seem to have made a difference to her prospects of ending up on WWE TV though, as she was filmed last week wrestling at Florida Championship Wrestling, where she had been training previously before getting out of her developmental deal to compete in Tough Enough. The indication that she has returned back to the situation she was in previously just shows that she had a fall-back option in case she was cut, in that she could return to Florida and pick up where she left off. It must annoy other female wrestlers who applied that this was possibly an “easier option” for Christina, rather than being her best chance at making it to WWE.
In fact, many women – Brittany Savage, Mercedes Martinez, She Nay Nay, Athena, Jessicka Havok, Roxie Cotton and the like – must be pretty disappointed how for the most part, none of the girls made any impression on the show in one way or another. None of them won a skills challenge, and between the five girls, they featured in the bottom three on a total of eight occasions in eight episodes. (more…)
Judy Grable to be inducted in Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame
Amsterdam, NY will be the gathering place for wrestling legends this weekend, as the great and the good in the grappling game come together to pay tribute to their brothers and sisters, and enshrine another class in the prestigious Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame. Amongst those being honoured is the late “Barefoot Contessa” Judy Grable, who will be posthumously inducted alongside a class which features Dick The Bruiser, The Road Warriors, Jerry “The King” Lawler, Billy Robinson, and a certain Vincent Kennedy McMahon.
While Vince Jr’s Hall of Fame is often more a case of “Hall of people Vince gets on with” (and will likely remain that way until the likes of Bruno Sammartino take their spot in the Hall), the PWHOF in upstate New York state has specific selection process, and inductees are decided upon by a distinguished panel of former wrestlers, managers and journalists. Every year, a female wrestler is inducted, and Grable will join a roll of honour which includes Mildred Burke (2002), The Fabulous Moolah (2003), Mae Young (2004), Penny Banner (2005), June Byers (2006), Cora Combs (2007), Betty Niccoli (2008), Donna Christianello (2009) & Kay Noble (2010).
Interact!