Reminding Fans Why Chyna Deserves WWE HOF Nod on Royal Rumble Entry Anniversary

On January 24, 1999, the late "Eighth Wonder of the World" Chyna became the first woman to ever enter the Royal Rumble match and began an in-ring career that saw her break down barriers, rewrite history and forever change the perceptions of what women in WWE could achieve.

Some 20 years later, though, a controversial life away from the squared circle has her on the outside looking in at the company's Hall of Fame.

On the anniversary of one of the most significant moments of her exceptional run in sports entertainment, it is more and more apparent that Chyna deserves to take her spot among the immortals and have her accomplishments remembered and celebrated appropriately.

Historical Significance

Before Chyna, the idea that a female Superstar could be perceived to be on the same level as one of the men was foreign. Women were often treated as sideshows or, at many points in the Attitude Era of WWE, even worse—mindless eye candy. 

Chyna changed all preconceptions, exploding onto the scene in 1997 and immediately ragdolling Terri "Marlena" Runnels in a bold announcement to the entire wrestling world that she was strong, independent and would kick a man's ass if need be.

Over the course of her first two years with WWE, Chyna's role expanded until she was heavily featured in a storyline with Mark Henry in which she answered his advances with a stiff forearm to the face. She outsmarted him, something women were rarely allowed to do to their male counterparts.

Then she entered the 1999 Royal Rumble, and her career trajectory changed forever.

No longer just a second for Triple H, she began working with the men, becoming the only woman to ever compete in the King of the Ring tournament and battling for the rights to the D-Generation X copyright against Road Dogg and X-Pac.

By the time she stood up to the chauvinistic Jeff Jarrett and challenged him for the Intercontinental Championship, Chyna had already rewritten the history books in regards to a woman's place inside the squared circle.

When she defeated Double J to win that title, becoming the first—and only—woman to ever win the coveted IC title, she cemented her status as a trailblazer and Hall of Fame-worthy performer.

Throw in another reign with that title and a Playboy magazine cover that launched her into mainstream consciousness and you have a woman whose star power and crossover appeal was not matched until Brie and Nikki Bella launched Total Divas.

While Lita and Trish Stratus get credit for grandmothering the women's revolution within the company, it was Chyna who broke free of the chains of convention and made it cool for women to be kick-ass members of the WWE Universe.

Controversy

As quickly as Chyna's star burned within the company, it faded.

An attempt to make her the centerpiece of the women's division failed because Chyna was viewed as better than that. She had, after all, combatted Triple H and Mankind in high-profile Raw matches, while women like Ivory and Jacqueline had to fight for screen time on D-level shows like WWE Metal.

They posed no real match for her, nor did Lita or Trish or any of the other women that made up a quality-yet-underdeveloped women's division.

After ex-boyfriend Triple H began dating Stephanie McMahon off-camera, Chyna reportedly demanded more money from the company to stick around. WWE owner Vince McMahon was unwilling to match her demands, as revealed on the Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard podcast (contains profanity). 

She departed the company, and soon, troubling reality-show appearances on shows like The Surreal Life and Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew gave fans a glimpse at a former star whose demons outside the wrestling world were controlling her.

Then there were the adult films, which put her at odds with the new family-friendly image of WWE.

Like so many wrestling stars of her era, her life had a tragically early end. On April 20, 2016, died at the age of 46. Her death was attributed to "an accidental overdose of a prescription sleeping pill and a tranquilizer," her manager told USA Today.

The circumstances surrounding her death and the venture into adult films seem to have made her persona non grata in WWE circles, and the company wanted nothing to do with honoring her in its prestigious Hall of Fame.

And therein lies the problem.

There are numerous members of the WWE Hall of Fame who have had embarrassing and shameful run-ins with the law or their own personal demons to overcome. Industry icons such as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle and The Ultimate Warrior all have controversies beyond the mat that have called their character into question.

Then there was Triple H's appearance on WWE Network's Stone Cold Podcast in 2015 (h/t Cageside Seats for the transcription), in which he credited Chyna's history in adult films as the reason her name would not be called at the Hall of Fame:

"My eight-year-old kid sees the Hall of Fame, and my eight-year-old kid goes on the Internet to look at... 'oh, this is Chyna, I've never heard of her, I'm 8-years-old, I've never heard of that.' So I go type it in, I go punch it up, and what comes up? And I'm not criticizing anybody, I'm not criticizing lifestyle choices; everybody has their reasons. I don't know what they were and I don't care to know. It's not a morality thing or anything else. It is just the fact of what it is. That's a difficult choice."

For a company that survived the Monday Night Wars of the late 1990s because of a product that oftentimes ventured into the realm of explicit sexual content, the suggestion that WWE would not allow a significant figure like Chyna to be celebrated alongside the other immensely talented and important men and women from wrestling's long and illustrious past is both disappointing and asinine.

It's Time to Make It Right

WWE is in the midst of a women's revolution. Now more than ever, the role of women in the company is more prominent and celebrated. There has been an all-women's pay-per-view, gimmick bouts that female talent never would have been able to sniff previously and championships created just for them.

They have storylines, they have defined characters and their popularity is not dependent upon how little clothing they wear.

As evidenced by Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, women are every bit as important in 2019 as their male counterparts.

What better way to look toward the future of women in professional wrestling than by paying tribute to their greatest trailblazer?

Chyna did more to prove that women in sports entertainment can break free from the confines of expectation and history to become something greater. She proved they could stand alongside the men, equals in terms of star power and importance to the show. At a time when the industry was dominated by men, she proved there was no mountain a woman could not conquer, no award they could not win and no championship they could not strive for.

On what would have been her 49th birthday on December 28, Sean "X-Pac" Waltman took to Twitter and spoke of her significance and echoed calls for her Hall of Fame induction.

Shortly after her death, the same Triple H that discussed the complexities regarding an induction told the Mirror on the same subject, "There was never anybody like her before her, and there will never be anybody like her after. It's certainly warranted and I'm sure at some point when the time is right, hopefully, that could happen."

So what has changed?

Induct Chyna into the Hall of Fame, let her rest right alongside the likes of Lita, Trish, Beth Phoenix, Ivory, Jacqueline and the other women who saw success in WWE. Chyna opened the door to making them relevant in the industry.

Credit her for her role in a revolution WWE so readily touts and recognize her accomplishments, many of which are unlikely to ever be replicated.