JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Seldom does one region in the country produce so many global stars, but Northeast Florida boasts five in the world of women’s wrestling.
As part of our Women’s History Month coverage, News4JAX is highlighting women who have inspired the next generation -- and these stars certainly have.
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Michelle McCool
Let’s start with the woman who’s about to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. We’re talking about Palatka native Michelle McCool.
Before entering the world of pro wrestling, McCool taught middle school in Putnam County.
But in 2004 her star started to shine when she entered the WWE Diva Search and was picked up by the company.
Eventually McCool became one of WWE’s top women’s stars and held multiple world titles.
She eventually retired from in-ring work and married her husband Mark Calaway, who wrestling fans know much better as The Undertaker.
Earlier this year it was announced that McCool is being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas.
Jade Cargill
If you’re not a wrestling fan, you might have heard of Jade Cargill during her time as a standout on the Jacksonville University basketball team.
While she did receive accolades playing for the Dolphins, Cargill really started gaining fame when she joined Jacksonville-based All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Cargill quickly became one of the promotion’s top stars who was featured each week on national television.
And perhaps her highest profile match happened in AEW when she teamed up with Shaquille O’Neal in a tag team match.
And that was just the beginning for Cargill.
Not too long after that WWE came calling. She quickly was teaming up with another big star -- Bianca Belair -- and is currently in a heated feud with Naomi.
Victoria Crawford (Alicia Fox)
Next is a star who’s become very close with the News4JAX Team. We’re talking about Ponte Vedra Beach native Victoria Crawford who WWE fans knew as Alicia Fox.
Crawford has become a regular guest on the Going Ringside podcast.
Here’s one of the many episodes where she’s been featured.
But this all started after nearly two decades in WWE.
Crawford was recruited by WWE almost immediately after graduating from Nease High School. From there she was brought into WWE’s developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) and quickly was thrust onto the main roster.
Crawford was barely in her 20s when she was put into the spotlight with some of the company’s top stars at the time.
Now she’s on the independent circuit and a match between her and another WWE alum Indi Hartwell will soon be featured on Going Ringside.
Barbara Blank (Kelly Kelly)
Her real name is Barbara (also Barbie) Blank. But fans worldwide came to know another Nease High School graduate as Kelly Kelly.
She joined WWE right around the same time as Crawford.
Also starting in WWE’s developmental territories, she was quickly brought up to the main shows and was the youngest WWE Diva at only 19 years old.
Blank quickly became one of the most popular performers in the company and was involved with all the top stars like CM Punk and Mickie James.
And while fans around the world remember Blank for her time as Kelly Kelly, Jacksonville viewers might remember her from a commercial after WWE for Larry’s Giant Subs.
Rena Lesnar (Sable)
And before all the women listed above became stars, there was one WWE star who in a fashion paved the way for the rest. We’re talking about Rena Lesnar, who wrestling fans knew better as Sable.
We’ll call her Sable in this section of the article so you don’t confuse her with her real-life husband, WWE Superstar Brock Lesnar.
Sable became one of the hottest stars during WWE’s (then WWF) hottest era, “The Attitude Era”. That’s when stars like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock became household names. In fact, when those two were featured on TV Guide’s cover, Sable was on there with them.
Sable was born in Jacksonville and got involved in modeling and athletics at a young age.
She entered the crazy world of pro wrestling in the 1990s with her ex-husband Marc Mero.
In the episode of Going Ringside (link above) with Mero, he discussed Vince McMahon first meeting Sable and immediately wanting to put her on TV.
She quickly became one of the most popular women ever to perform in the wrestling industry.