Who is Michelle McCool ?
Michelle Leigh Calaway(née McCool; born January 25, 1980) is an American professional wrestler. She is best known for her time in WWE, where she was a two-time WWE Divas Champion and a two-time WWE Women’s Champion, who retired May 1, 2011.
McCool originally worked as a high school teacher in Palatka, Florida. She joined WWE in 2004 after participating in the WWE Divas Search. In her initial on-screen appearances, she used the character of a personal trainer, before changing it to that of a teacher. At The Great American Bash in 2008, McCool became the inaugural WWE Divas Champion, holding the title for approximately five months. She then won the WWE Women’s Championship at The Bash in 2009, becoming the first female wrestler to hold both titles. At Night of Champions in 2010, she unified both titles becoming the first and only WWE Unified Divas Champion. McCool held both titles twice, making her a four-time overall champion. In November 2010, she was ranked number one on Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s 50 Women list and retired the following year.
Early Life
Both of McCool’s parents work in education; his mother, Jenny, is a teacher and his father, Terry, is a superintendent.He has an older brother who played football at the University of Cincinnati.Growing up, McCool was an avid wrestling fan, coming to know how to do Ric Flair’s signature maneuver, the figure four leg lock, at age seven. Before and during high school, McCool played softball, basketball, and volleyball.He also played first base at Pasco-Hernando State College.McCool later received his master’s degree in educational leadership from Florida State University, and taught seventh grade science for four years in his hometown of Palatka, Florida.She also competed in National Physique Committee fitness contests, taught gymnastics and kickboxing, and worked as a personal trainer.
World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE Territories of development and training (2004-2006)
McCool first came to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as a competitor in the 2004 WWE Divas Search, losing to Christy Hemme.Although she was eliminated, WWE signed her to a three-year contract in November.She quickly began appearing in backstage segments on SmackDown! playing a physical trainer and teaching stretches to various fighters. She Wrestled on her first SmackDown! match, teaming with The Big Show to defeat Dawn Marie and René Duprée on March 3, 2005.McCool made her singles debut on March 24, losing to Marie.A few months later, McCool became part of the feud between MNM (Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury) and Heidenreich when she defended Heidenreich against verbal attacks from MNM manager Melina.In a match on June 30, Melina defeated McCool by pinning her with the illegal help of ring ropes as leverage. McCool was then sent to WWE’s developmental facility, Deep South Wrestling (DSW), where she wrestled, conducted interviews, hosted segments, and provided color commentary. While she was at DSW, she was hospitalized after having an allergic reaction to a prescription drug and was temporarily off duty to recover.[1] Eventually, she began training at WWE’s other developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). While at OVW, she began managing the Amish duo Roadkill and K.C. Santiago. Main roster debut (2006–2008)
McCool in 2008
SMcCool returned to SmackDown! on June 2, 2006, this time as a heel with a “s*xy teacher” gimmick, playing on her real-life experiences as a teacher. Upon her arrival, she aligned herself with Kristal Marshall to feud with Jillian Hall and Ashley Massaro. This feud led to a Fatal Four-Way Bra and Panties match at The Great American Bash, which Massaro won. She won her first singles match on the July 28 episode of SmackDown!, defeating Hall illegally using the ropes as leverage. Shortly thereafter, she began acting as a valet for the team of K. C. James and Idol Stevens, who, due to her association with them, were nicknamed The Teacher’s Pets . The trio began feuding with Paul London and Brian Kendrick, and their valet Massaro, for the WWE Tag Team Championship, but never won the title. The feud ended when London and Kendrick won a match against them at No Mercy in October.On November 28, McCool was hospitalized with an enlarged kidney, a ruptured sternum, and an electrolyte imbalance.She was released from the hospital on December 2. McCool returned on the March 30, 2007 episode of SmackDown! , where she participated in a 10 Divas tag team match. On the April 13 episode of SmackDown!, McCool was once again a fan favorite of hers when she came to Ashley’s aid after Jillian Hall attacked her backstage.Subsequently, a series of matches between Victoria and McCool took place,including a mixed tag team match where Victoria and Kenny Dykstra defeated McCool and Chuck Palumbo.
Personal life
McCool was married to Jeremy Louis Alexander, whom she began dating in high school.The couple divorced in 2006.She married fellow wrestler Mark Calaway, known professionally as The Undertaker, on June 26, 2010 in Houston, Texas.Their first child together, daughter Kaia, was born in August 2012.
McCool is a devout Christian,and incorporated Christian crosses into her wrestling attire.
She has had several wrestling-related injuries; In November 2007, she broke her nose during a WWE tour abroad after Victoria’s clothesline hit her in the face.She has been hospitalized twice, she had two broken ribs, a broken sternum and a broken xiphoid process.When she finally decided to retire from active wrestling competition and thus left WWE and ended her active career, she mentioned that her foot had been injured for two months prior with a broken toe, torn joint capsules and a torn MCL. In 2016 she was diagnosed with skin cancer and she underwent successful treatment.In April 2019, she publicly revealed that she had struggled with infertility and had suffered multiple miscarriages.
Michelle McCool Net Worth
Michelle has an estimated net worth of $3.5 million. This includes her assets, money, and income. Her primary source of income is her career as an American retired professional wrestler. Through her various sources of income, McCool has been able to accumulate good fortune but prefers to lead a modest lifestyle.
