Daffney

At 46 years old, Daffney has this physical status:

Shannon Claire Spruill (born July 17, 1975) is an American retired professional wrestler and valet, and actress, better known by her ring name, Daffney.

She is best known for her appearances with World Championship Wrestling between 1999 and 2001 and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling from 2008 to 2011.

Early life

As a "military brat", Shannon Claire Spruill was born on July 17, 1975, at the Wiesbaden Army Airfield, a United States Air Force base in Wiesbaden-Erbenheim, Hesse, West Germany, where her father was stationed. In 1976, her family returned to the United States, residing first in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, then in Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia, and finally on the Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County, Illinois. They relocated to Oxford, Oxfordshire, in the United Kingdom for three years, before moving to the Ramstein Air Base in Rhineland-Palatinate, West Germany until 1987, when her father, by then a Lieutenant Colonel, retired.

In 1985, Spruill had an uncredited bit part in the film Santa Claus: The Movie. In March 1998, she graduated from Georgia State University, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in film and video production, with minors in acting and music. She went on to work in media production before pursuing full-time acting.

Personal life

Spruill married guitarist Rich Ward in 1999. The couple separated in 2003. After their divorce, she later dated professional wrestler CM Punk. She had a close relationship with wrestler Jamie Lynn Senegal, whom she considered to be her daughter.

On July 19, 2011, Spruill was arrested in Hillsborough County, Florida, for driving under the influence with property damage. She pled guilty to the charges, for which she was sentenced to one year of probation and fined $1,580.

In 2012, she was involved in a serious car accident in Florida. She credited wearing her seat belt for having saved her life.

In 2003, Spruill was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Spruill had surgery in January 2017 to fuse her C-5 and C-6 vertebrae to fix an extrusion that was pressing upon her spinal column. She subsequently wrote that neck surgery was a "rite of passage" for professional wrestlers.

Towards the end of her life, Spruill became vocal about concussions in the professional wrestling industry. In the 2017 book Sisterhood of the Squared Circle: The History and Rise of Women’s Wrestling, Spruill was quoted as saying concussions had ended her professional wrestling career and advised other wrestlers to rest after taking a blow to the head. Senegal says the effects the concussions had on her day-to-day life were obvious, such as having to cover windows with blankets because bright lights gave her headaches. In a livestream video posted the day that she died, Spruill said: "I want the future generations to know. Don’t do stupid shit like me."

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Professional wrestling career

She registered in November 1999 as part of a World Championship Wrestling (WCW) competition, looking to find new talent and was recruited. Spruill played Daffney, the physically depressed, besotted girlfriend of David Flair, who was in WCW, in charge of him and Crowbar. When she was lurking at ringside, one of Daffney's signatures was a piercing scream. The gimmick was based in part on Mallory Knox, the fictional character played by Juliette Lewis in the film Natural Born Killers. Harley Quinn, the original inspiration for the role, was cited by Spruill. Spruill's first appearance on Nitro's December 6 episode was when she was shown sleeping on her bed and chanting Flair's name.

Vince Russo selected Daffney to face Miss Elizabeth in her first wrestling match on May 8, 2000. Daffney and Crowbar defeated WCW World Cruiserweight Champion Chris Candido and his partner Tammy Lynn Sytch in a mixed tag team match where Candidos cruiserweight champion Chris Candido and her partner Tammy Lynn Sytch were on the line, while Daffney and Crowbar were crowned co-champions. The following week, the Undisputed World Cruiserweight Champion would face whoever else on the May 22 episode of Nitro, Crowbar, and Daffney face one another in a match for the undisputed World Cruiserweight Champion. Crowbar sattered through the game, but the smaller Daffney dominated the younger Daffney. Spruill inadvertently pinned Crowbar after Candido stepped out and struck Crowbar with a reverse piledriver, becoming the second woman to hold the Cruiserweight Championship ever. Lieutenant Loco pinned Disco Inferno in a three-way championship defense until June 7, but Daffney was injured after interference from Miss Hancock. Daffney continued to feud with Hancock, who had stolen Flair's affections. After Hancock took the bride's first-ever Wedding Gown match, Daffney defeated Hancock in the promotion's first-ever Wedding Gown match. Daffney was then solely the valet for Crowbar. Torrie Wilson, Shane Douglas' valet, had a brief feud with her, but she was still primarily used as a wrestler.

The latter, which was the suggestion of head WCW writer Ed Ferrara, included frequently changing hair color, t-shirts printed with strange slogans, and her screams. Due to budget cutbacks, she was released by WCW on February 2, 2001. A month later, the World Wrestling Federation acquired WCW.

Spruill decided to keep wrestling after being banned from WCW, attending Dusty Rhodes' Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling training camp in Kennesaw, Georgia for eight months. Lucy, Vic Grimes' manager, also worked for Xtreme Pro Wrestling in 2003. She debuted as Lucy, the valet of the Second City Saints, in Ring of Honor, where she debuted on April 26, 2003. Spruill was contracted to a World Wrestling Entertainment-sponsored development contract in July 2003. She spent her time in Beaver Stevens, Ohio, as the boss of Aaron Stevens, until she was fired on December 17 of the same year. Spruill has decided to retire from competitive wrestling. She sold her wrestling boots to Mickie James, her then-roommate, assuaging to concentrate on her acting career. Spruill spent time as a personal trainer before retiring.

She posed for a website owned and operated by Francine and Missy Hyatt in June 2005. Spruill returned to the independent circuit in February 2006. Spruill debuted in Women's Extreme Wrestling on April 6, ranging as a lumberjack in a match between Amy Lee and Tai Killer Weed. Spruill defeated El Mexico for the NWA Wrestle Birmingham Junior Heavyweight Championship on June 2 in Irondale, Alabama. Spruill defeated El Mexicano 2-1, with the support of her boss, Robert Fuller (who referred to Spruill as his "Million Dollar Baby" in his third wrestling title. She debuted as a boss and a referee at Georgia Wrestling Promotions in February 2007.

Spruill made his debut in April 2007 as the Daffney of Shimmer Women Athletes. She did an interview where she revealed that her goal was to return to what she did from the beginning of her career, and that was to manage. MsChif's manager appeared later that evening. In April 2008, she began to wrestle as her Shark Girl character. However, she returned to wrestling as Daffney after just a few months. Daffney formed with Rachel Summerlyn against the International Home Wrecking Crew at Volume 27, only to turn sour when abandoning Summerlyn during the game, resulting in the IHWC's loss. Daffney was disqualified in a match against Summerlyn later in the night after she did not announce an unlawful hold off her opponent. The evil Daffney defeated Summerlyn in a No Disqualification match on April 11, 2010, at the tapings of Volume 31.

Daffney won her first Women's Championship over the weekend, defeating Rachel Summerlyn in the 1st round of the Anarchy Championship Wrestling's 2010 American Joshi Queen of Queens Tournament. In the 2nd round, Jessica James lost the crown to her in the 2nd round. Daffney appeared as the boss of Regeneration X on April 6, 2013, when she returned to Shimmer Women Athletes' first ever internet pay-per-view, where she appeared as the representative of Regeneration X (Allison Danger and Leva Bates).

Shannon and Shark Girl were a series of performers in the fledgling Total Nonstop Action Wrestling tournament from 2002 to 2003 (valet of Shark Boy).

She appeared as a planted fan in the audience on TNA Impact!'s June 5, 2008 episode, as well as fellow wrestlers Amber O'Neal and Becky Bayless. In a $25,000 Challenge, the three women registered to compete in a Great Kong challenge. Daffney was selected and then defeated by Kong, who then defeated him.

Spruill portrayed Alaska governor Sarah Palin in skits involving the Beautiful People in December 2008. Taylor Wilde and Roxxi's admission that "Sarah Palin" was indeed fake, and Roxxi and Taylor's ruse on The Beautiful People was revealed on January 15, 2009 episode of Impact! In an interview with Lauren, where they mocked the Beautiful People, she was seen next week. The Beautiful People then went on to vehemently insult "The Governor" before being pulled away by Cute Kip as Spruill lay wounded. She made her return to Impact by attacking the Beautiful People on February 5, 2009, this time complete with entrance video and theme. When she team with Roxxi and Wilde to defeat The Beautiful People and Madison Rayne, she made her PPV debut at Destination X in a winless effort.

Spruill turned into her old Daffney ring name and gimmick on the April 2 episode of Impact!, as a result of having her hair cut by the Beautiful People on the March 19 episode of Impact! On Impact!'s April 16 episode, she joined Stevie's other patient Abyss to defeat the duo of ODB and Cody Deaner in a mixed tag team match. She competed in the Queen of the Cage match against ODB, Madison Rayne, and Sojournor Bolt, but she was unable to win the game. Daffney turned heel when she attacked Taylor Wilde on May 14 because she did not save her when The Beautiful People cut her hair. In the first ever Monster's Ball match, Sacrifice Wilde defeated Daffney, who had Abyss and Dr. Stevie in her corner. Daffney and Dr. Stevie began identifying themselves with the returning Raven in a match against Wilde on June 4 in Impact's rematch with her swinging fisherman suplex named the Lobotomy. Lauren, her on-screen best friend, and backstage interviewer, became stabbed Wilde backstage the following week, prompting her to scream Wilde backstage. In a Monster's Ball mixed tag match, Abyss and Taylor Wilde defeated Daffney and Raven at Slammiversary. Wilde slammed Daffney with a pile of thumbtacks during the match. "Match of 10,000 Tacks" was the first thing to ever "Match of 10,000 Tacks" on Impact!, which she lost.

Abyss' competitor and Daffney's associate Dr. Stevie was sent as the special guest referee of the match at Bound for Glory. Abyss choked Daffney from the ring apron through a barbed wire board, although reports indicated she had broken her arm, it was later discovered to be inaccurate, but she had in fact sustained a concussion. Raven returned to TNA to restructure the group of himself, Dr. Stevie and Daffney, on the November 12 episode of Impact!

Daffney spent the next couple of months mainly managing Stevie and Raven before re-risinging to TNA Women's Knockout Champion Tara via disqualification after striking her with a toolbox on February 18, 2010. After the match, Daffney continued her assault before being pulled away by Dr. Stevie.

The following week on Impact!

In the same way, she annihilated ODB as it was announced that she had her eye on the title. Daffney cost Tara and her tag team partner Angelina Love the Knockout Tag Team Championship by striking her with the Women's Knockout Championship belt during a match for the vacant titles on March 8th. Destination X Daffney failed in her quest to win the Knockout Championship from Tara, but she managed to recover her spider Poison from her after the match.

The following day on Impact!

In an eight wrestler tag team match, Daffney earned her a First Blood match for the Women's Knockout Championship the following week. Tara defeated Daffney in a First Blood match the following week after smashing her with a toolbox. Daffney was one of the four winners of an eight knockout Lockbox tournament that was fought for four keys to four boxes containing prizes the following week. Tara, one of the three other winners, gained Poison back, but Daffney was left empty handed and was forced to bare down, but Lacey Von Erich attacked her before she could. Daffney, now a celebrity, and ODB's companion, ODB, unsuccessfully challenged Von Erich and Velvet Sky for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship, resulting in a match on April 19 episode of Impact!, where she defeated Von Erich and Velvet Sky.

At the following day's Impact!

Daffney was injured in a dark match against Miss Betsy in her tryout competition, and she was admitted to a hospital, where she was found with a severely bruised sternum, a severe stinger, and a concussion.

Spruill had been allowed to return to wrestling on May 26. She appeared at the tapings of Xplosion on June 14 as a hero and assisting Taylor Wilde with the support of a chain, but only later had the referee of the match catch her after a restart. Daffney and Sarita were teamed up in a first round match of the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship, where the Beautiful People were defeated by the Beautiful People on December 9 episode of Impact! Daffney's last appearance for TNA came on March 15, 2011, and he was not renewed. Spruill reported that she had filed a workers' compensation case against TNA for injuries sustained while working for the promotion, citing an unsafe working environment. Spruill later admitted that she did not believe she would return to wrestling due to the numerous injuries she sustained during her career. On March 8, 2013, the case was dismissed out of court.

Spruill appeared in early 2009 on the first season tapings of Wrestlicious, which premiered in March 2010, focusing on the character of Draculetta. She made her debut on March 17 in the third episode of Takedown, co-leading with White Magic in a tag team match in which they lost by disqualification to Lacey Von Erich and Amber Lively.

Despite retiring in 2011, she began serving as hostess of the new Shine Wrestling promotion in July 2012. She served as a manager until May 2013, when she resumed to the position as a manager. When Daffney became the Iron Maidens' boss in July 2015, the team's various tag teams were attacked during matches. She competed in Ring of Honor in 2018 after she defeated Sakai and Kelly Klein in the Women of Honor World Championship tournament final, congratulating Sakai.

Daffney appeared at his first non-archival WWE appearance when she was in the audience and acknowledged by Mick Foley during his WWE Network stand-up special Twenty Years of Hell, which was taped in Pittsburgh at the Civic Arena on the 20th anniversary of the legendary Hell in a Cell match that took place in Pittsburgh.

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