Gail Kim

At 47 years old, Gail Kim has this physical status:

Gail Kim (born February 20, 1977) is a retired Canadian-American professional wrestler who currently works with Impact Wrestling, where she works as a producer.

She is also a seven-time Knockouts champion in Impact Wrestling.

She is also known for her two stints in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where she won the WWE Women's Championship in her first match. Kim began her wrestling on the Canadian-American independent circuit before joining WWE in 2002.

In her first match, she became the first WWE Diva to win a championship.

Kim joined TNA in September 2005 after being rejected by WWE in 2004.

She was accepted as a valet for America's Most Wanted team.

Kim began competing as a singles wrestler after the group's dissolution, eventually becoming the inaugural TNA Knockouts Champion in October 2007.

She left TNA in August 2008 to return to WWE three months later, where she remained until 2011.

She returned to TNA in October following a long absence.

Kim was voted the world's best female wrestler in 2012 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated, and she was named the first female inductee into the TNA Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016.

Personal life

Kim was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on February 20, 1977. She studied at York Memorial Collegiate Institute and majored in kinesiology at the University of Toronto before moving to Ryerson University and changing her major to nutrition.

On May 11, 2012, Kim married celebrity chef Robert Irvine. On the set of Dinner: Impossible, the couple met. Kim declared herself an American citizen on October 10, 2017. She now has dual citizenship because she is also a Canadian citizen.

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Professional wrestling career

Kim decided to become a professional wrestler after graduating from Ryerson University and enrolled Ron Hutchison's School of Pro Wrestling in Toronto. Rob Etchevarria's extra training at the Squared Circle Pro Wrestling Gym gave her additional training. La Felina, a Southern Ontario-based Apocalypse Wrestling Federation, debuted in December 2000, wearing a mask and wrestling as "The Queen of the Cats." She was later unveiled by Tracy Brooks in a "Mask versus Hair" match, but not before she was unveiled. Kim competed on the Canadian independent circuit for two years, notably for promotions such as Border City Wrestling.

Kim will appear in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling in South Korea on January 22, 2005, defeating Malia Hosaka and Nidia in a tag team match. Kim made her World Series Wrestling (WSW) debut in Melbourne, Australia, on June 26, losing to Nidia in a singles match in a singles match. Kim defeated Nidia in a rematch two days later at another WSW event in Sydney. Kim and A.J. team up the following night. In a mixed tag team match, the Styles would defeat Nidia and Christopher Daniels.

By Jason Sensation in 2001, Kim was introduced to World Wrestling Federation (WWF) employee Nora Greenwald (known on-screen as Molly Holly); Greenwald encouraged Kim to share her videos and tapes to WWF officials. She was recruited by the WWF in October 2002, later renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). She spent eight months in their then-developing area, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), wrestling house shows and dark matches before being called up to their main roster. Kim debuted on June 30 as a fan favorite with a Matrix-inspired outfit after several weeks of vignettes showcasing Matrix-like effects aired on Raw.

On the 2003 episode of Raw with the WWE Women's Championship, she was the first televised WWE match to be televised, before she was forced to be on the line by an injured Jazzman. Kim was the king of the game after lastly destroying Victoria. Kim held the title for four weeks, successfully defending it against Molly Holly once before losing it to Holly on the July 28 episode of Raw. Kim was turned down on Trish Stratus, which resulted from a previous Raw episode where Stratus cost Kim and herself a tag match against Victoria and Holly; Kim then formed an alliance with Holly to face Stratus, defeating her and various allies on several occasions until Stratus was later supported by Lita. Stratus and Lita defeated Kim and Holly in a tag team match at WWE's Unforgiven pay-per-view tournament on September 21, a match that was not forgiving. The four women continued to feud until November, when Kim was sidelined with a fractured right collarbone.

Kim returned to Raw in April 2004 and reforged her relationship with Holly. In May 2004, Kim sent then-Women's Champion Victoria twice, both in a singles match and a six-woman tag match, winning her a championship shot at Bad Blood. On the other hand, Lita pinned Kim on the June 7 episode of Raw, and Lita and Trish Stratus were inserted into the championship match. On June 13, she clashed with Lita, Stratus, and Victoria in a Fatal Four-Way match for the WWE Women's Championship, which was dominated by Stratus.

Kim participated in a royal clash at Taboo on October 19, which was won by Stratus. Kim was still on the loosening of cost cutting by WWE on November 3, 2004. Kim was taken off guard by her resignation and was told that the company was going to take the women's division in a new direction.

Kim made sporadic appearances on the independent circuit, including in Michigan and Japan, following her release from WWE and the expiration of her 90-day no-compete clause. She competed in Korea and Mexico before being signed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on September 6, 2005. She made her TNA debut on October 8, 2005, teaming Jeff Jarrett and America's Most Wanted (AMW) and serving as AMW's and Jarrett's boss, as well as being physically present in the wrestlers' matches. Kim made her in-ring debut on July 16, 2006 at TNA's Victory Road pay-per-view in a Six Man Mixed Tag Team match against A.J. Sirelda, Christopher Daniels, and Styles. However, her team was eliminated from the game due to the losing end. Kim beat Sirelda in a singles match at Hard Justice on August 13, beating him 4-0.

Kim began playing a more prominent role in TNA in early 2007, after AMW's dissolution, in early 2007. This all started with her ex-girlfriend, James Storm, and his new boss, Jacqueline. Kim and her partner, Petey Williams, lost in a mixed tag team match against All Odds on February 11, the first match between the two teams. Storm and Jacqueline won a rematch against Kim and Williams in a Double Bullrope match on March 11 at Destination X. In a Six Sides of Steel cage match at Lockdown on April 15, Kim defeated Jacqueline. Kim and Jacqueline's feud came to an end on TNA Impact's May 3 episode, when the two feud came to an end under street fight laws.

Kim made two minor pay-per-view appearances in a short feud with Robert Roode, before emerging out of nine other participants in a ten-woman gauntlet tournament for the inaugural TNA Women's Knockout Champion at Bound for Glory on October 14, 2007. On November 11, she opened her first title defense at Genesis, defeating Roxxi Laveaux, ODB, and Angel Williams. Kim then began a feud with Awesome Kong over the title. Kim retained their title after being disqualified by Kong during their first meeting on December 2 at Turning Point, which resulted in him retaining the title. Kim defeated Kong in an historic second match to keep the championship under no disqualification rules. Kong defeated Kim to win the TNA Women's Knockout Championship in its third and final match of the TNA Impact! series on January 10, but Kong also suffered a concussion after being powerbombed in the ring three times.

Kim was named the 2007 TNA Knockout of the Year award during TNA Impact!'s January 24 episode. On March 9, Kim qualified in a three-way match against Kong and ODB, which Kong won. She teamed up with ODB on April 13 in a tag team match against Raisha Saeed and Kong. Kim won a TNA Knockout Makeover Battle Royal on May 11, Sacrifice, which involved a battle royal and then a ladder match with the two remaining candidates, becoming the new one contender in the TNA Women's Knockout Championship. On the May 15 episode of TNA Impact!, Kim qualified for the championship but failed to win the title. Kim helped ODB and Roxxi defeat The Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Sky) and Moose in a six-woman tag team competition at Slammiversary on June 8, 2015). Kim then went on to defeat Love on July 13 at Victory Road. In her last TNA pay-per-view match, Kim then joined ODB and Taylor Wilde to defeat Kong and The Beautiful People on August 10 at Hard Justice. On the August 21 episode of TNA Impact, Kim's last match with TNA aired. In a losing bid to Kong under street fight rules, the city is struggling. Kim left TNA in mid-August 2008 after her deal came to an end.

Kim re-signed with WWE in late 2008 after leaving TNA. On the March 27, 2009 episode of SmackDown, she became a fan favorite, breaking a WWE Divas Championship match between the villainous Diva's Champion, Maryse and Michelle McCool by attacking both opponents. Kim made her in-ring return on a March 30 episode of Raw in an 18-Diva tag team match. On April 5, 2009 at WrestleMania XXV, she made her first appearance in the 25-Diva Miss WrestleMania Battle royal. Kim defeated then-Divas Champion Maryse on April 17 of SmackDown. This resulted in her winning a championship match the following week, which she did not win.

Kim was traded to Raw on the 29th episode of Raw as part of a 15 wrestler tri-branded trade between Raw, SmackDown, and ECW. On a few weeks later on the August 10 episode of Raw, she became the top contender for the Divas title by defeating Beth Phoenix, Kelly Kelly, and Alicia Fox. On the August 17 episode of Raw, she was disqualified from winning the championship, though she met then-champion Mickie James. Kim, Melina and Kelly Kelly, represented Raw in a losing effort to Michelle McCool, Beth Phoenix, and Natalya, representing SmackDown at Bragging Rights on October 25, 2016.

Kim took on Jillian Hall and Alicia Fox in early 2010 in the first tournament for the newly vacant Divas Championship, which was a success. The finals were held on February 22 on Raw, in which Maryse defeated To become the next champion. The finals were supposed to be held on February 21 at Elimination Chamber, but the match was rescheduled to Maryse and Kim versus Team LayCool (Michelle McCool and Layla), which was won by LayCool due to Maryse's abandonment of Kim during the match. On March 28, Kim was part of the losing team in a 10-Diva tag team match against Team LayCool, Alicia Fox, Vickie Guerrero, and Maryse at WrestleMania XXVI. Kim qualified for the Divas Championship in a Fatal 4-Way match that also involved then-champion Eve, Maryse, and Alicia Fox, which Fox would defeat to become the champion.

Kim appeared in fewer games on television in early 2011 as she became Daniel Bryan's on-screen girlfriend. She also began accompanying him to the ring when he was competing. Bryan was operated by The Bella Twins (Nikki and Brie) at the time, and the two families soon discovered Bryan kissing Kim backstage, sparking a feud with her. Kim accompanied Bryan to ringside for his match against Tyson Kidd the night after the Royal Rumble. The Bellas' association with Bryan came to an end after the match.

Kim and Melina feuded in the first half of 2011, owing to Melina's assertion that Kim was a "horrible friend." The matches between the two teams mainly took place on Superstars, with Kim emerging victorious in two singles matches on May 30 and June 23. Kim participated in a royal battle to determine the number one contender for the Divas Championship on August 1, but she ruled herself out shortly after the match began. Kim later learned that WWE had told her to be disqualified from the match within the first minute, so she decided to just eliminate herself. Kim revealed on her Twitter account on August 5 that she had left WWE as a result of the event. Kim later revealed that WWE did not approve her release but would instead force her to stay with the organization for the remainder of her term. Kim's WWE.com profile was taken down on September 30, implying that she had officially left the company and that her deal had ended.

On the October 20 episode of Impact Wrestling, Kim fought TNA Knockouts Champion Velvet Sky and allying herself with Madison Rayne and Karen Jartt, thus establishing herself as a villainess. Jarrett called Kim the "Top Contender to Sky's Championship" on October 27, the first match of the promotion, before she went on to defeat Tara. Kim and Rayne defeated TnT (Tara and Brooke Tessmacher) to win the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship on November 3rd. They defeated Velvet Sky and Mickie James in their first title defense next week. Kim defeated Sky for the second time on November 13 in TNA Knockouts Championship, making her second woman in TNA history and only the second woman in TNA history after her partner Madison Rayne was able to win both the Knockouts and Knockouts Tag Team titles simultaneously. Following Madison Rayne's interference, she appeared in her first title defense at Final Resolution on December 11 defeating Mickie James. Kim retained her status against James following another retaliation by Rayne on the December 29 episode of Impact Wrestling.

Kim and Rayne retained their tag team titles against James and Traci Brooks on January 5, 2012's episode of Impact Wrestling. Kim disqualified James three days later at Genesis to keep the Knockouts Championship. Kim successfully defended the Knockouts Championship against Tara on February 12, defeating Madison Rayne, who walked out on her Knockouts Tag Team Championship partner. Rayne defeated Rayne in a royal fight to become the top contender in Kim's Knockouts Championship on the following episode. Kim and Rayne's tensions began to be teased in the coming weeks, with the two women clearly intervening in each other's matches. Kim and Rayne lost the Knockouts Tag Team Championship to Eric Young and ODB on March 8th. Kim successfully defended the Knockouts Championship against Rayne on March 18 at Victory Road. Kim and Rayne reconciled and continued as a unit on the Impact Wrestling episode on March 29. Kim defeated Velvet Sky in a steel cage match on April 15 at Lockdown, causing Rayne's distraction to save her title. Kim went on a losing streak against Brooke Tessmacher, which culminated in TNA naming Tessmacher as the number one contender to her title. Kim beat Tessmacher, pinning her with her feet on the ground, at Sacrifice on May 13 for her second straight title defense. Kim defended her title against Tessmacher and Velvet Sky in a three-way match on the following episode of Impact Wrestling. Kim made history by defeating Madison Rayne's previous record of 188 days on May 20. Kim lost the title to Miss Tessmacher on June 10 at Slammiversary, bringing an end to her reign at 210 days. Kim won a rematch for the title on the Impact Wrestling show on July 12, but Tessmacher defeated her again.

Kim competed in a five-woman gauntlet match on January 13, 2013 to determine the number one contender to the TNA Knockouts Championship at the Genesis pay-per-view stage. Kim dismissed Miss Tessmacher, ODB, and Mickie James, but Velvet Sky eventually dismissed him after referee Taryn Terrell failed to note Kim's foot under the ropes. Kim was defeated on the February 21 episode of Impact Wrestling, a four-way elimination match for the Knockout Championship against champion Tara, Miss Tessmacher, and Velvet Sky after physical involvement from referee Taryn Terrell.

Kim unsuccessfully challenged Sky for the Knockouts Championship on March 10 at Lockdown, following referee Taryn Terrell's interference. During an interview, Kim then attacked Terrell backstage. Terrell was placed on probation for the following episode of Impact Wrestling, as a result of her behavior. Kim and Tara were defeated by Mickie James and Velvet Sky in a match called off by Terrell after Terrell violated her probation by slapping Kim later that night. Terrell was suspended by Brooke Hogan, who then transferred Terrell to the Knockouts roster, on the March 21 episode of Impact Wrestling, who then moved Terrell to the Knockouts roster. Kim and Tara defeated Terrell and Sky on April 4 on Impact Wrestling, with Kim winning Terrell and Sky. Kim and Terrell's rivalry erupted in a Last Knockout Standing match on June 2 at Slammiversary XI, which Terrell won.

Kim defeated Terrell in a ladder match on July 11 to become the top contender for the Knockouts Championship. Kim had a title fight against champion Mickie James on July 25 in Impact Wrestling; later, Kim lost the match and later confronted referee ODB after she failed to see a dirty pin, sparking a feud between the two teams. Impact Wrestling: Kim was pinned by ODB in a three-way hardcore match that also featured James on August 15. Kim and ODB clashed in a top-three match out of three in the country's first fight since making Kim turn down for the first time in her career, which culminated in her first appearance in the last fall. Kim defeated ODB and Brooke in a three-way match on October 20 at Bound for Glory, following interference from her new ally Lei'D Tapa, who went on to win her third TNA Knockouts Championship.

Kim defended herself on video on Impact Wrestling's October 31 episode, defeating ODB in a rematch. On the December 12 episode of Impact Wrestling, Kim and Tapa assaulted ODB, Kim's former tag team partner Madison Rayne returned to assist ODB.

Rayne won her championship match at Impact Wrestling: Genesis on January 16, putting an end to Kim's reign of 88 days. Kim and Rayne's rivalry erupted as the two competed in a street brawl on February 20's Impact Wrestling, which Kim won after a distraction by Tapa. Kim was unsuccessful in regaining the Knockouts Championship in a steel cage match at Lockdown. Kim lost to the debuting Brittany after Tapa mistakenly assaulted Kim on the March 13 episode of Impact Wrestling. Kim and Tapa's brawl erupted after the match, breaking their alliance and disbanding their alliance.

On the April 24 episode of Impact Wrestling, Kim saved Rayne from an assault by The Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Sky), but she lost a tag team match against The Beautiful People with Rayne as her partner. Kim and Love continued their feud, verbally and physically, wrangling each other at various times. Kim defeated Brittany and Madison Rayne to become the top contender to Love's championship on June 12 in Impact Wrestling. Kim was battling Love for the Championship at Slammiversary on June 15, but she was disqualified from winning the title.

On the July 3 episode of Impact Wrestling, Kim defeated Love for the Knockouts Championship, where Kim won the championship for the fourth time. Kim successfully saved her title against Love, Madison Rayne, and Brittany in a four-way match on Impact Wrestling's July 10 episode. Kim successfully defended her title against Taryn Terrell on July 31 of Impact Wrestling, despite The Beautiful People's interference. Kim ended her feud with Love on a special Hardcore Justice version of Impact Wrestling when she defeated Love in a Last Knockout Standing match with her Knockout Championship on the line, ending her feud with the Beautiful People.

Kim successfully defended her title against Taryn Terrell on Impact Wrestling's September 3 episode. Kim and Terrell were both attacked by the debuting Havok at the match. Kim sustained her shoulder injury in September during a pre-match brawl with Havok. Kim defended her title later that night, but she lost her championship to Havok despite the doctor's guidance. Kim had suffered a broken shoulder and torn ligaments at Havok's hands and was out of action indefinitely, according to a few days. Kim returned to Impact Wrestling in November, requesting a rematch for the Knockouts title against Havok, which Kim ultimately lost.

Kim and Madison Rayne lost to Taryn Terrell, the defending champion in a three-way match for the Knockouts Championship on January 30, 2015. Kim began fighting with Awesome Kong, Jade, and Marti Bell, collectively known as The Dollhouse, on May 1 episode of Impact Wrestling. In a three-on-two handicap match, Kim and Kong were defeated by The Dollhouse the following week. Kim sustained an arm injury on the May 29 episode of Impact Wrestling, after unsuccessfully vying for the Knockouts Championship in a steel cage match and being struck by The Dollhouse afterwards.

Kim returned from Impact Wrestling on July 15, portraying a superhero-like character and threatening Jade, which enabled Brooke to win the Knockouts Championship after a hiatus. Kim won her fifth Knockouts Championship on September 16, Lei'D Tapa, and Awesome Kong were also involved in a four-way match. Kim successfully defended the title against Kong at Bound for Glory on October 4. She appeared in the TNA World Championship Series in October and November, competing with Awesome Kong in the finals. Kim lost to the then current TNA World Championship Tigre Uno on December 2nd and was barred from the TNA World Championship Series. Kim defended her title against Kong on January 19, 2016. Maria lost her title to Jade in a three-way match involving Madison Rayne after Maria struck Kim with her championship belt on the April 5.

Kim competed against Jade for the Knockouts championship on May 10, which she lost by DQ after Sienna struck them. Kim defeated Sienna to keep her career, only to be threatened by Sienna and Maria on May 24. Kim hosted a match against Maria at Slammiversary, a week after, with EC3 as a manager for the night. At Slammiversary, her match with an injured Maria turned into a Triple Threat match for the Impact Knockouts Championship between her, Jade and Sienna (who later champion the competition).

Kim was inducted into the TNA Wrestling Hall of Fame on June 14, 2016. Kim defeated Maria Kanellis for the Impact Women's Knockout Championship in October 2nd, just shy of winning the title for the sixth time after suffering a back injury that required her to miss a few months from ringing competition in which she displayed her love for Jade, which rivals Rosemary fought over for the vacant championship.

Kim returned to announce her legitimate retirement, which is set to take place at the end of 2017. Kim met Sienna for the Unified GFW Knockouts Championship, a month later, when she was unable to win due to interference by her old rival Taryn Terrell's return. Kim, Sienna, Allie, and Terrell were supposed to face Kim, Sienna, and Terrell in what was supposed to be a fatal four-way match, but the Impact Knockouts Championship was rescheduled to a three-way match at Bound for Glory on November 5th, but the event was canceled to a three-way match after Terrell's release from the company) Kim played in her last match, where she captured the Impact Knockout She officially announced her exit from professional wrestling and vacated the title in the process.

Kim fought in what was supposed to be her last match of her career on February 3, 2018 in Stevenage, United Kingdom, where she defeated Kasey Owens in the main event of the competition. Kim returned to Impact Wrestling as a producer and agent (talent development positions in which a veteran, popular, or retired wrestler is a behind-the-scenes mentor to active wrestlers on how to develop and how to deal with the demands of being a wrestler).

Kim was inserted in the feud between Taya Valkyrie and Tessa Blanchard in late November after the latter had retained her status by attacking the referee. Kim was announced in December as the special guest referee for the upcoming match between the two Knockouts scheduled for January 6, 2019 at Impact Wrestling Homecoming, in order to discourage any shenanigans from attending their upcoming match. Blanchard dropped the Impact Wrestling Knockouts Championship to Valkyrie after Kim used her finishing move "Eat Defeat" on Tessa Blanchard during the contest. The feud between Kim and Blanchard erupted even more in the ensuing months as both threatened each other inside and out the ring (including at Kim's restaurant). This resulted in the announcement of a match between the two teams at Impact Wrestling Rebellion on April 28, where Blanchard defeated Kim in what was officially Kim's last match. In a backstage interview, the two women embraced, and Kim said she would continue to work as a producer for the firm.

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