Kelly Kelly

At 37 years old, Kelly Kelly has this physical status:

Barbara Jean Blank (born January 15, 1987) is an American model, actress, reality television presenter, and professional wrestler best known by her ring name Kelly Kelly Kelly. Blank has experience in gymnastics and cheerleading, as well as being a model for Venus Swimwear and Hawaiian Tropic.

Blank was signed to a WWE deal in 2006, and after undergoing in Ohio Valley Wrestling, she debuted on the ECW website in June 2006 as 'Kelly Kelly.'

She appeared in a non-wrestling capacity for the first time. Layla and Brooke Adams were among the Extreme Exposé participants.

She began competing in more wrestling tournaments and then unsuccessfully tried for both the WWE Divas Championship and the WWE Women's Championship on several occasions.

In June 2011, she won the WWE Divas Championship, the first time she had fought in the WWE, beginning a four-month reign.

She left WWE in 2012 but has since returned to occasional appearances.

On the Raw Reunion special on July 22, 2019, she defeated Gerald Brisco to win the WWE 24/7 Championship, becoming the first woman to win the competition.

She is the WWE's top female champion. Blank has appeared on a number of television shows, as well as being a main cast member of WAGS' reality television show "Belief."

Early life

Barbara Jean Blank was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on January 15, 1987, to a Jewish father and a Christian mother. She was a fan of professional wrestling as a child and cites Stone Cold Steve Austin as her favorite wrestler. She was active in gymnastics for ten years before being forced to leave due to a back injury. She burstled with applause later in the day. She attended University Christian School and graduated from Englewood High School. She then enrolled at Florida Community College in Jacksonville, Florida, where she studied broadcast journalism, with the intention of becoming a television anchor. Before entering professional wrestling, she was also a Hawaiian Tropic and Venus Swimwear bikini model.

Lifestyle

In partnership with Smith Devereux Winery, Blank has her own wine label named B Tasteful. Blank is also a fashion influencer, appearing on Instagram for brands including Fashion Nova and PrettyLittleThing.

Personal life

Blank lived in Kentucky when he was studying at OVW. Blank lived in Tampa, Florida, prior to transferring to Miami. In 2010, she returned to Tampa to live.

Blank had been in a two-year relationship with wrestler Andrew "Test" Martin, which had come to an end before his death in March 2009. Blank first met ice hockey player Sheldon Souray at a Maxim party in 2011 and the pair began dating. They married in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on February 27, 2016 and split time between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. In 2017, the couple separated and applied for divorce. Cole Swindell had a brief relationship with her in 2019, but the two split up three months after making their first public appearance at the Academy of Country Music Awards this year.

Ron Blank's father died in February 2018. Blank and Drs. founded a non-profit charity in 2019. Cure Glioblastoma, Shawn Carbonell and Luzanne Otte, was the same illness that her father died from. The charity's aim is to raise brain cancer education and treatment.

Blank got engaged to bodybuilder Joe Coba in Sedona, Arizona, on May 29, 2020. They were married in Oak Glen, California, on April 9, 2021. Their wedding was featured on the Brides magazine.

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Professional wrestling career

Blank was seen by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) official John Laurinaitis, who was interested in committing to a contract in 2006. WWE contacted her modeling company and invited her to their developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), for a tryout. Despite having no prior wrestling experience, she was offered a job, which she signed in May 2006. Even after being called up to the main roster, she continued to fly back and forth to OVW's base city Louisville, Kentucky, where she first appeared as a ring announcer and referee, then as a wrestler. One of her first matches took place at the September 6 television tapings, where she competed in a Women's versus ODB. She appeared in Florida Championship Wrestling, WWE's new developmental territory, in late 2007.

As Kelly Kelly, Blank debuted for the ECW brand. She was expected to be named just 'Kelly' at first, but WWE CEO Vince McMahon changed her name to 'Kelly Kelly'. On June 13, 2006, she made her WWE debut on the first episode of the weekly television show, becoming the youngest Diva on the WWE roster at the age of 19. The woman, who was an exhibitionist, was the subject of a striptease for the audience. Kelly's next week, while doing another striptease, was interrupted by her on-screen boyfriend, Mike Knox, who came to the stage and wrapped her with a towel before dragging her backstage. Kelly's Exposé became a weekly event, and Kelly's Exposé was a weekly show that followed the same pattern; Kelly would dance and strip until she was barred by Knox. Knox began compulsion Kelly to accompany him to ringside so he could keep an eye on her, making her his de facto valet. As a result, she found herself embroiled in the feud between Knox and his tag team Test, as well as Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman's team. When Knox used her as a shield, she was inadvertently struck with a cane by Sandman. On the August 22, she made her ECW debut on the ECW in-ring series. Test and Mike Knox interrupted the contest stopping Kelly before she had a chance to disrobe. Leading Tommy Dreamer and Sandman in a six-person mixed tag team match, Sandman took the mic and challenged Test, Knox and Kelly. Kelly, Knox, and Test went on to lose to Dreamer, Sandman, and Wilson.

Kelly and Knox developed to a storyline with CM Punk in September, in which Kelly developed a passion for Punk, flirting with him, and watching his matches, and Knox became more obsessed. This resulted in a match between Knox and Punk, in which Kelly applauded for Punk. Kelly and Knox competed against Ariel and Kevin Thorn in a mixed tag team match, during which Knox refused to tag in before leaving her. Kelly won in her first singles match on episode of ECW, defeating Ariel with a roll-up. Knox returned to the ring with flowers but ended up doing his signature swinging reverse STO on her, breaking their marriage and giving her a scripted break—taking her off television for six weeks.

On January 16, 2007, she revealed she was newly single and bringing back Kelly's Exposé. Extreme Exposé appeared on Layla and Brooke the following week. The trio starred in a weekly dance segment on ECW for the next few months. Brooke was fired from her WWE contract on November 1st, and Extreme Exposé disbanded as a team. Kelly and Layla were forced to enter a raging rivalry with more prominent wrestling roles. Kelly won a match against Beth Phoenix, the WWE Women's Champion, on the October 29 episode of Raw. Kelly failed in the subsequent match on Raw the following week. Kelly and Layla continued to feud with Layla, who were on opposing sides of a 10-Diva tag team contest at Survivor Series, which Kelly's team defeated. Kelly was a member of the losing team in a five-on-five Divas match at the Backlash pay-per-view in April 2008.

Kelly was pushed to the Raw brand in July and debuted for the brand by teaming up with Mickie James to overthrowrown Layla and Jillian Hall. She quickly became embroiled in a feud with Beth Phoenix, sparring her with her on several occasions in singles and tag team matches with a variety of people, including Mickie James and Candice Michelle. Kelly, Phoenix's ally, Jillian Hall, erupted in September into a feud. Kelly was part of the victors team in a five-on-five elimination match at the Survivor Series pay-per-view in November. Victoria was able to defeat Victoria during the match before being disqualified by Maryse. Kelly and Maria, Michelle McCool, and James won a thrilling battle against Hall, Maryse, Victoria, and Natalya the following month in an Armageddon pay-per-view.

Kelly won a contest royal on May 18 to become the top contender for the WWE Divas Championship. Maryse competed for the championship and was disqualified by disqualification the following week, with Maryse keeping the title. Kelly lost a subsequent match by pinfall two weeks later on June 8. She participated in a critical four-way match in June to determine the number one contender, but James was crowned. Kelly unsuccessfully competed in many number one contender matches for the remainder of mid-2009.

Kelly, Gail Kim, and Melina formed Team Raw, but they lost to Team SmackDown (Phoenix, Natalya, and McCool), at the Bragging Rights pay-per-view in October. Kelly appeared in a five-on-five elimination match, which her team won the following month, at Survivor Series pay-per-view. Before being barred by Phoenix, Layla was eliminated. Kelly competed in January 2010 to determine a new Divas champion after Melina was forced to leave the tournament due to injury. In the first round, she was overthrown by Alicia Fox. Kelly appeared on several backstage segments with the guest hosts of Raw in early 2010. Kelly, Jedy, Kim, James, and Eve Torres all united in a losing effort to McCool, Layla, Fox, and Vickie Guerrero at WrestleMania XXVI. The teams met in a rematch on Raw the next night. The opposite result was achieved. Kelly took part in a 10-Diva Dress To Impress tournament to find the top contender for Maryse's Divas Championship, but Torres won the match.

Kelly was drafted to the SmackDown brand during the 2010 WWE Draft on April 26, making her the first female wrestler to be drafted on television. She quickly became enraged with LayCool (Michelle McCool and Layla) and found an ally in Tiffany. She was still winning in singles matches against Layla and McCool, but in July, she was unable to win a second WWE Women's Championship match at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. Kelly revealed on August 31 that she would be a mentor on season three of NXT, with Naomi as her rookie. Kelly continued to feud with LayCool in the second half of 2010 and acquired an ally in Natalya in October. Naomi was named runner-up to Kaitlyn during the season finale in November, Kelly's first NXT rookie.

Kelly barred Acting General Manager Vickie Guerrero from participating in the World Heavyweight Championship match between Edge and Dolph Ziggler on January 30, 2011. Kelly and Edge defeated LayCool and Ziggler in a two-on-three handicap match to keep Edge's World Heavyweight Championship. Guerrero fired Kelly in a storyline after. Kelly was re-hired by SmackDown General Manager Teddy Long and returned to Guerrero at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view later this month. LayCool, who were in turn blocked by Trish Stratus, stopped her from entering the country. Guerrero and Drew McIntyre were defeated in a mixed tag team match next week, causing Guerrero to be dismissed in storyline per the pre-match stipulation.

Kelly was drafted back to the Raw brand as part of the 2011 supplemental draft, where she got a boost and started feuding with the Bella Twins on April 26. Kelly unsuccessfully challenged Brie Bella for the WWE Divas Championship on May 22 at Over the Limit pay-per-view. Following month, Kelly, who appeared on the Power to the People special edition of Raw on June 20, became the challenger for the Divas Championship that night. Kelly went on to win her first WWE Divas Championship by defeating Brie Bella. Her triumph in later earned her a coveted award for Divalicious Moment of the Year. Kelly started her first title defense by defeating Bella in a rematch at Money in the Bank's pay-per-view in July. Phoenix defeated the royal to become Kelly's top contender, and afterward, Kelly was stabbed to spark a feud. At both SummerSlam and Night of Champions, Kelly successfully defended her crown against Phoenix. In October, Kelly lost the championship to Phoenix in a Cell, bringing an end to her reign at 104 days. Kelly failed to regain the title in subsequent rematches on SmackDown and at Tables, Ladders & Chairs.

Kelly spent time in early 2012 competing in various tag team tournaments. Kelly and Extra correspondent Maria Menounos defeated Beth Phoenix and Eve in a tag team match at WrestleMania XVIII in April. WWE gave Kelly a little time off in June, and she appeared on Raw on August 6, defeating Eve. Blank was fired from her WWE contract on September 28, 2012. Blank said in a December 2012 interview that she wanted time off to recover a neck injury, and that she had plans to model.

Blank was supposed to attend her first independent wrestling show in Waterbury, Connecticut, on November 4, 2012, followed by a house show on November 5, but she was unable to attend due to Hurricane Sandy. Blank made her first appearance for Northeast Wrestling on December 4, her first appearance. Blank made a surprise appearance at House of Hardcore 43 in May 2018 and helped Chelsea Green beat Paxton by tripping his valet, Rebel, off the ring apron.

Blank returned to WWE on February 13, 2017 after being featured in a backstage interview for WWE's official website during Raw. She appeared at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as well as on an episode of the WWE Network exclusive Table for 3.

Blank appeared at the Raw 25 Years special on January 22, 2018 being regarded as one of WWE's most influential women. Blank appeared in the first women's royal rumble match, where she finished at number 19, just days later, and Nia Jax was defeated by Nia Jax. Blank appeared in a battle royal at WWE's first all-female pay-per-view WWE Evolution in October 2018; she was defeated by Mandy Rose.

Blank returned from Raw Reunion, where she pinned Gerald Brisco backstage to become the first female 24/7 champion. Kelly later lost the title to Candice Michelle, with Melina as the referee.

On the January 26, 2020, Royal Rumble, she returned to the ring for the second time before being disqualified by Charlotte Flair. Blank appeared on Raw on January 27, 2020, during a Backstage segment with Street Profits. Kelly appeared on WWE's Watch Along on November 22, watching and recapping the Survivor Series.

Blank was revealed as a participant in the women's Royal Rumble match at Royal Rumble on January 7, 2022, marking her third appearance as a surprise entrant. She was quickly dismissed by Sasha Banks after entering number 4 and being quickly evicted quickly by Sasha Banks.

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