Wendi Richter

At 62 years old, Wendi Richter has this physical status:

Wendi Richter (born September 6, 1961) is a retired American professional wrestler.

She began her career in wrestling, working with Joyce Grable, with whom she competed with Joyce Grable and the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship twice.

She joined the World Wrestling Federation in the 1980s (WWF).

She competed with The Fabulous Moolah over the WWF Women's Championship twice before becoming bitter about the title.

She was also active in the "Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection" storyline with singer Cyndi Lauper.

Richter, on the other hand, left the WWF after losing the championship in a contentious manner.

She later served with the World Wrestling Council and the American Wrestling Association, where she held both organizations' women's titles.

Personal life

Richter grew up in Dallas, Texas, and before entering professional wrestling, she worked on her family's ranch and competed in rodeo tournaments. She attended Bossier High School, where she competed in volleyball, track, and cross-country. At Draughon's Business College in Dallas, she later majored in computer science. She moved to Crystal River, Florida, in the 1980s.

Richter began working as a real estate agent after leaving the wrestling industry. She has been back to school for 13 years, with a degree in physical therapy and a master's degree in occupational therapy. Richter competes in dog shows, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, aside from therapy. Hugo Savinovich, a former Spanish announcer for the WWF, was once married to her. In 2019, she was included in Christopher Annino's documentary The History of Women's Pro Wrestling.

She now works as an occupational therapist for Rehab Partners Inc.

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Professional wrestling career

Wendi Richter was educated at The Fabulous Moolah's Lillian Ellison School of Professional Wrestling by Leilani Kai, Judy Martin, and Joyce Grable, and made her professional debut in 1979. Richter tag teamed with Moolah in early 1982 against Velvet McIntyre and Princess Victoria for three matches for the World Wide Wrestling Federation. Richter was later joined by Joyce Grable, with whom she also trained for six weeks, to form The Texas Cowgirls, a tag team. They competed in a series of matches against Velvet McIntyre and Judy Martin in late 1982. In Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling Association, she continued her feud with McIntyre, where she was defeated twice. She was a friend of Jim Cornette who made her an honorary member of the Midnight Express while she was a member of the Midnight Express while in the Mid-South Wrestling Association. Richter and Grable continued their rivalry with McIntyre and Martin in Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association until 1981. The team reformed in Stampede Wrestling in matches against McIntyre and Penny Mitchell in May. The team also won the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship twice.

Richter was a member of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in late 1983. Richter and Peggy Lee teamed up in April 1984 to face old rivals Velvet McIntyre and Princess Victoria. Vince McMahon, the WWF's founder, brought Cyndi Lauper for a rivalry with Lou Albano (who had appeared as Lauper's father in her Girls Just Want to Have Fun music video). Moolah, Albano, seconded by the WWF Women's Champion, was seconded, while Lauper was in the corner of Wendi Richter. Richter defeated Moolah at MTV's The Brawl to End It All for the Women's Championship on July 23, 1984, with Richter kicking her own shoulder off the canvas during a double-pinfall situation, though Moolah's shoulders remained unchanged. Richter won the title for the first time in professional wrestling history, but the observance was only ended by Moolah as champion. MTV's most recent viewers ever increased to that level as a result of the women's match's broadcast. This match marked the beginning of the "Rock 'n' Wrestling Association," an era that combined music and professional wrestling. In early 1985, Richter met Leilani Kai, Leilani Kai, who defeated Richter for the title. A month later, she regained the title at the first WrestleMania. Richter referred to herself as "150 pounds of twisted steel and sex appeal" while campaigning for the WWF. Richter was also animated for a CBS morning cartoon, Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling, and was also animated for a CBS Saturday morning cartoon. In addition,, she appeared in "She Bop"'s music video in Lauper.

Richter was scheduled to defend her title at Madison Square Garden in 1985, after losing and then regaining the crown from Leilani Kai at the inaugural WrestleMania. The Spider deviated from the planned events and pinned Richter's shoulders to the ground during the match. Despite Richter kicking out after a count of one, the referee, who was on the team, completed a quick three count. Richter ignored the alert and continued to attack The Spider, defaming the new champion to reveal that it was actually The Fabulous Moolah disguised. Richter claimed she had no idea Moolah was The Spider until she unveiled her.

The decision to relieve Richter of the honor was concocted by WWF Chairman Vince McMahon, who brought in Moolah after Richter refused to agree to a new deal with the WWF. Richter, on the other hand, claims she was still under her original five-year deal, but she and McMahon had frequent disagreements over her compensation. She also said she was surprised to find Moolah backstage when she first arrived at the arena that day, because she had never turned up to performances at which she was not supposed to wrestle. An enraged Richter took a taxi to the airport and booked herself on a flight out of New York after the match. She never spoke to Moolah again after that.

Richter competed in Puerto Rico, Japan, and many other countries in independent promotions after leaving the WWF. She competed in the World Wrestling Championship with Monster Ripper in Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Championship, winning the title twice, once in May 1987 and once in July 1987.

Richter debuted in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) in 1987, defeating Madusa Miceli for the AWA Women's Championship in December 1988. Madusa Miceli and the Top Guns (Ricky Rice and Derrick Dukes) defeated Badd Company (Paul Diamond and Pat Tanaka) and Madusa Miceli on December 13, 1988. When Richter pinned Miceli, she and her crew won the match.

Richter played at WrestleReunion, 2004 (teaming with Bambi, Malia Hosaka, and Jenny Taylor), wrestling against Sherri Martel, Peggy Lee Leather, Krissy Vaine, and Amber O'Neal. Richter competed in a six-person tag team match in August of this year.

Richter was uninvolved with wrestling in the years after her retirement. She expressed dissatisfaction with the portrayal of women in WWE's products in a 2005 shooting interview, although she was also distraught over her WWF dismissal. Richter was accepted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2010, which she accepted in 2010. Roddy Piper had her arrested her. In comparison to her shooting interviews, her address spoke about her wrestling career and how the WWE Divas lauded her for her contributions. Richter's address ended with a joking that "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!" he exclaimed.

Richter appeared in an in-ring segment with Cyndi Lauper, Roddy Piper, and then-Diva's Champion Layla as part of the "1000th episode" buildup on June 16, 2012. Piper expressed his appreciation to Richter and Lauper for their "Rock 'N Wrestling" position before presenting Lauper with a gold record, in which she eventually shocked Heath Slater, who had a habit of insulting veteran Superstars before his comeback.

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