Trish Stratus 's Biography

Born in Toronto, Canada on December 18, 1976, Patricia Anne Stratigias (later known as Trish Status) never could have dreamed that she would become a success as a fitness model, and sports entertainment and television celebrity. While coveted and promoted for her appearance and sex appeal, few realize how cerebral a young woman she is as well. What other wrestling honey would cite Brave New World as her favorite book? Believe it or not, Trish studied biology and kinesiology at York University in Toronto with the goal of one day entering medical school.

Super trish!

During this time she became interested more and more in weight training and fitness, and developed a particular fascination for comic book sirens and muscle magazine vixens. In her mind, the determined Trish knew that with the right mental approach and discipline, she too could have what she termed the "ideal comic [strip] body." Harnessing her gymnastic training and her knowledge of bodybuilding, Trish began working out six days a week and followed a strict diet. She found employment as a receptionist at a health club and was discovered soon thereafter. Embarking on a career as a fitness model, Trish was gracing the cover of popular magazines in a short period of time. The opportunities to model and subsequent demands on her time accelerated at a rapid pace and she decided to leave university when a staff strike canceled class. It would not be long before the WWE would call.

A beauty in the ring

Trish Stratus made her debut in March of 2000. She has since been marketed as a scheming siren not above using her feminine charm to achieve her goals. While she began as a manager for the tag team of Test and Albert -- T & A -- Trish has since become a ring regular, matching up against other WWE female stars such as Lita and Molly Holly. In another indication that she is more than just a stunning physical specimen, Trish was named co-host of WWE Excess, airing every Saturday on TNN.

2003

As 2003 progressed in the WWE, so did the skills the divas possessed in the ring. The term diva lent more on aggressiveness and assertiveness rather than beauty and looks. This was all too apparent as Stratus went up against matches more based on ring skill than beauty alone. After a bitter rivalry with Victoria, which pitted Stratus in several hardcore matches, Stratus was met with a bitter nemesis from the past, Jazz. Now Stratus was up against two women who had a bitter hate for the Toronto beauty that would culminate at WrestleMania XIX in a triple threat match for the WWE Women's Championship. At WrestleMania XIX on March 30, Stratus won her fourth WWE Women's Championship in a triple threat match against Victoria and Jazz. Despite losing her title back to Jazz the following month, Stratus stayed in the hunt for another championship.

Stratus was engaged in a heated feud with newcomer Gail Kim, who gained the Women's Championship on her first televised WWE match, by winning a battle royal. A miscommunication between Stratus and Kim during a tag team match on RAW (in which Stratus misfired a Chick kick and accidentally nailed her partner) left Kim embittered. Two weeks later, the now former Champion Kim, who lost the title to Molly Holly the previous week, appeared to be saving Stratus from a two-on-one assault by Molly and Victoria. Kim helped Stratus to her feet before viciously clotheslining her to the mat. Soon, Molly approached Kim with the idea of forever ending Stratus's wrestling career, and for a time, it seemed as though it would happen. Thanks to an assist from the returning Lita, however, it would be Stratus who gained the last laugh. October 2003 would mark the beginning of what would be Stratus's most emotional WWE saga; the triangle between Stratus, Chris Jericho, and Christian. One night on RAW, as Stratus was being attacked by Victoria and Steven Richards, Jericho inexplicably rushed the ring and warded off the attackers. Even Stratus seemed dumbfounded initially. Soon, however, Stratus started to slowly warm up to Jericho, seeing a side of him that many fans and fellow competitors did not see very often. One which apparently showed warmth, caring, and compassion. Stratus and Jericho appeared smitten with each other. At the same time, Jericho's friend and tag team partner Christian was courting Stratus's close friend Lita. To many fans, neither courtship looked to be on the up and up. As it turned out, they were anything but. On the December 1 RAW, Jericho and Christian were overheard in the locker room mocking Stratus' and Lita's affections, and revealed a bet the two of them had with one another (for one Canadian dollar) to see which man could sleep with their chosen Diva first. Stratus, who was to present Jericho with a handmade Canadian hockey jersey as a gift, heard every word and every laugh from outside the dressing room, and it brought her to tears. The following week, Stratus and Lita confronted and assaulted Jericho and Christian in front of a nationwide viewing audience on RAW, leading to a "battle of the sexes" tag team match held at Armageddon on December 14. While Christian seemed to take pride in beating down his female opponents, Jericho seemed to want no part of it. Apparently, Jericho was starting to develop true feelings for Stratus, and was having a difficult time going through with the match before him. Stratus seemed to take a lot more pleasure in beating down Jericho than Jericho had in facing her in a match. Soon, it became obvious that Jericho was feeling an enormous amount of guilt for initiating the Canadian dollar bet. At first, Stratus was unwilling to show Jericho any forgiveness, but appeared to accept his apologies enough to at least accept him as a friend. Meanwhile, Christian appeared to be harboring jealousy, accusing Stratus of driving a wedge into his partnership with Jericho and labeling her "Yoko Ono." But soon, Christian also appeared to have something of a change of heart, albeit a very condescending one. To the face of Jericho, he was very accepting of his feelings for Stratus...but to Stratus's face, Christian seemed to be courting her affections.

2004

It looked like everything became crystal clear on the February 23 RAW, when Christian was booked to face Stratus in a one-on-one match. In the dressing room prior to the contest, Christian (feigning friendship with Stratus) promised her he would allow her to pin him. In the ring, however, Christian instead plowed Stratus down with a clothesline, and locked her in Jericho's submission hold, the Walls of Jericho. Stratus was taken out of action for several weeks with injuries, and Christian gloated over his actions. A match was soon signed for WrestleMania XX on March 14, in Madison Square Garden, pitting Chris Jericho against his former best friend, Christian.

It appeared this long and intense storyline would reach its conclusion at WrestleMania. Unbeknown to the fans in attendance, it was only just getting warmed up. Stratus surged toward the ring late in the match, appearing to be firmly in Jericho's corner. Christian, apparently disgusted by Stratus' presence, pulled her violently into the ring and attempted to attack her. Jericho made the save, but when he leaned down to assist his fallen friend, Stratus thrust forth an elbow, apparently believing that it was Christian. Her elbow jabbed Jericho's temple, and Christian scored a roll up pin for the three count. After the match, Stratus appeared to be all apologies, but as she and Jericho argued in the ring, Christian came running back down the aisle, to seemingly get his hands on Stratus in a violent and hateful manner once again. As Jericho tried to hold her back, the fans witnessed the turn of Stratus.

Stratus suddenly reared back and throttled Jericho with two vicious slaps to the face, which Christian followed with the Un-Prettier. Christian and Stratus walked away holding hands, mocking their former friend who sat in the ring looking on with an expression of disbelief. Before they departed, Christian grabbed Stratus's hair, pulled her to his lips, and passionately kissed his new girlfriend.

The following night on RAW, after the two squashed Spike Dudley in an unprovoked attack, Stratus revealed on how she had never forgiven Jericho for the Canadian dollar bet, how her feelings of sadness and hurt ate away at her for months as she plotted her ultimate revenge. She also revealed to the fans how much she "likes it rough." She ended the promo by proclaiming to Jericho and to the world, "You can't get no...Stratusfaction." The Stratus/Christian union continued for several more months, and even saw the addition of a "problem solver" to their mix, the hulking Tyson Tomko. As the Jericho/Christian feud reached its conclusion, Stratus refocused herself on the Women's Championship. At Bad Blood on June 13, Stratus won the Women's Championship in a Fatal Four Way. Lita appeared to have victory at hand following a DDT to Gail Kim, but Stratus moved in for the kill, rolling up Lita from behind for the win and the title. This win was historic for Stratus, as she became the first-ever five time WWE Women's Champion. Stratus began a much more aggressive mat style. She held the title for the next six months, fending off all challenges and even tying the record for the fastest match in wrestling history, pinning Nidia in just three seconds on the July 5 edition of RAW. One notable feud in her 2004 title run was with Christy Hemme when Jonathan Coachman was about to announce the winner of the first Diva Search Contest, and Stratus's music hit and she came out wearing a short blue dress. She warned the eventual Diva Search winner that she would be hazing them as part of an "initiation party" next week on RAW.

Finally, after taunting Lita for months over her kayfabe marriage to Kane and the loss of her baby, Stratus defended her title against Lita at Survivor Series on November 14. Lita attacked her opponent, smashing Stratus with a steel chair and driving her into the ring steps, breaking her nose. Stratus did win the match by disqualification, but several weeks later, Chris Jericho, in his capacity as General Manager for the evening, booked Stratus for another title defence against Lita on the December 6 edition of RAW. Lita kept her composure and hit Stratus with a Reverse Twist of Fate and a moonsault to win the championship.

2005

Stratus defeated Lita to win her sixth Women's Championship on January 9 at New Year's Revolution 2005 with Lita tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in the course of the match, when Stratus failed to properly catch Lita, when Lita attempted a diving Thesz Press from the apron to the floor. This resulted in Lita being put on the shelf for well over a year, and subsquently Stratus became a six time champion and would go on to hold the title for well over a year.

Stratus went on to feud with 2004 RAW Diva Search winner Christy Hemme, (who, incidentaly, was trained on-screen by the injured Lita) retaining her title in a poor bout with Hemme at WrestleMania 21. Stratus and the injured Lita feuded throughout April 2005, with Viscera wrestling Lita's husband Kane on behalf of Stratus. In May 2005, Stratus was sidelined with a herniated disc; the storyline explanation for her shelving was that Viscera had injured her with a big splash after she berated him for losing to Kane. Stratus would take a leave of absence with the Women's Championship.

Stratus returned to WWE television in September, turning face once again by siding with Ashley Massaro against Vince's Devils. In the course of the feud, Stratus was saved from a beating at the hands of Victoria by the debuting Mickie James, who was quick to introduce herself as Stratus's "biggest fan". All six women took part in a "Fulfill Your Fantasy" Diva battle royal for the Women's Championship at Taboo Tuesday 2005, with Stratus retaining her title for a second consecutive year. The match ended when Mickie James sacrificed herself in order to eliminate Victoria, leaving Stratus the only woman standing. On the November 14 Eddie Guerrero tribute show, Stratus took part in an interpromotional Diva battle royal that was won by SmackDown! Diva Melina. Following her victory, Melina challenged Stratus to a match for the Women's Championship. The two fought one another at the 2005 Survivor Series, with Stratus narrowly defeating Melina, once again with the assistance of Mickie James. Stratus and James teamed together throughout late 2005, with James becoming increasingly obsessive. On the December 26 episode of RAW, James initiated an "intimate" kiss with Stratus under a sprig of mistletoe, causing a surprised Stratus to flee the locker room.

2006

The unusual partnership between James and Stratus continued into 2006, with Stratus defeating James in a Women's Championship bout at New Year's Revolution 2006. Despite the defeat, James continued to be enamored of Stratus. Her fixation with Stratus led to a rivalry between James and Ashley Massaro, who dubbed the lovelorn James a "psycho". At the same time, James continued to pursue Stratus, on one occasion having her (kayfabe) date, Jack, arrested on false grounds. In early March, Stratus confronted James, telling her that she needed space. The duo briefly reconciled on the March 18 Saturday Night's Main Event, teaming together to defeat Candice Michelle and Victoria. However, James turned on Stratus after the match, attacking her with a Mick Kick and the Stratusfaction. James won the Women's Championship at WrestleMania 22, where Stratus was heavily booed by the crowd. Stratus and James engaged in mind games throughout April, with James dressing like Stratus (complete with dyed blonde hair) and vice-versa. On the April 17 episode of RAW, Stratus (dressed as James) brought a tied-up Jack to the ring, telling him that "the real Trish Stratus" would attempt to save him. A confused James chased Stratus from the ring, then attacked Jack for "betraying" her. The rivals fought one another for the Women's Championship at Backlash 2006, with Stratus winning by disqualification after James refused to relinquish a chokehold. In the course of the match, Stratus (legitimately) dislocated her right shoulder, which would require six weeks of rehabilitation. She continued to feud with James by proxy throughout May, bringing in and working with Beth Phoenix until Phoenix suffered a broken jaw.

Trish Stratus giving Mickie James a handshake after their match

Stratus returned to the ring in late June, joining forces with Carlito against Melina and Johnny Nitro. In August, Stratus and Carlito, by then an onscreen couple, began feuding with Edge and Lita. In late August, Lita stated that Stratus would retire following their singles bout at Unforgiven; this was later confirmed by Stratus. Stratus wrestled her final RAW match on September 11 in Madison Square Garden, defeating Mickie James, whom she hugged following the match. At Unforgiven, in her home town of Toronto, Stratus defeated Lita by using fellow Canadian Bret Hart's signature submission maneuver, the Sharpshooter, to win a record seventh Women's Championship. Upon her "official" retirement the next day, the title became vacant with plans to be awarded to the winner of the championship tournament taking place the next month at Cyber Sunday 2006.