A Tayside wrestling promoter today paid tribute to Chyna after the legendary grappler was found dead at her home in Southern California – just months after an appearance in Dundee.
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star Chyna – real name Joan Marie Laurer – was special guest at SWE’s Hell for Lycra XII in front of a packed Caird Hall in August.
Chyna, who was known as the First Lady of Sports Entertainment, spent the day signing autographs in Perth and Dundee before appearing at the main event.
The former Playboy cover girl urged the Tayside crowd to get behind her campaign to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during her ring bow.
She was tragically found dead on Wednesday in her Redondo Beach home at the age of 45.
David Low, who is the Perth-based promoter of SWE, said: “Chyna was really good to us here at SWE when she took part in our Hell for Lycra event last summer. She was an absolute gem and treated us all with respect.
“Chyna was a true icon of a generation and in our view, deserves to be inducted in to the wrestling hall of fame.
“There was some bad publicity about issues with payment between ourselves and one of her agents last year, but I would like to make it clear that there was no bad blood between SWE and Chyna.
“We will organise a tribute to Chyna at this year’s up-coming Hell for Lycra event on August 27. Chyna will be missed by all of us at SWE, she truly was a lovely lady.”
Chyna’s appearance in Dundee went ahead despite rumours that it would be called off at the 11th hour following an offer to appear on Celebrity Big Brother.
In the end the brief appearance on stage proved to be extremely controversial with a transatlantic pay wrangle played out in public in the aftermath over allegations that she had been left thousands of pounds out of pocket.
According to local police, the wrestling personality was found unresponsive in bed after not answering her friend’s calls for a few days.
“There are no indications or signs that her death was the result of foul play,” police said.
Chyna appeared in several TV shows over the last two decades, including VH1’s “Surreal Life” and “Celebrity Rehab.”
She also guest starred on “3rd Rock from the Sun” and “The Nick Cannon Show.”
“It is with deep sadness to inform you today that we lost a true icon, a real life superhero,” a statement posted to her official Twitter account announced.
“She will live forever in the memories of her millions of fans and all of us that loved her.”
Chyna was a female pioneer in the male-dominated sport of professional wrestling during the mid-to late-1990s, becoming the first woman to compete in the Royal Rumble.
She was also the first woman to become Intercontinental Champion in 1999 and again in 2000.
A larger-than-life figure, the wrestler and actress later posed for Playboy magazine before starring in several adult films.
She later moved to Japan to teach English.
