RAW Magazine
November 2001 Issue
On The Farm: Victoria’s Secret – This Developmental Diva is Ready to Unveil Her Assets
By Brian Solomon

Victoria was happy to be a ho. Of course, in the World Wrestling Federation that means something completely different than it would anywhere else. For her, it meant a taste of the big time, a chance to enjoy the limelight of sports-entertainment’s biggest stage, if only for a little while. Yet if she has her way, the time will soon come when she gets to strut her stuff on that stage once again.

At the side of the WWF’s resident “pimp-daddy” The Godfather, Victoria enjoyed her “lady of the evening,” role, which invariably lent her a great deal of popularity in her short stint in the Federation last year. Along with fellow-ho Mandy, she was one of the only women to appear with The Godfather on a regular basis, and played a part in his defection to Right to Censor, taking a vicious bump through a table at the hands of the once fun-loving Superstar. But angles aside, her time with The Godfather was a universally positive experience.

“I was nervous in the beginning,” she recalls. “People were saying, ‘Don’t go up to him, don’t bother him.’ But I like to know what I’m doing out there, so I just went up to him, introduced myself and told him that I could take a bump, because I had been going to [wrestling] school. He’s so fun, he just goes with the flow. There was no pressure working with him. You got to be goofy, I dressed wild, because I was supposed to be a wild girl-the opposite of me in everyday life.”

I was Victoria’s desire to take a physically active role in the ring that kept her on the WWF’s roster of developmental talent while Mandy was dropped. Her athleticism and love of competition can be traces back to her childhood, and contributed to what she brings to the table as a prospective Federation Superstar.

Before she was Victoria, Lisa Marie Varon grew up in a home with three older brothers who were all amateur wrestlers. Her oldest brother won gold in the Pan-American Games. When she got a little older, she started watching pro wrestling, drawn to its emphasis on gymnastic-style athletic ability.

While studying biology in college, she became co-owner of a gym in California, teaching aerobics classes there as well. Due to the wear and tear places on the joints by aerobic workouts, she began lifting weights to strengthen and protect herself. As her body became lean and muscular, she gained certification as a professional fitness competitor and took part in numerous body building and fitness contest. She also veered away from purely scientific applications of her biology studies, looking instead into personal training as a career option.

“Personal training was a passion of mine,” she says. “I was a biology teacher and wanted to go to medical school. Then, I got interested in the personal training side because I thought of how people were dying because they were overweight or had heart conditions, that people weren’t taking care of themselves. So, I had more passion for the fitness side.”

Her involvement in the fitness community brought her into contact with Torrie Wilson, who had been one of her rivals in the 1998 Miss Galaxy contest. When they met in early 2000, Torrie was a valet in WCW and sparked Lisa Marie’s interest in sports-entertainment career. She introduced her to some people, which led to an appearance on an episode of Monday Nitro. Although her onetime appearance didn’t lead to anything further in WCW, Lisa Marie’s interest was officially piqued.

She next met up with Chyna, who as the time was a premier female in the business. Chyna mentioned that the Federation was looking for athletically inclined women and encouraged her to inquire. She got positive responses from WWF Talent Relations representatives Kevin Kelly and Bruce Prichard, and immediately was sent to Universal Pro Wrestling (UPW), the Federation’s California-based developmental territory.

After rudimentary training, she was called to be one of The Godfather’s hos. The weeks she spent on national TV with The Godfather-and later, Rikishi-whetted Victoria’s appetite for success. But if Victoria truly wanted to develop into more of an in-ring talent, more training would be required. A short time late, she was send to Memphis Championship Wrestling (MCW).

When the Federation’s relationship with MCW changed, Victoria was transplanted to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). The difference, according to her, was dramatic.

“I learned so much more in Louisville that I did in Memphis,” she says. “It was a very positive attitude. Everybody’s a really big help, and everybody wants to give you some feedback. In Memphis, it wasn’t as intense. It was a different environment. When you’re [in OVW], you get treated like one of the boys. You’re taking the bumps like they are. So that’s how I’m learning.”

Victoria is very confident about her progress since starting with OVW. Her opinion was reinforced by a recent visit to the territory by Molly Holly, who was reportedly quite impressed with her improvement. She claims to be much more comfortable in the ring now, and was rewarded for her efforts with a one-on-one match against Lita at the Brian Pillman Memorial show last August.

If Victoria’s progress continues, it may just be a matter of time before you see her playing a major part in the Federation’s Women’s Division. Her attitude remains bright, as she looks forward to showing fans all that she can do.

“I’m still a fan,” she declares happily. “I think I should be up there with the posters saying, ‘Go Lita Go!’ You know what I mean? It’s nice to be a fan and still be a part of it, too. That helps me have a passion for the sport. It’s kind of a dream still. I’m actually living what I wished for. It’s actually coming true.”