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Elizabeth Carolan née Kocanski (born November 24, 1980) better known by her ring name Beth Phoenix "The Glamazon", is an American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on the Raw brand. She is a former two-time WWE Women's Champion winning the championship once in 2007 and again in 2008.
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[edit] Amateur wrestling
Carolan began wrestling on the Elmira, New York Notre Dame High School scholastic wrestling team. She was the first female varsity wrestler in her high school's history.[2] She became the North-East freestyle women's champion (72 kg weight class) in 1999. She also became the women's champion (72 kg weight class) at the New York State Fair Tournament in 1999 and was named the most outstanding wrestler that same year in the Brockport Freestyle Tournament. At the time she was also a member of USA Wrestling (a freestyle wrestling association).[2][4] Her life goal was, according to her, to become a professional wrestler, and she believed that having a solid amateur background would help her reach it.[4]
[edit] Professional wrestling career
[edit] Training
After graduating from high school in 1999, she enrolled in both a professional wrestling school and Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. Her first choice for wrestling school was Stu Hart's Dungeon, but because of the location, she decided on a more local school. At the school, she was trained by the "All Knighters" (Joey Knight and Robin Knightwing), who themselves had trained in the Hart Dungeon.[4] Her professional wrestling debut match was against Alexis Laree,[4] and she made the rounds competing with various independent promotions against both male and female wrestlers.
[edit] Ohio Valley Wrestling (2004-2007)
Phoenix debuted on Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) television in July 2004 as the on-screen girlfriend and valet of Chris Masters. The storyline was short lived, and the following month Phoenix was repackaged as the manager of Aaron "The Idol" Stevens. The duo was then joined by Shelly Martinez who Beth soon feuded with in early 2006. Phoenix then stopped appearing regularly on OVW after debuting on WWE's Raw television show.
On August 16, 2006, Phoenix returned to action in OVW as the surprise opponent for Serena in a number one contenders match—she was handpicked by OVW Women's Champion ODB to be the opponent. After a distraction from Charles Evans, Phoenix picked up the win hitting Serena. The following week, both Serena and Phoenix wanted a title shot, so ODB said if they can beat her in a tag match, the pinfall winner would receive a shot. Serena pinned Katie Lea, but this occurred only after Phoenix was forced to leave the ring as she was not the legal woman in the match. Therefore, ODB then put her women's title on the line in a four-way match that also featured Phoenix, Serena and Lea. Serena won the match, but after the match, Phoenix laid out Serena with her newly won belt. At the October 4, 2006 OVW TV tapings, Phoenix defeated Serena to capture the OVW Women's Championship. On the November 4 show, Phoenix lost the OVW women's title to Lea in a gauntlet match.
Phoenix and Lea entered into a feud with each other, with Phoenix claiming that Lea never defeated her for her title so she was still the champion. Danny Basham OVW's TroubleShooter, declared that neither woman was the real champion. Basham set up a ladder match where the winner would become the undisputed OVW Women's Champion. Lea won the match and was presented with the title belt on the first show of 2007. In early 2007, Phoenix became involved in a "love triangle" along with Dan Rodman and Jacob Duncan. After the "love triangle" storyline ended, Phoenix continued to manage Duncan in OVW. Beth made her last appearance in OVW at their August 15, 2007 TV tapings where she lost to Lea in a number one contenders match and then joined the main World Wrestling Entertainment roster full-time.[5]
Contents [hide]
<LI class=toclevel-1>1 Amateur wrestling <LI class=toclevel-1>2 Professional wrestling career <LI class=toclevel-2>2.1 Training <LI class=toclevel-2>2.2 Ohio Valley Wrestling (2004-2007) <LI class=toclevel-2>2.3 World Wrestling Entertainment <LI class=toclevel-3>2.3.1 Trish Stratus's ally (2006–2007) <LI class=toclevel-1>3 Personal life <LI class=toclevel-1>4 In wrestling <LI class=toclevel-1>5 Championships and accomplishments <LI class=toclevel-1>6 References |
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[edit] Amateur wrestling
Carolan began wrestling on the Elmira, New York Notre Dame High School scholastic wrestling team. She was the first female varsity wrestler in her high school's history.[2] She became the North-East freestyle women's champion (72 kg weight class) in 1999. She also became the women's champion (72 kg weight class) at the New York State Fair Tournament in 1999 and was named the most outstanding wrestler that same year in the Brockport Freestyle Tournament. At the time she was also a member of USA Wrestling (a freestyle wrestling association).[2][4] Her life goal was, according to her, to become a professional wrestler, and she believed that having a solid amateur background would help her reach it.[4]
[edit] Professional wrestling career
[edit] Training
After graduating from high school in 1999, she enrolled in both a professional wrestling school and Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. Her first choice for wrestling school was Stu Hart's Dungeon, but because of the location, she decided on a more local school. At the school, she was trained by the "All Knighters" (Joey Knight and Robin Knightwing), who themselves had trained in the Hart Dungeon.[4] Her professional wrestling debut match was against Alexis Laree,[4] and she made the rounds competing with various independent promotions against both male and female wrestlers.
[edit] Ohio Valley Wrestling (2004-2007)
Phoenix debuted on Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) television in July 2004 as the on-screen girlfriend and valet of Chris Masters. The storyline was short lived, and the following month Phoenix was repackaged as the manager of Aaron "The Idol" Stevens. The duo was then joined by Shelly Martinez who Beth soon feuded with in early 2006. Phoenix then stopped appearing regularly on OVW after debuting on WWE's Raw television show.
On August 16, 2006, Phoenix returned to action in OVW as the surprise opponent for Serena in a number one contenders match—she was handpicked by OVW Women's Champion ODB to be the opponent. After a distraction from Charles Evans, Phoenix picked up the win hitting Serena. The following week, both Serena and Phoenix wanted a title shot, so ODB said if they can beat her in a tag match, the pinfall winner would receive a shot. Serena pinned Katie Lea, but this occurred only after Phoenix was forced to leave the ring as she was not the legal woman in the match. Therefore, ODB then put her women's title on the line in a four-way match that also featured Phoenix, Serena and Lea. Serena won the match, but after the match, Phoenix laid out Serena with her newly won belt. At the October 4, 2006 OVW TV tapings, Phoenix defeated Serena to capture the OVW Women's Championship. On the November 4 show, Phoenix lost the OVW women's title to Lea in a gauntlet match.
Phoenix and Lea entered into a feud with each other, with Phoenix claiming that Lea never defeated her for her title so she was still the champion. Danny Basham OVW's TroubleShooter, declared that neither woman was the real champion. Basham set up a ladder match where the winner would become the undisputed OVW Women's Champion. Lea won the match and was presented with the title belt on the first show of 2007. In early 2007, Phoenix became involved in a "love triangle" along with Dan Rodman and Jacob Duncan. After the "love triangle" storyline ended, Phoenix continued to manage Duncan in OVW. Beth made her last appearance in OVW at their August 15, 2007 TV tapings where she lost to Lea in a number one contenders match and then joined the main World Wrestling Entertainment roster full-time.[5]
