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Diva Search and training (2004–2006)
Michelle McCool first came to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as a competitor in the 2004 WWE Diva Search, from which she was the fourth woman eliminated.[4] Despite not winning the contest, she was still signed to a three-year contract in November 2004. She debuted on SmackDown! as a fan favorite with a personal trainer gimmick, a reference to her old career.[5] After participating in a number of "Best body" contests, she wrestled in her first SmackDown! match, teaming with The Big Show to defeat Dawn Marie and René Duprée on March 3, 2005.[6] McCool and Dawn Marie feuded for the next few weeks, with Dawn Marie coming out on top.[7][8] A few months later, McCool became a part of the feud between MNM and Heidenreich when she defended Heidenreich against MNM's manager Melina's verbal attacks.[9] Melina and McCool then began a feud, which included a victory for Melina in her SmackDown! debut match. After the match, MNM gave McCool their finisher, The Snapshot.[10] This was the last time she appeared on WWE television, almost a year.
[edit] Deep South Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling
McCool was then sent to WWE's developmental facility, Deep South Wrestling (DSW), where she wrestled, performed interviews, hosted segments, and provided color commentary with Nigel Sherrod. Her first feud in DSW was against Angel Williams. While in DSW, she was hospitalized after taking prescribed medication and sidelined for several weeks to recover. Eventually, she started to train in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). While in OVW, she began managing the duo of Amish Roadkill and K.C. James.
[edit] WWE Friday Night SmackDown!
[edit] Hot Teacher
She returned to SmackDown! on June 2, 2006, this time working as a heel with a "hot teacher" gimmick, again pulling on her real life experiences.[11] Upon her arrival, she aligned with Kristal Marshall to feud with Jillian Hall and Ashley Massaro.[12] This led to a Fatal Four-Way Bra and Panties match at The Great American Bash, which Ashley won.[13] She won her first singles match on the July 28 edition of SmackDown!, defeating Hall by illegally using the ropes as leverage.[14] Soon after, she began acting as valet for the team of K. C. James and Idol Stevens, who, because of her association with them, were nicknamed The Teacher's Pets.[15] The trio began feuding with Paul London and Brian Kendrick, and their valet Ashley, for the WWE Tag Team Championship, but never won the title. The feud ended when London and Kendrick won a match against them at No Mercy in October.[16] On November 28, McCool was hospitalized with an enlarged kidney, a broken sternum, and an electrolyte imbalance.[17] During her absence, both James and Stevens were sent back to Ohio Valley Wrestling. She was released from the hospital on December 2.[18]
[edit] All American Diva and Divas Champion
McCool returned on the March 30, 2007 edition of SmackDown!, where she participated in a 10-Diva tag team match.[19] On the April 13 edition of SmackDown!, McCool became fan favorite once again when she came to the aid of Ashley after she was attacked by a heel, Jillian Hall backstage;[20] this led to a short feud between herself and Hall, where McCool came out on top. On the May 28 edition of Raw, McCool won the Memorial Day Bikini Beach Splash Battle Royal by eliminating Melina.[21] After Victoria had her last match with Torrie Wilson, she immediately began another feud with McCool. A series of matches took place,[22] including a Mixed Tag Team match with Chuck Palumbo as her partner and Kenny Dykstra as Victoria's partner, with Victoria coming out on top.[23]
McCool after becoming the first Divas Champion at The Great American Bash
McCool then became caught in the middle of a feud between the villainous Jamie Noble and her 'friend' Chuck Palumbo. Noble made advances towards McCool and defeated Palumbo in two straight matches. McCool agreed to go on a date with him if he won a third match against Palumbo; McCool tried to distract Noble during the match by removing her top, but this only served to help him get the pin. On the January 25 edition of SmackDown!, McCool was involved in a tag team match, teaming up with Palumbo and Noble, against The Miz, John Morrison, and Layla. During the match, Palumbo pushed Noble into McCool, and she was knocked out of the ring onto the floor. Noble was then attacked by Palumbo, and when McCool tried to stop him, Palumbo knocked her aside. She suffered a concussion and refused to accept Palumbo's apology.[24] The following week, Palumbo apologized to McCool, but she rejected it. Due to all of this, Noble was now the fan favorite and Palumbo was now the heel. McCool then went on to compete in a series of contests with Victoria, Eve Torres, Maryse and Cherry to determine SmackDown!'s top diva, subsequently winning the title.[1] The celebration did not last long, however, as she and first runner-up Cherry were immediately attacked by Victoria and the debuting Natalya Neidhart. On the July 4 edition of SmackDown!, Michelle won the second "Golden Dreams" match to earn the right to challenge the previous Dreams match winner Natalya to determine the first WWE Divas Champion. At The Great American Bash on July 20, 2008, Michelle defeated Natalya to become the inaugural Divas Champion.[25] In coming months McCool had successful title defenses against Maryse Ouellet and Maria Kanellis.
Michelle McCool first came to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as a competitor in the 2004 WWE Diva Search, from which she was the fourth woman eliminated.[4] Despite not winning the contest, she was still signed to a three-year contract in November 2004. She debuted on SmackDown! as a fan favorite with a personal trainer gimmick, a reference to her old career.[5] After participating in a number of "Best body" contests, she wrestled in her first SmackDown! match, teaming with The Big Show to defeat Dawn Marie and René Duprée on March 3, 2005.[6] McCool and Dawn Marie feuded for the next few weeks, with Dawn Marie coming out on top.[7][8] A few months later, McCool became a part of the feud between MNM and Heidenreich when she defended Heidenreich against MNM's manager Melina's verbal attacks.[9] Melina and McCool then began a feud, which included a victory for Melina in her SmackDown! debut match. After the match, MNM gave McCool their finisher, The Snapshot.[10] This was the last time she appeared on WWE television, almost a year.
[edit] Deep South Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling
McCool was then sent to WWE's developmental facility, Deep South Wrestling (DSW), where she wrestled, performed interviews, hosted segments, and provided color commentary with Nigel Sherrod. Her first feud in DSW was against Angel Williams. While in DSW, she was hospitalized after taking prescribed medication and sidelined for several weeks to recover. Eventually, she started to train in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). While in OVW, she began managing the duo of Amish Roadkill and K.C. James.
[edit] WWE Friday Night SmackDown!
[edit] Hot Teacher
She returned to SmackDown! on June 2, 2006, this time working as a heel with a "hot teacher" gimmick, again pulling on her real life experiences.[11] Upon her arrival, she aligned with Kristal Marshall to feud with Jillian Hall and Ashley Massaro.[12] This led to a Fatal Four-Way Bra and Panties match at The Great American Bash, which Ashley won.[13] She won her first singles match on the July 28 edition of SmackDown!, defeating Hall by illegally using the ropes as leverage.[14] Soon after, she began acting as valet for the team of K. C. James and Idol Stevens, who, because of her association with them, were nicknamed The Teacher's Pets.[15] The trio began feuding with Paul London and Brian Kendrick, and their valet Ashley, for the WWE Tag Team Championship, but never won the title. The feud ended when London and Kendrick won a match against them at No Mercy in October.[16] On November 28, McCool was hospitalized with an enlarged kidney, a broken sternum, and an electrolyte imbalance.[17] During her absence, both James and Stevens were sent back to Ohio Valley Wrestling. She was released from the hospital on December 2.[18]
[edit] All American Diva and Divas Champion
McCool returned on the March 30, 2007 edition of SmackDown!, where she participated in a 10-Diva tag team match.[19] On the April 13 edition of SmackDown!, McCool became fan favorite once again when she came to the aid of Ashley after she was attacked by a heel, Jillian Hall backstage;[20] this led to a short feud between herself and Hall, where McCool came out on top. On the May 28 edition of Raw, McCool won the Memorial Day Bikini Beach Splash Battle Royal by eliminating Melina.[21] After Victoria had her last match with Torrie Wilson, she immediately began another feud with McCool. A series of matches took place,[22] including a Mixed Tag Team match with Chuck Palumbo as her partner and Kenny Dykstra as Victoria's partner, with Victoria coming out on top.[23]
McCool after becoming the first Divas Champion at The Great American Bash
McCool then became caught in the middle of a feud between the villainous Jamie Noble and her 'friend' Chuck Palumbo. Noble made advances towards McCool and defeated Palumbo in two straight matches. McCool agreed to go on a date with him if he won a third match against Palumbo; McCool tried to distract Noble during the match by removing her top, but this only served to help him get the pin. On the January 25 edition of SmackDown!, McCool was involved in a tag team match, teaming up with Palumbo and Noble, against The Miz, John Morrison, and Layla. During the match, Palumbo pushed Noble into McCool, and she was knocked out of the ring onto the floor. Noble was then attacked by Palumbo, and when McCool tried to stop him, Palumbo knocked her aside. She suffered a concussion and refused to accept Palumbo's apology.[24] The following week, Palumbo apologized to McCool, but she rejected it. Due to all of this, Noble was now the fan favorite and Palumbo was now the heel. McCool then went on to compete in a series of contests with Victoria, Eve Torres, Maryse and Cherry to determine SmackDown!'s top diva, subsequently winning the title.[1] The celebration did not last long, however, as she and first runner-up Cherry were immediately attacked by Victoria and the debuting Natalya Neidhart. On the July 4 edition of SmackDown!, Michelle won the second "Golden Dreams" match to earn the right to challenge the previous Dreams match winner Natalya to determine the first WWE Divas Champion. At The Great American Bash on July 20, 2008, Michelle defeated Natalya to become the inaugural Divas Champion.[25] In coming months McCool had successful title defenses against Maryse Ouellet and Maria Kanellis.
