CHYNA TABLOID STORY

Chyna: My Love Triangle

Former World Wrestling Federation star Chyna has been smacked down by a shocking love triangle!

In an exclusive STAR interview, the brawny fighter admits she was devastated when her wrestling co-star and boyfriend Triple H left her for WWF owner Vince McMahon's daughter Stephanie, who helps mega-rich dad run the organization.

"I'm being honest- Stephanie broke up our relationship and it hurt me very much", confides Chyna, who's real name is Joanie Laurer. "I have to deal with that."

The tough gal, who recently split from the WWF, says she and Triple H- real name Paul Levesque- were in a five year, live-in relationship until sexy Stephanie, 24, started playing his wife in a WWF storyline.

"I was suspicious that they were having an affair," reveals Chyna, 30.

"I confronted them and they admitted it."

But the confrontation didn't turn into a violent showdown because, in real life, Chyna insists she's far softer than her WWF character. Although she was shattered by the news, "it wasn't a heated thing because that's my personality," the Playboy covergirl says with a shrug. "Of course it hurt and made me feel terrible. I'm a human being. But once I knew what was happening, I moved on."

Chyna admits she had hoped to walk down the aisle with hunky Triple H, 32 who stands a towering 6-foot-5.

"I very much thought he was going to be the man I was going to marry," she sighs.

"We were with each other every day, 24 hours a day. Everything we did revolved around wrestling. I think I grew and wanted different things, and it caused problems. And as I grew, there was Stephanie McMahon!

"It doesn't surprise me in retrospect that they hooked up, because Paul is a guy who lived, ate and breathed wrestling, and who else did I think he would be with but Stephanie McMahon?

The statuesque wrestler claims her split from Triple H didn't have anything to do with her recent break from the WWF. Chyna who stands 6 feet tall and can bench press 300 pounds, says Vince McMahon simply made her an offer she COULD refuse.

"We couldn't come to an agreement and they gave me my release. In my opinion, they didn't offer me enough money," says the only lady warrior to convincingly battle men on tv.

However Chyna says, "I'm grateful to Vince for giving me the opportunity to be with the WWF. It made me a star.

"The best part of it all was performing. Fans screaming my name gives me goosebumps."

Chyna says she's started a new website called bodybyjoanie.com and plans personal appearances and other TV work, including a guest role on Pamela Anderson's shop VIP.

She also wouldn't mind doing another Playboy shoot. Her cover was the No. 1 best-seller the girlie magazine ever had, selling 1.3 million copies.

And despite her heartache, Chyna hasn't completely given up on romance , either.

"I'm dating again but I'm cautious," she says. "Right now, I'm taking some time to relax at my Los Angeles apartment and house in New Hampshire.

"I've lived on the road for the last six years with 50 men for 300 days a year, so it's the first time I've put my underwear in a drawer. It feels wonderful!"

Credit: Star Magazine, July 31, 2001 Issue