Printed in the August 2000 edition of WWF Magazine
Behind every great man is a woman...George Washington
had Martha, Superman had Lois Lane, even Mickey Mouse
had Minnie. Often this woman is quiet and supportive,
assuming the role of help-mate, but once in a great
while a woman comes along who is actually the driving
force in the partnership, the true power behind the man
on the way to the top of a testosterone-driven world.
There's no doubt about it, Chyna is such a woman.
When she first came to the World Wrestling Federation,
Chyna was viewed as the "silent assassin," merely watching
out for the boys of Degeneration-X. But just what and
who was she really watching? As a member of DX, Chyna
learned a great deal about the strengths and weaknesses
of some of the top Federation Superstars. It's often
been suspected that her closeness with Triple H gave her
insights into the mind of "the Game," but many forget
that the other Degenerates--- Shawn Michaels, Road Dogg,
X-Pac, and Mr. Ass--- all, no doubt, let their guard down
around their fellow DX member, affording Chyna information
which she could later use to her advantage.
In past interviews, Chyna has even hinted at her motivation
for being a member of the Degenerates. "I love being
in DX," she has said. "I look more selflessly to where
the guys are going. I want what's best for them."
And unquestionably, what was best for them was also
best for her. Even when the group split, she had no regrets;
in the time they were together, she had learned a lot.
"Shawn Michaels had been in the business many years before
I came into DX," said Chyna. "When he started molding Triple H
to his place as leader, I was there, too."
If knowledge is power, then Chyna walked away from the
original DX breakup as a very powerful woman. With all
that power in her hands, was it any wonder she teamed
briefly with Kane? Despite his size and enormous strength,
the Big Red Machine is a little more than a child emotionally---
but a child possessing secrets about his brother, the
Undertaker. Did Chyna take more than just Kane's friendship
when she severed their partnership?
With her thirst for power and her ability to use her
beauty and cunning to get it, Chyna stands apart from
other women. That's one of the reasons she has dismissed
the Women's Championship, and looks at many of the
Federation women as simply "a bunch of bimbos wrestling around."
Let's face it, with evening gown and pudding matches,
these women had chosen to be little more than adornments
for the men in the Federation, and that would never do
for the Ninth Wonder of the World. But does that mean she couldn't
find a use for them, when necessary?
Her short-lived partnership with Miss Kitty (aka the Kat)
brought her way more than a lackey to fetch and carry
for her. Kitty had previously been Debra's assistant.
This meant that besides providing a bit of insight
into the psyche of the ladies division, Kitty possessed
information about one of the most powerful men to ever
hold the World Wrestling Federation Championship; Stone
Cold Steve Austin.
"Too many women don't feel confident enough in themselves,"
says Chyna. "Sure I can be the feminine, vulnerable
woman-- when I need to be. With Kitty, I could do all
the 'girlie things,' like makeup and shopping, but I was
also teaching her skills for surviving in the federation.
How to use your brains, beauty and strength-on your
terms- to get ahead."
BUt, just how far could Chyna go, even with her "insider"
knowledge? Despite her skills as a wrestler, the
Federation continues to limit the roles that woman can
have in competition. Chyna may have stunned the world
by becoming the first female Intercontinental Champion,
but that's as far as the "Glass ceiling" would allow
her to go. And everyone knows that the real power in
the Federation rests with the holder of the World
Championship. If she was to secure that kind of power,
Chyna would need to find someone who could climb to the
top using the information she provided, but who at the
same time would be someone she could control and
manipulate to do exactly what she wanted.
Whlie Chris Jericho and his male chauvinism might have
seemed a poor choice for her to focus on, it was all
part of her carefully planned strategy. Her union with
"Y2J" put her into the position to learn all about the
new faction in the Federation -- the Radicalz. By
suddenly switching allegiances from Jericho to Eddie
Guerrero, she had secured favor not just with Guerrero,
but Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, and Perry Saturn.
Plus, she may have found exactly what she's been looking
for: a man so enamored of her that he will do whatever
she wishes.
Like the queen on a chessboard, Chyna has carefully
calculated her moves in the Federation to place her
into position for ultimate power. And even she is quick
to admit that she never burned any bridges as far as
Triple H is concerned. "Chyna has her own agenda. Triple
H has his," she smiles. "We went our own ways, but that
doesn't rule out our paths crossing again."
Along her rise in the Federation, there may have appeared
to be some setbacks. But none that she hasn't been able
to turn to her advantage. And with her intimate knowledge
of so many Superstars, she may well turn out to be the
most powerful force ever in the Federation.
