by StEPHaNiE RaDVaN photographs by EmiLY SHUR December 2011 MAXIM 49 Status Update HomEtoWN: Jacksonville, Florida BiRtHDaY: January 15, 1987 FaVoRitE WREStLER: Stone Cold Steve Austin. “He’s always been my idol.” gUiLtY PLEaSURE: “I’m obsessed with fast food. Nuggets, fries, hamburgers— everything.” EmBaRRaSSiNg iPoD SoNg: “Probably ‘MMMBop’ by Hanson.” DESiRED cHRiStmaS PRESENt: “Shoes. I love Louboutin and YSL. Just putting that out there.” DESiRED cELEBRitY oPPoNENt: “Lindsay Lohan. She needs some sense knocked into her.” kelsey/ hair, shelby artists; fitzgerald/exclusive jada styling, using nars cosmetics maccianti cara makeup, agency; oneluv 00 MAXIM AUGUST 2011 photographs by tKtKtKtKtKtK Did you feel like you had to prove yourself? As far as dating, are you into really buff guys? Definitely. A lot of the guys there didn’t like I have dated a wrestler, but it’s a breath of me at first, because they were used to train- fresh air to be with someone outside of the ing with girls who had wrestling experience. business. Guys definitely get intimidated I was the youngest Diva they’d ever had, and because they see who I work with, but I one of the first models, so I was like, “I’m don’t care if a guy works out every day of the gonna work my butt off.” week—different strokes for different folks. Well, the fans certainly warmed up to you, Have you had any crazy fan experiences? thanks to your routine stripteases. WWE has some hardcore fans! I’ve had It was funny, because I’d only been training people ask me to sign babies, and I got a mar- for two months when I found out I was riage proposal on live TV. We also work with going to start appearing on TV—as an exhibi- the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and I talked tionist! When Vince McMahon showed me to an eight-year-old boy on Skype. He was the routine, I was in shock, but, you know, like, “I love it when you do the Stink Face!” anything to get my foot in the door. It was the most nerve-racking minute of my life. For readers who don’t know what the Stink Face is, please elaborate. College freshman Barbara Jean Blank didn’t How did your parents react? I put my shorts up my butt and stick it in my bat an eyelash when her modeling agent You should’ve seen their texts! They were opponent’s face. I think it’s the best move. asked if she’d be interested in wrestling. Less like, “We thought you were going to be I got it from this old wrestler Rafiki, who than a year later, she became the youngest wrestling!” Luckily I had only one month of used to do it in a diaper. It was so obnoxious. Diva in WWE history when she debuted as “Kelly’s Exposé” before I got in the ring, and über-babe Kelly Kelly. Quickly winning fans now they’re my biggest fans. My 80-year-old You also work with the USO. Any memorable with her megawatt smile, Kelly was chosen grandma will come when we’re in my home- experiences from your trips overseas? to participate in the WWE’s USO tour that town with a sign that says we love kelly. The first time I went to Iraq I was 19, and to year, traveling to Iraq to show off her killer see guys who were my age fighting for our moves. Since then she’s been overseas three What’s been your most memorable match? country really hit home. My latest trip to more times, and crushed her competition to The championship. To win the title after Afghanistan was actually a little scary. I was become the current Divas champion. Not being in the ring for five years—it felt like I’d showering when all of a sudden this alarm bad for a former high school cheerleader! really achieved something. It was my time. went off telling us to stay in our bunks. Turns out we almost got hit by a rocket! Were you always a fan of wrestling? And you have some proof that you’re actually a Oh, yeah, since I was a kid. My mom thought wrestler, ’cause you don’t look like Chyna. Are you excited for this year’s Tribute to the it was too violent, but my dad would sneak Exactly! The belt weighs, like, 30 pounds, so Troops? [Airs December 17 at 9 p.m. on NBC.] me into the bedroom to watch with him. It I have to check it when I travel. Everyone’s So excited. It’s what I look forward to every never crossed my mind I could do this kind like, “You wrestle? Like, mud wrestling?” year. Those are the matches where you of stuff. I thought wrestlers were larger than When I started seeing my boyfriend, I had to pull out the big guns, but also just have fun life, so when WWE called and asked if I want- show him matches on YouTube to convince with the troops. I’ve already picked out my ed to train, I was like, “Oh, my God, yes!” him I wasn’t a ring girl. He was speechless. Christmas Army gear. It’s gonna be cool. osmetics c nars Almost as attractive as Brutus “the Barber” Beefcake go to maxim for exclusive styling, jada fitzgerald/exclusive artists; hair, shelby kelsey/ hair, shelby artists; fitzgerald/exclusive jada styling, using maccianti cara makeup, agency; oneluv com video December 2011 MAXIM 51.