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WRESTLING: TNA woman's champ Taylor Wilde took a bumpy route

By Alex Marvez, Scripps Howard News Service

Published October 9, 2008 at 7 p.m.

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Talk about your Wilde rides.

Introduced as a "fan" who answered an open challenge from Awesome Kong, Taylor Wilde became the TNA Wrestling women's world champion in just her third televised match on TNA Impact (7 p.m., Spike TV). But the road Wilde traveled to reach the heights was far bumpier than was reflected by her on-screen character.

The Toronto-born Wilde actually has wrestled for five years since making her debut at the age of 17.

She wrestled for numerous independent promotions - including a summerlong stint learning lucha libre in Mexico - before landing a World Wrestling Entertainment developmental contract in 2006.

Wilde returned to college after her WWE release in August 2007 only to find herself drawn back to wrestling when pursued by TNA this year.

"I was really tired of everything that had to do with wrestling," said Wilde, whose WWE training came at the now-defunct Deep South Wrestling promotion in Georgia. "Being away from my family and training five days a week became really trying. I tried everything I possibly could to make it, but no cigar. I was completely burnt out.

"But after 2 1/2 months being home, doing the 9-to 5 thing as a part-time student wasn't working. I started missing wrestling and trained to get back into it. About a month later, (TNA executive) Terry Taylor gave me a call."

It was the right call.

At 5-foot-3 and 115 pounds, the dainty Wilde is a perfect baby-face foil for the much larger Kong (real name Kia Stevens). Wilde will defend her TNA title against Kong and Roxxi (Nicole Raczynski) on Sunday's Bound for Glory IV pay- per-view show emanating from Chicago.

"The TNA Knockouts have such a diverse roster," said Wilde, whose real name is Shantelle Malawski. "ODB is this beer-drinking animal, and the Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Sky) are these cute girls you want to hate. TNA didn't have the bouncy, girl-next-door underdog who was constantly fighting from the bottom up and running from the monsters to stay alive. I was a piece of the puzzle they needed."

Wilde hopes she can follow in the footsteps of two other Toronto-area natives who became women's wrestling stars: Gail Kim and Trish Stratus.

Having won the WWE women's title in her television debut, former TNA performer Kim has offered Wilde advice on how to handle her newfound fame. Kim also had to deal with the disappointment of being released by WWE (although she's expected to re-sign with the company after recently leaving TNA).

"Gail was one of the first women I met when I started and has never been anything less than gracious and really motherly," Wilde said. "If it weren't for Gail, I would be a lot more bitter about certain situations in my past."

Wilde's in-ring athleticism - she was a hockey player throughout her teenage years - invokes memories of Stratus, who was a fitness model before joining WWE in 2000. Wilde also draws inspiration from how well Stratus (Trish Stratigias) was prepared for life after wrestling, which is especially important considering the short shelf life of most female talent.

Stratus now operates a yoga studio in Toronto and remains active in non-wrestling television projects.

Enrolled at Toronto's York University, Wilde is taking two classes toward a psychology degree while wrestling for TNA. Wilde plans to pursue a degree in broadcasting later.

"For the first time, I've been given the opportunity to savor the moment and know that in some small way I've made it," Wilde said. "But I want to keep evolving as a wrestler and help the Knockout division grow.

"The fans are going to see a lot more of me. I'm not going anywhere any time soon."

Samoa Joe-vs.-Sting and Jeff Jarrett-vs.-Kurt Angle, with Mick Foley as guest referee, headline Bound for Glory IV. For more information, visit tnawrestling.com.

* Paul Diamond and Dustin Uhrich-vs.-Jeff McAllister & Billy V headline a Fusion Pro Wrestling show at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Mile High Event Center, 5155 E. 64th Ave., Commerce City. Information: 303-564-8307 or fusionpro wrestling.com.

Alex Marvez writes a syndicated pro-wrestling column for Scripps Howard News Service.