The FCW Divas

Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) is the "training ground" for the WWE.
If you have watched wrestling for years (like I have) you may remember it's former incarnation, Championship Wrestling from Florida.
While FCW may just be a developmental territory, I've been watching some of the female wrestling matches from there, and I have to say, some of them are pretty impressive, maybe even better than some of the Diva's matches on Raw and SmackDown!

I wish they took more of their talent from the Indy wrestling promotions (like TNA does), but like I said, from what I have seen, they have made some good choices.
Yes...I am actually praising WWE for once.

Here are some of the women wrestlers currently on the FCW roster, waiting to move up to the WWE...

At only five foot two and 99 pounds, most people would say that AJ Lee is too small to be any good in the wrestling ring.
But the guys have Rey Mysterio, so why not a smaller woman?
AJ Lee was born April Jeanette on March 19, 1987 in Union City, New Jersey and was trained by Jay Lethal, Mo Sexton and Azrieal.
Besides FCW, she has worked for independent wrestling promotions such as Victory Pro Wrestling (VPW), National Wrestling Superstars (NWS), American Championship Entertainment (ACE), New Jersey Shore Championship Wrestling (NJSW) and Women Superstars Uncensored.
During her career (she debuted in September 2007) she has held the New Jersey Shore Championship Wrestling Women's Championship twice, the Women Superstars Uncensored Tag Team Championship (with Brooke Carter), the WSU/NWS King and Queen of the Ring (with her trainer and boyfriend Jay Lethal) and the Queen of FCW belt..er..crown...well actually it's a tiara.

UPDATE
Since I did this Hub, AJ moved up to the "Big Leagues", SmackDown.

Aksana is really IFBB Figure Pro Zivile Raudoniene.
I don't know if it's by accident of design, but she looks a lot like Trish Stratus from a distance.
She was born on April 29, 1982 in Lithuania
This beautiful bodybuilder, fitness model and personal trainer and won the IFBB Arnold Classic Contest in 2009.
She's new to wrestling, and so far hasn't won any titles or belts yet.

UPDATE
Aksana has also moved up to SmackDown.

Before she signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment, Courtney Taylor (Beverly Mullins) was a model.
Yes, another one of the WWE famous "model to wrestler" transitions.
Courtney was born on December 28, 1985 in Tampa Florida and she signed with the WWE in February 2008.
She started out with the ring name Daisy, then became Wesley Holiday and now Courtney Taylor.
Courtney has shown up a few times on ECW and Monday Night Raw.

UPDATE
She was released from her WWE contract in April 2010.

One of the more unique WWE acquisitions is Jemma Palmer, an English model and former UK Gladiator.
She was born on April 10, 1986 in Tamworth, England.
On the British TV series, Gladiators, she was Inferno.
Although Jemma hasn't had any pro wrestling experience outside FCW, she is trained in submission wrestling.

UPDATE
Unfortunately, Jemma was released from her contract before she ever reported to FCW, because she was unable to obtain a visa to work in the United States

Back to the "model to wrestler" thing again with Jillian Beyor.
Before FCW, her wrestling background was....well...she was a model for Florida Bikinis, Hawaiian Tropic, Stare Magazine, Tropic Beauty, Monster Tower and she was a member of the USA National Bikini Team.
She was also on the CW reality show, Beauty and the Geek.
Does any of that count?
No?
Well...let's see how it goes.
Hey, I was wrong about Michelle McCool and Maryse.

UPDATE
Jillian was released from her WWE contract on March 8th, 2010.

Other than her getting busted for a DWI in June of 2009, I really couldn't find out a lot about Liviana (Karlee Perez).
She started out with the ring name Candy Girl, then it was changed to Liviana.
She was a ring girl, and the manager of Sweet Papi Sanchez before she started wrestling.

UPDATE
Maxine shows up regularly on NXT.

Trinity McCray was a cheerleader for the Orlando Magic before she was signed by the WWE in August of 2009.
She was given the ring name of Naomi Night and started wrestling.
This former FCW Divas Championship is now one of the dancers and valets for Brodus Clay.
Don't tell ME the WWE doesnt know how to use their wrestling talent!
Make 'em dancers!

Yes, you read the last name is right.
Sarona Snuka is the daughter of the legendary Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.
Talk about a wrestling bloodline, and I think she even has WWE Diva Natalya beat.
Sarona is related to wrestlers Sim Snuka, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Afa Anoa'i, Samula Anoa'i, Solofa Fatu (Rikishi), Tonga Fifita (Meng, King Tonga) , the late Eddie Fatu (Umaga), Afa Anoa'i, Jr., Sika Anoa'i, Rodney Anoa'i (Yokozuna), Matt Anoa'i (Rosey) and more I probably missed.
I bet their family reunions are wild!

UPDATE
Sarona has moved up to SmackDown and is now Tamina full time.

Many of the current WWE Divas were trained at FCW or have many appearances there including Serena Mancini (Serena Deeb), Alicia Fox, Tiffany (Taryn Terrell), Savannah (Angela Fong), Eve Torres, The Bella Twins, Roucka (Rosa Mendes), Natalya and Gail Kim.
The FCW feels almost like some kinda weird alternate reality WWE.

Several of the FCW Divas, plus a few rookies will be on the third cycle of WWE NXT.
You can find out more here:
http://beautiful-wrestling.blogspot.com/2010/09/wwe-nxt-goes-fcw-divas.html

Several of these ladies are gone now.
Jill Beyor was released from her WWE contract on March 8, 2010.
Courtney Taylor (aka Daisy, Wesley Holiday, Wesley Holliday) was released from her contract in April 2010.
Jemma Palmer was also released in the Fall of 2010.
But while they have left, FCW picked up a few new Divas...

Yes Caylee is the real life sister of Alicia Fox (Victoria Crawford).
I really don't care for Alicia that much, but how cool would another sister tag team be to challenge the Bellas?

UPDATE: It appears that Caylee has been released from her contract.
UPDATE UPDATE: It appears now that Caylee is BACK in FCW.
Geez.

I've been following this beautiful young lady since her days in in Memphis Ladies Wrestling where she was the MLW Champion and 2008 Rookie of the Year.
So yes Su wasn't a model before wrestling, she worked her way up through the ranks in the ring.

UPDATE
On August 08, 2011, Su Yung was released from her developmental contract.

Well they let the muscular and built Brit Jemma Palmer go, and replaced her with another Brit.
In all fairness, Verity DID start out as a model, but also did some grappling and valeting (is that a word?) in England.
Over there she was also known as Amber Vixen and Miss Vicky.

UPDATE: Well another one bites the dust as Verity confirmed on December 3rd, 2010 her Twitter account that she has parted ways with the WWE.
Geez!

Although her ring name is Raquel Diaz (for now) this lady has a last name you will know.
She is Shaul Marie Guerrero, daughter of WWE Superstar Vickie Guerrero and the late Eddie Guerrero.
Raquel has already made her in-ring debut in FCW.

Former gymnast Audrey Marie pretty much surprised everyone by popping up out of the blue.
But if you'll notice, FCW seems to be doing that a lot here lately.
She's from Houston, Texas and it looks like she is reviving Mickie James' old "cowgirl" look.
Audrey has already won the FCW Divas Championship once.

If you watched WWE Tough Enough V, you'll know FCW Diva Cameron Lynn better as Ariane Andrew.
Even though she was eliminated from Tough Enough on episode 1, she was signed by the WWE and made her FCW debut at a house show on July 7th, 2011, as a ring announcer.
She has made it into the ring since then and hopefully she'll get time to improve her ring skills.

UPDATE: Cameron is now the valet of Brodus Clay.
Way to use the talent WWE!

Australian native and student of former WWE Superstar Lance Storm, Leah West (Irena Janjic).
Leah debuted at a FCW house show in Orlando on June 22nd, 2011, and she made her FCW TV debut at September 1st, 2011 tapings, where she was defeated by Naomi.

UPDATE: In December 2011, she was released from her WWE contract.

So far, the gorgeous Eden Stiles is only a ring announcer.
But I have heard that she is training with Steve Keirn so we may see her in the ring soon.

UPDATE: Nope, in December 2011, Eden was released from her WWE contract.
BUT....Brandi is said to be dating WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes.

Yes there are more women the WWE has signed that will probably appear in FCW first.
I notice that the WWE seems to be getting more ladies that actually have some type of physical background.
Good for them!

Ivelisse Velez was a 2011 WWE Tough Enough contestant that was signed to a WWE developmental contract and will probably show up in FCW very soon.
I have been following her career since she was Juliet The Huntress, wrestling in Puerto Rico.
I even did an interview with her on one of my wrestling blogs.
It's very nice to see someone rise up through the ranks like that.

FCW Diva Danielle Moinet was born on November 28th, 1983 in Manhasset, New York, although she was raised in North Carolina (my old home state).
Danielle played cornerback for the Chicago Bliss in the Lingerie Football League from 2008 to 2011, so she has some experience taking "bumps".
Who knows...maybe she'll adopt a football player character and wear a variation of her old Lingerie Football League gear in the ring.

The WWE hit gold when they signed Saraya (aka Britani Knight/Saraya-Jade Bevis).
She's kinda like a UK version of Natalya.
Her mother is UK wrestler Julia Hamer (Sweet Saraya) and her father is British wrestler "Rowdy" Ricky Knight.
And both of her brothers are wrestlers as well, the Zebra Kid and Zak Zodiac.
The families nickname is even "The Knight Dynasty"....kinda like "The Hart Dynasty".

UPDATE: Saraya is now known as Paige.

Kira Forster was trained at former WWE Superstar Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy and has wrestled in Canada for a while under the ring name Taya Valkyrie.
Besides wrestling, she has a pretty extensive background as a fitness model and fitness competitor, competing in the ABBA, CBBF and even showing up at the Arnold in 2010 where she took 2nd place in Fitness Tall Class.

Australia native Tenille Dashwood was also trained at Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy and is now under contract with the WWE.