This lady is probably more responsible for bringing women's wrestling into the mainstream than anyone else.
Wendi Richter was born on September 6, 1961 in Dallas, Texas.
She is a former female pro wrestler best known for her stint in the WWF in the 1980s.
Wendi got her training at the Lillian Ellison's School for Women's Wrestling (The Fabulous Moolah's school).
This rough and tough Texan made her pro wrestling debut in the 1980s as a heel.
She started out with another women's wrestling legend, Joyce Grable, and they formed a tag team called the Texas Cowgirls.
They won the NWA Women's Tag Team Wrestling Titles and went to Japan, playing American heels.
Wendi returned to the United States and signed with the WWF in 1983.
She was lucky enough to have been the center of one of the most successful story lines in the WWF at the time. Vince McMahon paired her with rock superstar Cyndi Lauper to go up against Lou Albano and the WWF Women's Wrestling Champion, Fabulous Moolah. This began the WWF's "Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection".
Wendi went on to defeat Moolah for the title in a wildly successful match, that I believe was actually broadcast on MTV.
At the age of 23, she became the youngest WWF Women's Wrestling Champion in history.
Wendi went on to actually headline WWF house shows, something that no other female wrestler had done up until that time.
She faced Moolah several times, and another Moolah trainee Leilani Kai.
Kai actually defeated Richter for the title in early 1985, but Wendi regained the title one month later at WrestleMania.
Wendi was scheduled to defend her title at Madison Square Garden against a masked opponent known only as The Spider Lady. The Spider Lady was actually several female wrestlers alternating wearing the mask. When Wendi went into the match she had no idea who her opponent would actually be that night. Wendi later said that even she didn't know who would be under the mask or how the match would end. Just moments into the match, The Spider Lady attempted a pin and was given a quick three count, even though Wendi clearly kicked out at one. Wendi ignored the bell (and loosing the title) and attacked the masked lady, ripping off her mask to reveal...The Fabulous Moolah.
Wendi was so mad that she left the arena immediately after the match that night and never spoke to McMahon or Moolah again.
This incident is referred to by many wrestling fans as "The Original Screw Job".
After leaving the WWF, Richter showed up wrestled in Puerto Rico, Japan, and throughout the U.S. in independent wrestling promotions.
She then went to the American Wrestling Association (AWA) in 1988 and defeated Madusa Miceli for the AWA Women's Wrestling title. Wendi later vacated the title, leaving the promotion.
Wendi next showed up in the Ladies Professional Wrestling Association (LPWA) teaming with another ex WWF wrestler, Rockin Robin. She was only there a few months before she left.
After leaving, Wendi got a degree in physical therapy and married WWE Spanish broadcaster Hugo Savinovich (now divorced).
Wendi returned to Texas to practice physical therapy.
Wendi showed up at two Wrestle Reunion events in 2005.
In 2010, Wendi was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2010 by Roddy Piper.
And on the June 16, 2012 episode of Raw, she appeared in a in-ring segment along with Cyndi Lauper, Roddy Piper and Layla as part of the "1000th episode" buildup.
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