April Hunter
Encyclopedia
April Hunter is an American professional wrestler
, professional wrestling
valet
and fitness and glamour model. She has appeared in many publications, from MuscleMag International to Playboy Magazine and even has her own comic book series, Code Red
by Pickle Press.
(WCW) as a member of the nWo girls. Along with four other models (Tylene Buck
, Kim Kanner (Shakira), Midajah
and Pamela Paulshock), she accompanied members of the nWo to ringside for their matches.
in Boston. She was the only female in the class and soon began working on the independent circuit
and overseas. Hunter formed a tag team with fellow Kowalski graduate Nikki Roxx
in World Xtreme Wrestling
known as The Killer Babes.
On August 28, 2002, Hunter appeared for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA). She was introduced (and defeated) by then-Miss TNA Bruce
as part of his Miss TNA Challenge. She returned for several other appearances in TNA, including matches against Desire
, Eric Watts and John Walters
.
She then worked as the manager for Slyck Wagner Brown. Together they held both Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling's 3PW Tag Team Championship and Jersey All Pro Wrestling
's JAPW Tag Team Championship
. April was the first female in pro wrestling history to hold the (male) tag team title.
She traveled to Canada for the first time in December 2005, working for Action Wrestling Entertainment and wrestling against Sarah Stock. In February 2006, Hunter worked for Carmen Electra
's Naked Women's Wrestling League
(NWWL). While in the NWWL, Hunter broke her nose, which limited the moves she could perform while working for the promotion.
In Women's Extreme Wrestling
(WEW) in April 2006, Hunter formed a tag team known as T & A with Talia Madison. On April 6, they defeated Team Blondage
(Amber O'Neal
and Lollipop) for the WEW Tag Team Championship. A month later, Hunter and J.D. Maverick debuted together for TNT Pro Wrestling. In September, Hunter challenged Madison for her TNT Women's Championship. She defeated her for the title on September 23. During her time in TNT, Hunter appeared in the Glamour, Glitz & Divas—The Untold Story of American Women's Wrestling DVD, alongside Madison and Michaels.
Hunter won Queens of Chaos
's World Queens of Chaos Championship in November 2006 by defeating Sweet Saraya
in the final round of a championship tournament. She also won Great Canadian Wrestling
's GCW W.I.L.D. Championship from Miss Danyah
on April 13, 2007. She held the title for one day before losing it to Cherry Bomb
in a four-way match. Because of wrestling-related injuries, however, Hunter retired from professional wrestling later in the year.
In late 2009, Hunter came back from her retirement and returned to the ring. Her mother was diagnosed with stage four cancer and her return to the ring was to help out financially. Hunter toured Europe with American Rampage Wrestling between November and December 2009 with Rob Van Dam
, Sid Eudy
(aka Sid Vicious) and Sabu.
On the December 31, 2009 edition of TNA Impact!
Hunter made a special appearance as she and Lorelei
teamed up in a losing effort against the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions Sarita and Taylor Wilde. On June 15, 2010, Hunter claimed that she had turned down a contract offer from TNA the previous month.
Hunter was part of the AWR (American Wrestling Rampage) European Tour in November 2010 in France with Booker T, Sandman, Scott Steiner and Kai (from All Japan Pro Wrestling).
She went on to compete in Figure on a national level on June 18th, 2010 for the Junior Nationals in Chicago.
Hunter has appeared in the films Â! Ikkenya puroresu (2004
) and Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy
(2007
). In the United Kingdom, she has appeared on the James Whale Show, and in Japan, she appeared in a Toyota Fun Cargo TV commercial. In the United States, she appeared in a MSNBC documentary entitled Body of Work, on The Howard Stern Show, and in the video for the Outthere Brothers' "Boom Boom Boom"/"Don't Stop Wiggle Wiggle." She appeared in a W-FIVE documentary in Canada TruTV Most Daring Wild Women and several independent films, such as Ultimate Death Match II and Hell House in 2009/2010.
but moved to Enterprise, Alabama
with her father when her parents divorced. Before entering the world of professional wrestling, Hunter worked as a fitness model. She placed in Ms. Fitness Philadelphia and Ironwoman Tri-Fitness in Tampa FL. She also worked as a Playboy
model and Met-RX
spokesperson.
On August 30, 2006, Hunter married Canadian wrestler, Jordan Danyluk (known as J.D. Maverick) in Las Vegas, Nevada
. They first met at a wrestling show in December 2005 and were engaged after Valentine's Day in 2006.
She studied photography at the New England School of Photography
. She also runs her own small business.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
valet
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
and fitness and glamour model. She has appeared in many publications, from MuscleMag International to Playboy Magazine and even has her own comic book series, Code Red
Code Red
-Media:* Code Red , a DVD company specializing in releasing cult films* Code Red , a 1981–1982 American television series* Code Red, the series of books for teenagers written by Chris Ryan-Music:...
by Pickle Press.
World Championship Wrestling (2000)
In 1999 after Hunter appeared in Playboy, she was hired by World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW) as a member of the nWo girls. Along with four other models (Tylene Buck
Tylene Buck
Tylene Buck is an American Pornographic actress & model and a former wrestler and valet under the name of Major Gunns.-Professional Wrestler:...
, Kim Kanner (Shakira), Midajah
Melinda O'Hearn
Melinda McCullum , also known by her ring name Midajah, is an American actress, singer and fitness model, former professional wrestler and valet for World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling All-Stars and Ultimate Pro Wrestling....
and Pamela Paulshock), she accompanied members of the nWo to ringside for their matches.
Independent circuit (2001–2007, 2009–present)
Hunter trained to become a professional wrestler with Killer KowalskiKiller Kowalski
Władek "Killer" Kowalski was a Canadian professional wrestler. Kowalski wrestled for numerous promotions during his career, including the NWA and WWF, and was a known heel wrestler...
in Boston. She was the only female in the class and soon began working on the independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
and overseas. Hunter formed a tag team with fellow Kowalski graduate Nikki Roxx
Nicole Raczynski
Nicole Raczynski is an American professional wrestler, best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Roxxi...
in World Xtreme Wrestling
World Xtreme Wrestling
World Xtreme Wrestling is a Northeastern-based independent professional wrestling promotion which has held events across the United States and have toured in Japan, the Middle East and South Pacific region including American Samoa and Guam....
known as The Killer Babes.
On August 28, 2002, Hunter appeared for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA). She was introduced (and defeated) by then-Miss TNA Bruce
Alan Funk
Alan Eric Funk is an American professional wrestler, who has previously worked in promotions such as World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, often with comedic personas...
as part of his Miss TNA Challenge. She returned for several other appearances in TNA, including matches against Desire
Kim Neilson
Kim Neilson is an American professional wrestler and valet best known for working in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Desire.-Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling:...
, Eric Watts and John Walters
John Stagikas
John Stagikas is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Hurricane" John Walters and in Lucha Libre USA as RJ Brewer, the kayfabe son of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer...
.
She then worked as the manager for Slyck Wagner Brown. Together they held both Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling's 3PW Tag Team Championship and Jersey All Pro Wrestling
Jersey All Pro Wrestling
Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey.-1997:Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion that was founded by "Fat" Frank Iadeavia on April 19, 1997. This promotion was born out of a dream of "Fat" Frank. He wanted to take the promotion...
's JAPW Tag Team Championship
JAPW Tag Team Championship
The JAPW Tag Team Championship is a championship in the Jersey All Pro Wrestling promotion. Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via direct competition; it is instead won via a predetermined ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a wrestling angle...
. April was the first female in pro wrestling history to hold the (male) tag team title.
She traveled to Canada for the first time in December 2005, working for Action Wrestling Entertainment and wrestling against Sarah Stock. In February 2006, Hunter worked for Carmen Electra
Carmen Electra
Tara Leigh Patrick , professionally known as Carmen Electra, is an American glamour model, actress, television personality, singer, and dancer...
's Naked Women's Wrestling League
Naked Women's Wrestling League
The Naked Women's Wrestling League, also known as NWWL, was an erotic professional wrestling promotion which features naked females battling in the ring. Carmen Electra acted as hostess for the organization until 2007, when she sued the company for breach of contract...
(NWWL). While in the NWWL, Hunter broke her nose, which limited the moves she could perform while working for the promotion.
In Women's Extreme Wrestling
Women's Extreme Wrestling
Women's Extreme Wrestling , also known as Women's Erotic Wrestling, is an all woman professional wrestling promotion based in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with offices in New York City, New York. They are notable because their storylines usually are filled with erotic and sexual themes...
(WEW) in April 2006, Hunter formed a tag team known as T & A with Talia Madison. On April 6, they defeated Team Blondage
Team Blondage
Team Blondage are an all-female professional wrestling tag team that consists of real life friends Amber O'Neal and Krissy Vaine. They are mostly known for their work in Shimmer Women Athletes, where they were the first ever tag team, still undefeated in SHIMMER competition.-Team Blondage:After an...
(Amber O'Neal
Amber O'Neal
Kimberly Dawn Davis is an American professional wrestler, better known by her ring name, Amber O'Neal.-Early career :...
and Lollipop) for the WEW Tag Team Championship. A month later, Hunter and J.D. Maverick debuted together for TNT Pro Wrestling. In September, Hunter challenged Madison for her TNT Women's Championship. She defeated her for the title on September 23. During her time in TNT, Hunter appeared in the Glamour, Glitz & Divas—The Untold Story of American Women's Wrestling DVD, alongside Madison and Michaels.
Hunter won Queens of Chaos
Queens of Chaos
Queens of Chaos is a French based female independent professional wrestling promotion created in 2005. Queens of Chaos promotes its own shows but also showcases matches on its parent promotion Fighting Spirit Federation, which mainly deals with the male side of professional wrestling...
's World Queens of Chaos Championship in November 2006 by defeating Sweet Saraya
Sweet Saraya
Julia Hamer is an English professional wrestler, better known by her ring name Sweet Saraya.-Professional wrestling career:...
in the final round of a championship tournament. She also won Great Canadian Wrestling
Great Canadian Wrestling
Great Canadian Wrestling is an independent professional wrestling promotion company based in Oshawa, Ontario. GCW was founded in 2005 and promotes shows throughout Southern Ontario. The company also hosts since 2005 an annual Great Canadian Wrestling Expo that takes place over several days and...
's GCW W.I.L.D. Championship from Miss Danyah
Danyah Rivietz
Danyah Rivietz, better known by her ring name Danyah, is a Canadian professional wrestler. She is best known for her work in Shimmer Women Athletes as well as all-women's promotions in America and Canada...
on April 13, 2007. She held the title for one day before losing it to Cherry Bomb
Cherry Bomb (wrestler)
Laura Dennis is a Canadian professional wrestler who works under the ringname Cherry Bomb. She is well known for working for Great Canadian Wrestling, NCW Femmes Fatales and Shimmer Women Athletes.-Training:...
in a four-way match. Because of wrestling-related injuries, however, Hunter retired from professional wrestling later in the year.
In late 2009, Hunter came back from her retirement and returned to the ring. Her mother was diagnosed with stage four cancer and her return to the ring was to help out financially. Hunter toured Europe with American Rampage Wrestling between November and December 2009 with Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, Sid Eudy
Sid Eudy
Sidney Raymond "Sid" Eudy is an American professional wrestler, best known as Sid Vicious in World Championship Wrestling, and as Sid Justice and Sycho Sid in the World Wrestling Federation...
(aka Sid Vicious) and Sabu.
On the December 31, 2009 edition of TNA Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
Hunter made a special appearance as she and Lorelei
Lorelei Lee
Amy Janas , better known by her ring name Lorelei Lee, is an American professional wrestler. She is best known by her appearances for SHIMMER Women Athletes.- Shimmer :...
teamed up in a losing effort against the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions Sarita and Taylor Wilde. On June 15, 2010, Hunter claimed that she had turned down a contract offer from TNA the previous month.
Hunter was part of the AWR (American Wrestling Rampage) European Tour in November 2010 in France with Booker T, Sandman, Scott Steiner and Kai (from All Japan Pro Wrestling).
Other media
Hunter is currently competing in Figure and Fitness. She recently placed third in her first NPC sanctioned Figure competition November 14th, 2009.She went on to compete in Figure on a national level on June 18th, 2010 for the Junior Nationals in Chicago.
Hunter has appeared in the films Â! Ikkenya puroresu (2004
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
) and Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy
Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy
Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy is a 2007 movie starring April Hunter and Joanie Laurer. This Romantic comedy film was premiered at New Jersey & New York on December 1, 2006 and was released on DVD in the United States and the United Kingdom on April 17, 2007 after the films DVD release Just...
(2007
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
). In the United Kingdom, she has appeared on the James Whale Show, and in Japan, she appeared in a Toyota Fun Cargo TV commercial. In the United States, she appeared in a MSNBC documentary entitled Body of Work, on The Howard Stern Show, and in the video for the Outthere Brothers' "Boom Boom Boom"/"Don't Stop Wiggle Wiggle." She appeared in a W-FIVE documentary in Canada TruTV Most Daring Wild Women and several independent films, such as Ultimate Death Match II and Hell House in 2009/2010.
Personal life
Hunter is of German, Scottish & Italian descent. She was born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
but moved to Enterprise, Alabama
Enterprise, Alabama
Enterprise is a city in the southeastern part of Coffee and Dale Counties in the southeastern part of Alabama in the Southern United States. The population was estimated to be 25,909 in the year 2009....
with her father when her parents divorced. Before entering the world of professional wrestling, Hunter worked as a fitness model. She placed in Ms. Fitness Philadelphia and Ironwoman Tri-Fitness in Tampa FL. She also worked as a Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
model and Met-RX
Met-Rx
MET-Rx is a brand name of nutritional supplements, originally produced by Met-Rx, Inc., a California company started by A. Scott Connelly, and sold several times since....
spokesperson.
On August 30, 2006, Hunter married Canadian wrestler, Jordan Danyluk (known as J.D. Maverick) in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
. They first met at a wrestling show in December 2005 and were engaged after Valentine's Day in 2006.
She studied photography at the New England School of Photography
New England School of Photography
The New England School of Photography is a professional photography school located in Kenmore Square, Boston, Massachusetts. NESOP has approximately 150 full time students in its two-year Professional Photography Program, which offers a comprehensive education in the art, technique and business of...
. She also runs her own small business.
Wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Bridging German suplex
- Head Hunter (Somersault neckbreaker, sometimes from the top rope)
- Soldiersault (MoonsaultMoonsaultA moonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is a professional wrestling aerial technique. Much of its popularity in American wrestling is attributed to The Great Muta, despite it being used in North America by "Leaping" Lanny Poffo years before Muta came from Japan.In a standard moonsault,...
)
- Signature moves
- Bitch Lock (Hanging figure four necklock)
- Center Fold (Tilt-a-whirl headscissors armbar)
- Cloverleaf
- Hunter's Hangman (Rope hung crucifix armbar)
- Wrestlers managed
- nWo 2000
- Alex ShaneAlex ShaneAlexander Daniel Spilling is a British professional wrestler who is best known by his ring name "The Ascension" Alex Shane. Spilling also works as a promoter and wrestling teacher.-Early career:...
- Slyk Wagner BrownWagner BrownWagner Brown is a professional wrestler better known by his ring name of Slyck Wagner Brown. He currently wrestles in the independent circuit in the Northeastern United States....
- J.D. Maverick
- Tracy BrooksTracy BrookshawTracy Brookshaw is a Canadian professional wrestler, professional wrestling valet and professional wrestling referee, better known by her ring name Traci Brooks. She is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she has spent most of her career.-Early life:Brookshaw grew up on a...
- MavenMaven HuffmanMaven Klint Huffman is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between October 2001 and July 5, 2005 under the name Maven. In 2008 he became a guest expert on the Home Shopping Network.-Early life:Maven was born to an African-American...
- Mima Shimoda
- Talia Madison
- Nikki Roxx
Championships and accomplishments
- Far North Wrestling
- FNW Women's Championship (1 time)
- German Stampede Wrestling
- GSW World Women's Championship (1 time)
- Great Canadian WrestlingGreat Canadian WrestlingGreat Canadian Wrestling is an independent professional wrestling promotion company based in Oshawa, Ontario. GCW was founded in 2005 and promotes shows throughout Southern Ontario. The company also hosts since 2005 an annual Great Canadian Wrestling Expo that takes place over several days and...
- GCW W.I.L.D. Championship (1 time)
- Jersey All Pro WrestlingJersey All Pro WrestlingJersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey.-1997:Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion that was founded by "Fat" Frank Iadeavia on April 19, 1997. This promotion was born out of a dream of "Fat" Frank. He wanted to take the promotion...
- JAPW Tag Team ChampionshipJAPW Tag Team ChampionshipThe JAPW Tag Team Championship is a championship in the Jersey All Pro Wrestling promotion. Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via direct competition; it is instead won via a predetermined ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a wrestling angle...
(1 time) – with Slyck Wagner BrownWagner BrownWagner Brown is a professional wrestler better known by his ring name of Slyck Wagner Brown. He currently wrestles in the independent circuit in the Northeastern United States....
- JAPW Tag Team Championship
- Jersey Championship Wrestling
- JCW Women's Championship (1 time)
- NWA Cyberspace
- NWA Cyberspace Women's Championship (1 time)
- Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling
- 3PW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Slyck Wagner Brown
- Tag Team Royal Rumble (2004) – with Slyck Wagner Brown
- Queens of ChaosQueens of ChaosQueens of Chaos is a French based female independent professional wrestling promotion created in 2005. Queens of Chaos promotes its own shows but also showcases matches on its parent promotion Fighting Spirit Federation, which mainly deals with the male side of professional wrestling...
- World Queens of Chaos Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked her #18 of the best 50 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2008
- USA Pro Wrestling
- USA Pro Women's Championship (1 time)
- Women's Extreme WrestlingWomen's Extreme WrestlingWomen's Extreme Wrestling , also known as Women's Erotic Wrestling, is an all woman professional wrestling promotion based in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with offices in New York City, New York. They are notable because their storylines usually are filled with erotic and sexual themes...
- WEW Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Talia MadisonVelvet SkyJamie Szantyr is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Velvet Sky. She is a former TNA Women's Knockout Champion and TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion with her former Beautiful People partners Madison Rayne and Lacey Von Erich...
- WEW Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Talia Madison
- Women Superstars UncensoredWomen Superstars UncensoredWomen Superstars Uncensored is an American, New Jersey based female independent professional wrestling promotion which held its first event in 1996. Shows combine wrestling interspersed with both serious and comedic storylines. The company tapes two DVDs worth of material during weekend shows...
- WSU Hall of Fame (2011)
- World Xtreme WrestlingWorld Xtreme WrestlingWorld Xtreme Wrestling is a Northeastern-based independent professional wrestling promotion which has held events across the United States and have toured in Japan, the Middle East and South Pacific region including American Samoa and Guam....
- WXW Women's ChampionshipWXW Women's ChampionshipThe WXW Women's Championship is the top female professional wrestling title in the World Xtreme Wrestling promotion. It was created in 1996 as the WSWF Women's Championship under WXW's original name, the World Star Wrestling Federation. The promotion renamed to its current name in 1998...
(1 time) - Women's Super 8 Tournament (2003)
- WXW Women's Championship
- Other titles
- Best Independent Female Wrestler (2005)