Wendi Richter

Wendi Richter (born on September 6, 1961 in Dallas, Texas) is a professional wrestler best known for her stint in the World Wrestling Federation in the mid-1980s.

Career
Wendi Richter was trained at the The Fabulous Moolah's school and made her pro debut in 1979. The rough and rugged Richter would play heel in most of her early matches. Wendi was paired with Joyce Grable to form the tag team, the Texas Cowgirls. The Cowgirls were quite successful, winning the NWA Women's Tag Team Titles and notably feuding with the team of Velvet McIntyre & Princess Victoria. Grable and Richter would also go to Japan and face some of the toughest talent, playing the roles of big American heels.

WWF/Rock-N-Wrestling Connection
Wendi would return stateside signing with the WWF in late 1983. After an unremarkable start, Wendi would find superstardom that few other female wrestlers have ever experienced. WWF owner Vince McMahon saw the attention a small promotion in Memphis got when Andy Kaufman got involved in wrestling and he wanted that type of exposure. He brought in rock superstar Cyndi Lauper for a feud with Lou Albano (who had appeared in Lauper's "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" video). They would settle their differences by having their female competitors face off in a match. Albano would second Women's champion Fabulous Moolah, while Lauper would be in the corner of Wendi. Wendi defeated Moolah at MTV's War to Settle the Score for the WWF Women's Championship. At age 23 she became the youngest WWF Women's Champion in history (until Stephanie McMahon won the title in 2000) and at the same time ended what was billed as the longest Championship reign in professional wrestling history (28 years).(see Fabulous Moolah)

The ratings were remarkable and the Rock-and-Wrestling Connection was born. Richter would become one of the WWF's main attractions, often main eventing house shows, unheard of for women wrestlers. At one point Wendi was second in popularity to only Hulk Hogan, whose Hulkamania was in full bloom. Wendi would face Moolah in several rematches around the country. She also faced challengers such as Judy Martin, Penny Mitchell, Black Venus, and Moolah protege, Leilani Kai. Kai would defeat Richter for the title in early 1985. She would regain the title at the first WrestleMania one month later. Wendi would also be animated for the CBS Saturday morning cartoon during this lucrative run, titled Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n Wrestling.

The Original Screwjob
In 1985 after losing and then regaining the title from rival Leilani Kai at the inaugural WrestleMania, Richter was scheduled to defend her women's title at Madison Square Garden against a mysterious masked opponent known only as The Spider Lady. The Spider had been an alternating group of women under a mask (including Penny Mitchell). Richter said she was never told who was under the mask or how the match would end. Moments into the match, her opponent attempted to pin Richter's shoulders to the mat and the referee delivered a swift three count. After ignoring the count and continuing to attack the Spider Lady, Wendi unmasked the new champion to find out that she was The Fabulous Moolah, the woman she defeated a year and a half earlier. In years following the incident, it was described as a contract dispute between Richter and Vince McMahon regarding her new contract and monetary compensation and royalties for the cartoon series. Nearly 12 years later, a similar scenario happened in Montreal at Survivor Series 1997 when Bret Hart lost his belt to Shawn Michaels, known to many as the Montreal Screwjob. Wendi never returned to the WWF and went to wrestle in Puerto Rico, Japan, and throughout the U.S. in independent promotions.

AWA
Richter would surface in the American Wrestling Association in 1988 to challenge champion Madusa Miceli for the AWA title. After a few unsuccessful attempts Wendi would capture the title on November 28. She would go on to defend the title against former champion Candi Devine, Magnificent Mimi, The Dazzler, and Judy Martin. Wendi participated in the infamous Team Challenge Series joining Sgt. Slaughter's Snipers. She would leave the AWA (and the wrestling business) before the series concluded. Candi Devine would win the belt on December 6, 1989 when she defeated Judy Martin to determine the new Women's Champion after Richter vacated the belt.

Semi-Retirement/LPWA
After leaving the business Wendi has gone on to get a degree in physical therapy and got married to current WWE Spanish broadcaster Hugo Savinovich (they are currently divorced).

Wendi would pop up in the now-defunct Ladies Professional Wrestling Association. She teamed with another former WWF women's champion, Rockin' Robin, to challenge tag team champions, The Glamour Girls for the belts. Wendi only stayed with the company a few months, leaving before their only Pay Per View, Superladies Showdown and subsequent closing. She would leave the business for good after this, returning to Texas to practice physical therapy.

In 2005, Richter appeared at "Wrestle Reunion" in an 8-woman tag team match (teaming with Bambi, Malia Hosaka, and Jenny Taylor) wrestling against Sherri Martel, Peggy Lee Leather, Krissy Vaine, and Amber O'Neal.

Finishing and signature moves

 * Widowmaker (Reverse thrown Death Valley driver)
 * Sitout DDT
 * Arm wrench
 * Facebuster

Championships and accomplishments

 * American Wrestling Association
 * 1-Time AWA Women's Champion


 * National Wrestling Alliance
 * 2-Time NWA Women's Tag Team Championship (w/ Joyce Grable)


 * World Wrestling Council
 * 2-Time WWC Women's Champion


 * World Wrestling Federation
 * 2-Time WWF Women's Champion


 * Other titles
 * 1-time SCPW Women's Champion
 * 1-time NWF Women's Champion

Trivia

 * She was married to WWE color comentator, Hugo Savinovich