April Hunter (September 24, 1974) is an American professional wrestler, valet and model.
Career[]
World Championship Wrestling (2000)[]
In 2000 Hunter was hired by Terry Taylor on behalf of World Championship Wrestling (after they saw her layout in Playboy). Along with four other models (Tylene Buck, Pamela Paulshock, Midajah O'Hearn and Kim Kanner) she accompanied members of The New World Order to ringside for their matches. Hunter left WCW later that year to become a fully trained wrestler.
Other promotions (2001-2007, 2009-2010)[]
In 2001 she moved to Boston, Massachusetts to train under the venerable Killer Kowalski. She began working on the independent circuit. Hunter also formed a tag team with fellow Kowalski graduate Nikki Roxx in World Xtreme Wrestling known as The Killer Babes. Hunter went on to form the tag team "T & A" and tag with J.D. Michaels.
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 vacanted the title on In May 2012. 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
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002, 2009)[]
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.
On the December 31, 2009 "New Year's Knockout Eve" edition of Impact, Hunter appeared as a villainess and teamed with Lorelei Lee in a losing effort against 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
Shine Wrestling (2012-2014)[]
On September 21, 2012, Hunter debuted in SHINE Wrestling at SHINE 3 as the manager of Made In Sin (Allysin Kay & Taylor Made). All three women would align with Rain and Ivelisse to form the Valkyrie faction at SHINE 6. At SHINE 7, Hunter made her in-ring debut for the promotion, teaming with Made In Sin in a victorious outing against Mia Yim, Su Yung, and Tracy Taylor. At SHINE 19, Hunter was on the victorious end of a 10-woman elimination tag team match against Ivelisse, Mia Yim, Leva Bates, Jessicka Havok and Tracy Taylor.
Personal life[]
April Hunter was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but moved to Enterprise, Alabama with her father when her parents divorced. She attended college in Philadelphia, majoring in English, Biology and Chemistry, but dropped out after several years. At the age of nineteen she began working as an erotic dancer. Then she became a fitness model instead.
On August 30, 2006, April married her Canadian wrestling boyfriend, J.D. Michaels, in a small, private ceremony at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
She speaks some Spanish, German and French.
April's father's side is from Edinburgh, Scotland. Her mother's side is from Naples, Italy. They met in Philadelphia and April was conceived in Hawaii on her fathers military break from Vietnam.
April was born with pneumonia and has battled COPD, asthma and chronic bronchitis all her life. Fitness is a lifestyle for her to maintain her health. She is also hearing-impaired.
Acting career[]
- Body Of Work MSNBC (2003)
- Home Sweet Battlefield / Ah, House Collapses (2004) as "Mistress Eva"
- Oh! My Zombie Mermaid / Ah, House Collapses (2004) as "Mistress Eva" (Released in the US under this title in June 2006)
- Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy (2005) as "Diamond Piedra"
- Howard Stern radio and E! Television
- W-Five (Canadian documentary)
- MTV (various rock/rap videos)
- The Chronicle
Magazines[]
- Playboy
- Penthouse
- MAXIM
- Max (France)
- MuscleMag
- Ironman
- Flex
- American Curves
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Various other fitness and men's magazines in the US, Asia, Europe, UK.
- Met-RX spokesmodel
In wrestling[]
Finishing and signature moves
- Head Hunter (Flying somersault neckbreaker slam, sometimes uses a running variation)
- SoldierSault (Moonsault press)
- German suplex
- Hunter Lock (Double leg takedown into Boston crab submission)
- Center Fold (Flying headscissors submission)
- Bitch Lock (Hanging figure four necklock)
- Hunter's Hangman (Armbar submission over the ropes)
Wrestlers managed by Hunter
- Scott Steiner
- Jeff Jarrett
- Kevin Nash
- Scott Hall
- Bret Hart
- Creative Control (Gerald and Patrick)
- Arch Kincaid
- Slyk Wagner Brown
- Alex Shane
- Tracy Brooks
- J.D. Michaels
- Talia Madison
- Maven
Championships and accomplishments[]
- Great Canadian Wrestling
- GCW WILD Championship (1 time)
- Jersey All Pro Wrestling
- JAPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) (with Slyk Wagner Brown)
- Jersey Championship Wrestling
- JCW Women's Championship (1 time)
- Winner of JCW Woman's Title Tournament 2003
- German Stampede Wrestling
- Winner of Ladies Tournament 2007
- Far North Wrestling
- FNW Women's Championship (1 time)
- Cyberspace Wrestling Federation/NWA Cyberspace
- CSWF/NWA Cyberspace Women's Championship (1 time)
- Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling
- 3PW Tag Team Championship (1 time) (with Slyk Wagner Brown)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked her #18 in the 2008 PWI Top 50 Females
- PWI ranked her #47 in the 2009 PWI Top 50 Females
- PWI ranked her #45 in the 2010 PWI Top 50 Females
- Queens of Chaos
- QOC Championship (1 time)
- Winner of Princess of Chaos Tournament 2006
- Women Superstars Uncensored
- WSU Hall Of Fame (Class of 2011)
- Women's Extreme Wrestling
- WEW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) (with Talia Madison)
- World Xtreme Wrestling
- WXW Women's Championship (1 time)
- Winner of 2nd Annual Women's Elite 8
External links[]
2008 PWI Top 50 Females |
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Amazing Kong • Beth Phoenix • Gail Kim • Mickie James • MsChif • Sara Del Rey • Roxxi Laveaux • Melina • Michelle McCool • Candice Michelle • Mercedes Martinez • Victoria • Taylor Wilde • ODB • Daizee Haze • Angelina Love • Jacqueline • April Hunter • Nattie Neidhart • Sumie Sakai • Allison Danger • Tracy Brooks • Velvet Sky • Sarah Stock • Mickie Knuckles • Katie Lea Burchill • Cherry • Cheerleader Melissa • Maria Kanellis • Amber O'Neal • Lexie Fyfe • Kelly Kelly • Cindy Rogers • Jillian Hall • Malia Hosaka • Christie Ricci • Becky Bayless • Alere Little Feather • Layla El • Kelly Couture • Jaime D • Christy Hemme • Milena Roucka • Annie Social • LuFisto • Trenesha Biggers • Danyah • Jennifer Blake • Daffney • Portia Perez |
2009 PWI Top 50 Females |
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Mickie James • Angelina Love • Melina • MsChif • Tara • Awesome Kong • Beth Phoenix • Michelle McCool • Maryse • Taylor Wilde • Sara Del Rey • Cheerleader Melissa • Gail Kim • Mercedes Martinez • ODB • Daizee Haze • Sarita • Daffney • Madison Rayne • Katie Lea Burchill • Nikki Roxx • Angel Orsini • Velvet Sky • Sojo Bolt • Natalya • Rain • Amber O'Neal • Jillian Hall • Jetta • Lufisto • Madison Eagles • Nevaeh • Wesna Busic • Kelly Kelly • Portia Perez • Danyah • Ariel • Jennifer Blake • Nicole Matthews • Serena Deeb • Allison Danger • Malia Hosaka • Lexie Fyfe • Jamie D • Amy Lee • Annie Social • April Hunter • Cherry Bomb • Jessie McKay • Rosa Mendes |
2010 PWI Top 50 Females |
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Michelle McCool • Angelina Love • Mercedes Martinez • Cheerleader Melissa • Eve Torres • Madison Rayne • Beth Phoenix • Mickie James • MsChif • Maryse • Tara • Sara Del Rey • Gail Kim • Awesome Kong • Madison Eagles • Sarita • Alicia Fox • Taylor Wilde • Daffney • Hamada • Velvet Sky • ODB • Nikki Roxx • Jillian • Portia Perez • Kelly Kelly • Rain • Angel Orsini • Natalya • Serena Deeb • Nicole Matthews • Amber O'Neal • LuFisto • Daizee Haze • Allison Danger • Layla • Kellie Skater • Tiffany • Jennifer Blake • Jazz • Melissa Coates • Cat Power • Malia Hosaka • Cherry Bomb • April Hunter • Jessicka Havok • Brittany Force • Naomi Night • Cindy Rogers • Roxie Cotton |