By the time the second season aired, the World Wrestling Federation had changed its name due to an another company being called the WWF (World Wildlife Fund), so the name of the company was changed to "World Wrestling Entertainment" and the show was renamed "WWE Tough Enough". The second season winners were Linda Miles and Jackie Gayda. The announcement of the winners offended members of the male finalists, who claimed that this was not what was promised when they signed forms to compete on Tough Enough, citing that the forms claimed there would be one male winner and one female winner. Eventually, Linda was released on November 12, 2004 and Jackie was released on July 5, 2005.
Former WWE wrestler, Shad Gaspard, former member of the tag team Cryme Tyme, was chosen to be one of the final 13 contestants on the show but failed a drug test, causing him to be replaced. Eventual season three winner John Hennigan made his official debut during the auditions and survived the first cut down to 25 contestants. Despite displaying well-tuned athletic ability, Hennigan's arrogance irritated the judges. It would be another year before Hennigan would make the show. Former WWE Diva & TNA Knockout Shelly Martinez, as well as Kia Stevens (otherwise known as former TNA Knockouts champion, Awesome Kong), also made brief appearances during the auditions, but did not make it through.
Trainers[]
Contestants[]
- Aaron Lewis
- Alicia Martin
- Anni King
- Danny Carney
- Hawk Younkins
- Jackie Gayda (winner)
- Jake Sokoloff
- Jessie Ward
- Kenny Layne (would later go on to wrestle for TNA and Ring of Honor)
- Linda Miles (winner)
- Matt Morgan (would later go on to wrestle for WWE and TNA)
- Pete Tornatore
- Robert Savhalet
Order of Elimination:
- Episode 3: Aaron was cut because he could not physically catch up with the rest of the group's speed. That caused him to pass out on the beach while exercising.
- Episode 3: Robert was cut because he was struggling with all the physicality in and out of the ring; thus, he tired out more easily than others.
- Episode 5: Danny was cut because he lacked of charisma while trying to perform an interview for the trainers.
- Episode 6: Matt left because he tore a ligament in his right knee and his doctor told him it would not be safe to continue wrestling in the ring.
- Episode 7: Alicia was cut because she had an injury and it hindered her from continuing to wrestle in the ring.
- Episode 7: Jessie left because she was diagnosed with a heart condition.
- Episode 11: Hawk left because he became concerned about his performance in the ring.
- Episode 12: Pete and Anni were cut because they couldn't keep up in the ring as well as the others.
- Episode 13: Jake and Kenny were joint runner up after Linda and Jackie were announced the winners of Tough Enough 2.
Episodes[]
| Title | Original airdate | Episode | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casting Special | February 28, 2002 | 1 | ||
| The Casting Special for WWF Tough Enough 2. 250 contestants were invited to audition in Las Vegas, Nevade for WWF Tough Enough 2. The trainers narrowed it down to 25 contestants. The 25 did a physicial challenge with running on a hot day in the mountains. The final thirteen were then picked - Aaron, Alicia, Anni, Jackie, Jacob, Jessie, Kenny, Linda, Pete, Robert, Hawk, Matthew, and Shad. | ||||
| Reality Check | March 7, 2002 | 2 | ||
| The announced thirteen participants are brought to their new home where, and Shad didn't show up because he didn't pass the required physical, so Danny replaces him. The thirteen start training on the beach where Aaron blacks out and is driven away in an ambulance. | ||||
| It's Hard To Be Humble | March 14, 2002 | 3 | ||
| Al Snow announces that their will be a cut the next day. The thirteen continue their training and Aaron returns with no injuries. They are training at Trax, when The Big Show enters and competes with them. They go on the beach again, and do their last physical challenge. The Tough Enough crew cuts Aaron & Robert. | ||||
| Now Thats' Humiliating | March 21, 2002 | 4 | ||
| The contestants continue their training. Alicia gets a back injury, Big places a bet with the contestants that if either Hawk and/or Kenny lose on the Horse, that the males had to wrestle in jock straps and the women had to wrestle in bikinis, Hawk ended up losing for everybody. | ||||
| All about personality | March 28, 2002 | 5 | ||
| The Dudley Boyz make a visit and tell the cast about how to make it in the business and what it takes, and does short interview career profiles with them. Alicia and Jessie start fighting because Alicia has been talking about her possibly being cut; Daniel gets cut because a lack of career personality. | ||||
| Raw Rewards | April 4, 2002 | 6 | ||
| The cast gets to go to WWF Raw Is War and meets a lot of superstars. Al Snow, Bob ""Hardcore"" Holly, and Ivory compete on WWF Metal/WWF Jakked. Matt is forced to leave Trax because he previously injured his knee on the beach. | ||||
| Gut Check Time | April 11, 2002 | 7 | ||
| Jake, Kenny, Alicia, and Pete all get in trouble after training at Trax and get punished by John ""Big"", Alicia gets cut on the spot because of her back problem, Jessie decides to leave because her body is in pain, Pete and Jackie flirt majorly - to the point where Jackie says ""I want to f--- you"" to Pete!, and Chris Jericho pays a visit. | ||||
| Hot Tub Trouble | April 18, 2002 | 8 | ||
| Jackie and Pete have and intimate moment in the hot tub and get ""frisky"", but Jackie later regrets it because her boyfriend said he would walk out on her, Jackie's boyfriend sends her a package with sad song lyrics, the cast gets action figures made of them, and Edge makes a visit. | ||||
| Inspired Performance | April 25, 2002 | 9 | ||
| Anni starts getting in-ring trouble, Jackie and her Boyfriend talk on the phone and get very emotional, WWF Tough Enough 1 Winners, Maven and Nidia pay a visit and share experiences being at Trax and the house, and ""Big"" announces that the cast is going on a vacation/training session in South Africa. | ||||
| Africa or Bust! | May 2, 2002 | 10 | ||
| The cast gets excited about going to South Africa, WWF Superstars, Torrie Wilson and Stacy Keibler pay a visit and join the cast in the hot tub, the cast goes to South Africa where the stay in a luxorius hotel, go in a hot air balloon, see animals, etc. ""Big"" reveals a cut is going to be made while in South Africa. | ||||
| African Dream | May 16, 2002 | 11 | ||
| Hawk starts questioning his physical and mental ability to preform in the ring, the cast starts doing 5 minute matches, Hawk drops out because he needs to feel more comfortable in his work, and Jackie lands on the side of her leg and yelps in pain. | ||||
| Heart and Determination | May 23, 2002 | 12 | ||
| Jackie decides to stay at Trax and work through her knee injury (Torn ALC and ligament), the cast cut promos and mimic each other, William Regal pays a visit, the crew cuts Pete because they don't think he has what it takes to become a WWE/WWF superstar, and the crew cuts Anni because of the lack of her in-ring skills. | ||||
| The Final Evaluation | May 30, 2002 | 13 | ||
| Who Will Be Crowned Champion? | June 13, 2002 | 14 | ||
See also[]
- World Wrestling Entertainment
- Tough Enough
- Tough Enough I
- Tough Enough III
- $1,000,000 Tough Enough
- Tough Enough V
- Tough Enough VI