Sharmell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sharmell |
|
|---|---|
Sharmell in 2009
|
|
| Birth name | Sharmell Sullivan |
| Born | November 2, 1970 Gary, Indiana, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Spelman College |
| Spouse(s) |
Booker T
(m. 2005) |
| Children | 2 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Paisley Queen Sharmell Sharmell Sister Sharmell Storm |
| Billed height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Billed weight | 125 lb (57 kg; 8.9 st) |
| Billed from | Houston, Texas |
| Trained by | WCW Power Plant Ohio Valley Wrestling Fit Finlay Molly Holly |
| Debut | December 1998 |
| Retired | 2023 |
Sharmell Sullivan-Huffman (born November 2, 1970) is a former American professional wrestler, dancer, and beauty queen. She is most famous for her time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where she performed as Queen Sharmell alongside her real-life husband, Booker T.
Before joining WWE, she was a dancer in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as part of a group called the Nitro Girls, where she was known as Storm. She was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2022 for her memorable career.
Contents
Early Life and Pageant Success
Sharmell Sullivan was a top student at her high school in Gary, Indiana. She later went to Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, and earned a degree in mathematics in 1997.
In 1991, at the age of 20, Sullivan won the Miss Black America pageant. After her win, she became a professional dancer. She toured with famous music artists, including spending over three years with the legendary James Brown.
Professional Wrestling Career
World Championship Wrestling (WCW)
In 1998, Sullivan joined WCW as a member of the Nitro Girls, a popular dance group that performed during the show. Her stage name was Storm. As the Nitro Girls became more involved in wrestling stories, she started managing a wrestler named The Artist and changed her name to Paisley.
As Paisley, she had her first singles match in April 2000 and won. She later managed another wrestler and teamed up with fellow former Nitro Girl, Tygress. During her time in WCW, she was also part of a pop music group called Diversity 5 with other Nitro Girls.
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
In 2001, Sullivan signed a contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which would later be renamed WWE. She was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling to train as a full-time wrestler and backstage interviewer. Unfortunately, an injury stopped her in-ring training. She then worked as a backstage interviewer on SmackDown! for a short time before leaving wrestling to open a clothing store.
Return to WWE and Queen Sharmell
Sharmell returned to WWE in 2005 to work with her husband, Booker T. The company hired her so the married couple could spend more time together. At first, they were fan favorites, or "faces." They were involved in a storyline with Kurt Angle, who was constantly bothering and disrespecting Sharmell.
In October 2005, Sharmell started helping Booker T win matches by interfering. This was the beginning of her becoming a "heel," or a villain character in wrestling. Soon after, Booker T also became a heel, revealing he knew about her help all along.
The duo then had a memorable feud with a spooky wrestler called The Boogeyman. At WrestleMania 22, The Boogeyman even managed to kiss Sharmell with a mouthful of worms during their match.
Becoming Wrestling Royalty
After Booker T won the 2006 King of the Ring tournament, he began calling himself "King Booker," and Sharmell became "Queen Sharmell." They started acting like royalty, speaking in fake British accents and behaving in a very grand and snobby way. This became one of the most popular and entertaining acts in WWE.
In 2007, Sharmell and Booker T left WWE. Sharmell later appeared at the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony to see her husband get inducted. In 2022, it was her turn to be honored, and she was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for her contributions to wrestling. She also made a special appearance on Raw in 2023 to help announce draft picks.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)
In November 2007, Sharmell and Booker T joined another wrestling company, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). She immediately got involved in a major storyline by helping her husband.
She wrestled in a few matches, including a mixed tag team match where she and Booker T defeated another team. After Booker T became a "heel" again, Sharmell supported him. She helped him win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship by making the three-count herself.
Sharmell and Booker T were part of a group of villains called The Main Event Mafia. She had a few more matches before she and Booker T left TNA in 2009.
Personal Life
Sharmell and Booker T (whose real name is Booker Huffman) began dating when they both worked for WCW. They got married in February 2005.
The couple has twins, a boy named Kendrick and a girl named Kennedy, who were born in 2010. Sharmell is also a stepmother to Booker's son, Brandon, from an earlier relationship.
Championships and Accomplishments
Beauty Pageant
- Miss Black America
- Miss Black America (1991)
Professional Wrestling
- WWE
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2022)
See also
In Spanish: Sharmell Sullivan para niños
