WWE Hall of Famer Jacqueline said she was a wrestler first and had no interest in bikini contests during the Attitude Era, but went along with the entertainment side of the product because the fans loved it, adding that she spent 30 years in the business without ever suffering an injury.
Speaking in an interview on the Going Ringside podcast at River City Wrestling Con, Jacqueline discussed her time in the WWF during the late 1990s, her feud with Sable, and her role as one of the few women on the roster who could legitimately wrestle at a time when most of the female performers on television were valets and managers rather than trained in-ring competitors.
“There wasn’t a lot of women back then wrestling,” Jacqueline said. “But we were out there for the fans putting on good shows, and we worked really hard to put on good shows. It was very special back then. A lot of people said they enjoy the Attitude Era. That’s where I was in, and it was just a lot of fun back then.”
“I’m a Wrestler”
Jacqueline was directly asked about the famous bikini contest segment with Sable, which remains one of the most discussed moments from that era and still circulates online. She said fans regularly tell her she should have won the contest over Sable, but Jacqueline made it clear that the segment was never what she was there to do.
“I’m a wrestler. I was trying to wrestle, not do bikini contests,” Jacqueline said. “I mean, I look great. A lot of people told me I look great. So I was very happy about that. But everybody loves Sable. She was a fan favorite. She’s a big babyface. So yeah, it was fun.”
Despite the competitive nature of the storyline, Jacqueline had nothing but praise for Sable as a professional.
“She was a fan favorite. Everybody loves Sable,” Jacqueline said. “It was great working against her. She was very beautiful, very talented. She was a great wrestler. She was tall and she did really good in the ring.”
When asked if Sable ever seemed overwhelmed by the environment, Jacqueline dismissed the idea.
“Not at all. Very professional,” Jacqueline said. “Sable was very professional.”
Pinning Chavo Guerrero
Jacqueline recalled that her final significant program in WWE was a Cruiserweight Championship match against Chavo Guerrero, which she won. The moment was notable because Jacqueline was one of the few women in the company’s history at that point to compete against and defeat male wrestlers in a title match.
“I had a match against Chavo Guerrero. It was a Cruiserweight match, and I think that’s where they wrapped it up,” Jacqueline said. “Chavo is a great guy. I love working against Chavo. He’s a great wrestler. He’s real. He’s just a pro. And I beat him, one, two, three. It was just a match. It was great.”
30 Years Without an Injury
Jacqueline said she wrestled for approximately 30 years and never suffered a significant injury during her career, which she attributed to staying in shape and being blessed with good health.
“I was blessed. I never got hurt,” Jacqueline said. “I was in the business for like 30 years. So I’ve been blessed.”
Jacqueline said she is still active on the convention circuit and enjoys reconnecting with former colleagues and fans.
“It’s great coming to the conventions because you can see all the wrestlers that you haven’t seen in years,” Jacqueline said. “They’re like my wrestling family. I call them my wrestling family. And it’s great seeing the fans too. They’re awesome.”
Jacqueline was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016. She held the WWE Women’s Championship and the Cruiserweight Championship during her career.
