Trish Stratus

Trish Stratus married her high school sweetheart, professional bodybuilder and gym trainer Ron Fisico, on September 30, 2006 in a private ceremony in Toronto, Canada. She gave birth to their son Maximus Stratus Fisico on September 30, 2013 and daughter Madison-Patricia Fisico on January 14, 2017.

Considered to be a sex symbol, Stratus’ in-ring abilities and confidence on microphone made her an influential figure in the industry during the time she was active. Along with Lita and Chyna (Joan Marie Laurer), she redefined women’s role in wrestling.

She is often hailed as WWE’s greatest woman champion ever and has been mentioned as the inspiration for many women wrestlers who came after her, including Bayley, Kelly Kelly, Natalya, Rosa Mendes, and Alexa Bliss.

Patricia Anne Stratigeas was born on December 18, 1975, in Flemingdon Park, Ontario, Canada to parents Alice and John Stratigeas and raised in Richmond Hill, Ontario alongside her two sisters, Christie and Melissa. Her father was a real estate agent of Greek ancestry while her mother was an educator of Polish descent. Stratus lost her father on March 16, 2015.

She studied at Bayview Secondary School and later attended York University to pursue a degree in biology and kinesiology. She also participated in the university’s various sports programs, particularly soccer and field hockey. She was planning to enrol at a medical school but her education came to a sudden halt due to a professors’ strike.

She got a job as a receptionist at a local gym where she met the publisher of MuscleMag International and was asked to do a test shoot for the magazine. This eventually led to her signing a two-year contract and appearing on the cover of the May 1998 issue. For the next couple of years, Stratigeas would enjoy a successful modelling career.

She grew up watching professional wrestling, admiring the likes of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. While she was working as a fitness model, she landed the job of co-hosting Live Audio Wrestling with Big Daddy Donnie and Jeff Marek on Toronto Sports Radio, The FAN 590.

Stratigeas signed a contract with WWF in November 1999 and debuted as a heel on the March 19, 2000 episode of Sunday Night Heat using the ring-name Trish Stratus.

In the Initial years of her career, she served as the storyline manager, first for Test and Albert, members of the tag team T & A, and later for Val Venis. In her first major storyline, she worked with WWF Chairman Vince McMahon and the rest of the McMahon family in early 2001, which ultimately led to her WrestleMania X-Seven appearance where she aided Shane McMahon in the match with his father, signalling a face turn for her.

While she had participated in matches in the past, following her first face turn, she started doing so with more purpose, effectively revitalising her character. In the summer of 2001, she suffered an ankle injury and took a break for the next three months to heal and recuperate.

When she returned, she was more than sure of her decision to become a professional wrestler. In her first WWF Women’s Championship win, she successfully competed in a six-pack challenge at the 2001 Survivor Series.

Between 2003 and 2005, she and Lita (Amy Dumas) were involved in one of most memorable scripted rivalries in the history of professional wrestling. The title went back and forth between them, as did the roles of face and heel. She also had major feuds with Stephanie McMahon, Jazz, Victoria, Gail Kim, Molly Holly, and Mickie James.

Trish Stratus is a seven-time WWF/E Champion (November 18, 2001; May 13, 2002; September 22, 2002; March 30, 2003; June 13, 2004; January 9, 2005; and September 17, 2006). She is also a one-time WWE Hardcore Champion (May 6, 2002).

She was the WWF/E Babe of the Year from year 2001 to 2003.

She was also named the WWE Diva of the Decade of 2000s.

Stephanie McMahon inducted Stratus into the WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2013). Stratus, in turn, inducted Lita into the Hall of Fame (Class of 2014).