Misty Blue Simmes
Misty Blue Simmes | |
|---|---|
 Misty Blue, c. 1987 | |
| Born | Diane Simmes February 8, 1959 |
| Other names | Bunny Hatton |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1981–1997 |
| Spouse | Jon Simmes |
| Children | 2 |
| Ring name(s) | Misty Blue Misty Blue Simmes |
| Trained by | Killer Kowalski |
| Debut | 1985 |
| Retired | 1997 |
Diane Simmes (born February 8, 1959), better known by her ring name Misty Blue Simmes, is an American former professional wrestler.
Career[edit]
Beginning[edit]
Simmes got into wrestling after learning to box and being part of an all-female boxing show. From there, she was invited to Killer Kowalski's wrestling school where she trained for 18 months prior to her first match.[1]
American Wrestling Association[edit]
Simmes competed for the American Wrestling Association in a 10-woman battle royal at WrestleRock 86 on April 20, 1986. The match was won by Sherri Martel.[2]
National Wrestling Alliance[edit]
In 1986, Simmes joined the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and was awarded the NWA United States Women's Championship (a replacement of the prior NWA World Women's Championship held by Debbie Combs). She once challenged Combs to a title unification match (NWA United States Women's Title and NWA World Women's Title), but was attacked by Combs' manager/mother Cora Combs.[3] She frequently defended the NWA U.S. Women's Title against Linda Dallas, Kat LeRoux, Black Venus, Mad Dog Debbie Irons and a handful of other women on the NWA's TV programs World Wide Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling. Many of the matches between Dallas and Simmes ended with the two battling each other with Dallas' kendo stick. She also frequently partnered with Heidi Lee Morgan and Vula in tag-team matches.
She also briefly feuded with Jim Cornette. During a televised interview on TBS, Simmes requested that Cornette help train her only to lure him into the ring and nail him with a drop kick. When the Midnight Express hit the ring, Dusty Rhodes appeared to even the sides. Simmes then competed in an 8-person mixed tag team match partnering with Rhodes, Nikita Koloff, and Barry Windham against Cornette, The Midnight Express, and Dick Murdoch.[4] However, the angle never reached the popularity of Cornette's similar feud with Baby Doll.
While Madusa Miceli was the reigning AWA World Women's Champion, Simmes challenged her to a title unification match (NWA United States Women's Title and AWA World Women's Title) at a Delta Tiger Lilies event, but the match never happened.[3]
Independent circuit[edit]
When the NWA phased out the women's division in late 1989, Simmes wrestled on the independent circuit and eventually joined the Ladies Professional Wrestling Association. She and Heidi Lee Morgan competed as Team America and won the LPWA Tag Team Titles. They lost the titles to The Glamour Girls.[5]
Misty feuded with Monster Ripper in Puerto Rico and won a title from her. There are unverified reports that Misty may have lost some matches, but no visual or readily available written proof seems to exist.[6]
World Championship Wrestling[edit]
In late 1991, Simmes wrestled in World Championship Wrestling, which had evolved from the Jim Crockett Promotions branch of the NWA. She competed in matches against Linda Dallas and Kat LeRoux.[7]
Personal life[edit]
She is married to Jon Simmes.[6]
Prior to becoming a professional wrestler, Simmes and her husband Jon appeared and performed in several pornographic films during the early-to-mid 1980s, with Simmes performing under the pseudonym Bunny Hatton.[8] In 1983, Simmes appeared in the pornographic film "Slit Skirts" in a scene with Ron Jeremy.
Championships and accomplishments[edit]
- International World Class Championship Wrestling
- International Wrestling Association
- IWA Women's Championship (1 time)[9]
- International Wrestling Federation
- IWF Women's Championship (1 time)[9]
- Ladies Professional Wrestling Association
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA United States Women's Championship (1 time)
- NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)[10]
- World Wrestling Council
- WWWA Woman's Championship (1 time)[9]
- Other titles
- BBP (Vermont) Women's Championship
- NCW/IWA Intercontinental Women's Championship
- NCW/IWA United States Women's Championship
References[edit]
- ^ Fox, Craig (1999-09-03). "Oomph! Women wrestlers take to the ring". The Daily Gazette. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
- ^ "AWA Wrestling Cards". 100 Megs Web Hosting. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
- ^ a b "Legendary Stars of Women's Professional Wrestling". Impact Hosting. Archived from the original on 2008-03-10. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
- ^ "Ring Historian Forum". The Ring Historian. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
- ^ "Ladies Professional Wrestling Association Cards". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
- ^ a b "Misty Blue Simmes Profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
- ^ "Show Results - 1991". The History of WCW. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
- ^ "Carn(iv)al Love: Sex, Wrestling and the Story of Misty Blue Simmes – Podcast 101". therialtoreport.com. October 4, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ a b c Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ Meltzer, Dave (2012-11-17). "Sat. update: Great TV show, WWE multiple releases, Austin talks WWE Hall of Fame, Best night for Bellator, PPV predictions, NWA Hall of Fame, James Storm headlines benefit show, Devitt takes another title". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
External links[edit]
- Bunny Hatton at the Internet Adult Film Database
- Bunny Hatton at the Adult Film Database
- Misty Blue Simmes at IMDb
- https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=15735045&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjM0NzIwMzU3NSwiaWF0IjoxNTcxNjY2MzEzLCJleHAiOjE1NzE3NTI3MTN9.vhjm_Kkz3pE-DDop5fYX9RjEGy-1CHddSwLhUYP_NMshttp://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/m/misty-blue-simmes.html Online World of Wrestling profile] age cited in article