Luna Vachon grew up in a successful pro-wrestling family- her father was former NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Champion Butcher Vachon, her uncle was former AWA World Heavyweight Champion Mad Dog Vachon, and her aunt was former AWA World Women's Champion Vivian Vachon. This gave Luna Vachon a deep understanding of the industry and a passion for the art of professional wrestling. And she wanted to continue her family's wrestling legacy.
Out of all the members in the Vachon family, Vivian Vachon had the biggest influence on Luna Vachon, as she explained in an interview: "I used to be so close with my aunt because she was only 11 years older than me her being the baby in the family, so I grew up going on the road and following her and cleaning up the dressing room for her and helping her put the curlers in her hair, and that's all I wanted to do was be like my Aunt Vivian."
Before she became known as the wild and crazy Luna Vachon character with a mohawk and face paint as she defied traditional notions of female beauty in wrestling, she made her debut in Championship Wrestling From Florida as Sports Revue Magazine journalist Trudy Herd, who was standing at ringside when a brawl suddenly broke out near her. During the brawl, she was slapped twice by Kevin Sullivan. Soon after the incident, she joined Sullivan's Army of Darkness faction, where she began embracing a dark persona.
Luna Vachon's unique look set her apart from the typical image of women in wrestling at the time. This unconventional appearance, combined with her fierce in-ring style, made her a standout performer who intrigued fans of women's wrestling.
Luna Vachon was a true pioneer, challenging the traditional image of women in wrestling. She rejected the stereotypical roles of "Divas" or "valets," instead opting for a more mixed and complex character. Vachon was a heel, a face, and fans supported her either way, showcasing a range that was rare for women in the industry at that time. Vachon was willing to take risks and push boundaries, in terms of both promo work and character work. She proved that you don't have to be like everyone else to be successful and impactful.
Luna Vachon has also had a career of firsts, becoming the first woman wrestler in a WWE game (RAW), the first woman wrestler to be in an intergender singles match in WWE, and the first woman wrestler to participate in an intergender, "Steel Cage" match in ECW.
Despite Luna Vachon's contributions, accomplishments, and the impact she had on the women who followed, Vachon never became a women's champion during her time in WWE and WCW. Also, during the three years that Vachon was in WWE (two separate stints), she was not in many programs; instead, Vachon was often used as a ringside manager. However, when WWE and WCW did use her in a program, they would give it the opportunity to generate interest.
A WWE example was Luna Vachon's feud with Sherri Martel, which featured matches between the two of them being booked across the country. Vachon and Martel were given the opportunity to promote their feud during WWE programming.
The same was done when Luna Vachon feuded with WWE Women's Alundra Blayze. Before they had a series of matches nationwide, Vachon and Blayze faced each other on an edition of Jerry Lawler's, "King's Court" interview segment.
In WCW, Luna Vachon made her surprise debut by sneak attacking Madusa live on "WCW Monday Nitro" during an interview segment, to generate excitement and establish Vachon as a threat in WCW's women's division. Also, she was interviewed a number of times on WCW-TV after this segment, to help push her feud with Madusa.
However, Luna Vachon's matches and storylines often were overshadowed by the men's storylines. The lack of consistent focus on women's wrestling during her active years in WWE and WCW limited her opportunities to truly shine and reach the heights that she had earned. During that period, if women's wrestling was a main focus for a fan, they were in the minority. If women's wrestling was on the TV, many fans changed the channel to see what the competition was doing. If they were in attendance at a venue, that was when they would leave their seat to buy beer and hot dogs or check out the merchandise that was on sale. Giving their audiences what they seemed to want, women's wrestling was not a major focus for WWE and WCW.
As for Luna Vachon never being a women's champion in either company, along with being a heel, likely, her character might not have been seen as a traditional choice for a champion during that era. Even when WWE or WCW had a conservative women's champion in place, fans' interest in women's wrestling was lacking.
Women's wrestling in America has come a long way in recent years, as today's level of fan interest in women's wrestling is a different story, with the matches often either being in the main event or the match that fans are talking about the next day. Women wrestlers are now taking center stage in WWE. While this progress is due to the efforts of many individuals, Luna Vachon's contributions should not be forgotten. She was an innovator who helped pave the way for future generations of female wrestlers.
While Luna Vachon's on-screen persona was often wild and aggressive, her impact behind the scenes was equally notable. Vachon played an important role in training and mentoring aspiring wrestlers, shaping their skills and instilling in them the values of hard work and dedication. Angel Orsini's experience is a testament to this: "Luna Vachon broke me in my first two years." This demonstrates her commitment to the craft and Vachon's desire to invest in the future of wrestling.
Luna Vachon's influence extended beyond her in-ring experience. She was a supporter to up-and-coming wrestlers, offering encouragement and belief in their potential. Lita, in an interview, recalled the impact Vachon had on her early career: "she meant a lot to me when I was getting into the business early on I was on the indies and she said 'you're going to be a star I believe in you', and she actually wrote me a fan letter to my PO Box that I got from Luna when I was on the indies and she'll always be really close to me I have a special place in my heart for Luna." This shows how she was not only a performer but also actively supported the next generation of female wrestlers. Vachon's belief in Lita's potential clearly had a deep impact.
Luna Vachon also touched the lives of fans in unexpected ways. Big Swole shared a story of meeting her as a young fan at a Walmart: "I just talked her ear off for like, five, ten minutes, and she was just so gracious with her time with a young fan, and that just kinda stuck with me." This illustrates Vachon's kindness and generosity, even taking time for a young fan. It speaks to her genuine passion for the wrestling business and her willingness to connect with people on a personal level.
In recognition of Luna Vachon's groundbreaking contributions to the wrestling industry, she was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame's legacy wing in 2019. This honor serves as a powerful reminder of her lasting influence and her status as a true groundbreaker in women's wrestling.
Luna Vachon's legacy is one of talent, resilience, and underutilized potential. She was a leader who challenged norms and broke barriers, leaving a permanent mark on the wrestling world. While Vachon may not have achieved the same mainstream recognition as some of her male counterparts, Vachon's influence on women's wrestling is undeniable. She was a true original, a performer who dared to be different and paved the way for the women's wrestling revolution we see today.
No comments:
Post a Comment