Moolah’s ‘Fabulous’ pro career spans over 50 years
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But this week, I would like to look at the main woman in pro wrestling history.
The Fabulous Moolah, aka Lillian Ellison, has been in the ring for over 52 years. Her first bout was in October, 1949, when she pinned Cecilia Blevens in 15 minutes. Little did anyone know that in 2002, she would still be in a ring.
Moolah could work the crowd like no other. She was talented, knowledgeable, devious, vicious and most of all, courageous. It is said that in her prime that no wrestler, male or female, was hated more.
For 30 years she was the icon of female wrestlers. She would go as long as eight years without a loss. When she did lose, she would win back “her” belt within a week each time.
Moolah was never “the girl next door,” and her evil ring character would do anything to win. She bit half of Sue Green’s ear off in a Madison Square Garden match in 1976.
She literally — and legally — owned the title belt until 1983. That year, Vince McMahon Jr. offered Moolah a “fabulous” deal, financially speaking, that she could not refuse. Lillian Ellison sold her rights to the Women’s World Title to the WWF. That act would set up the biggest feud in women’s pro wrestling history.
Moolah would be defeated by Wendi Richter and her famous “manager,” Cyndi Lauper, more times in the next year than the total amount of defeats she suffered in the first 34 years of her wrestling life.
Moolah regained her title in a match that would prove to be the last for Richter. In a match must like the Bret Hart-WWF title controversy, Moolah was helped by a more than gracious call by the referee. The title had been literally stolen from the popular, and unsuspecting, Richter. The ex-champ left the WWF forever, but Moolah remained.
Her last title match was July 24, 1987 in Houston. She lost to “Sensational” Sherri Martel. The last match she won was on Nov. 13, 1999, when she pinned Ivory.
How long can the 12th of 13 children, and the only girl, go on in the wrestling world? That is as big a secret as her age.
Look for her new book, “The Fabulous Moolah: The First Goddess of the Squared Circle.”
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