11. Chyna
Even in the wake of her death, Chyna holds a slightly controversial reputation within the WWE Universe.Chyna was the first female superstar to truly break the gender barrier, winning the WWE Intercontinental Championship and even competing for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on multiple occasions. While a few women have followed her unsuccessfully in that second feat, Chyna remains the only female Intercontinental Champ, and that’s just the pinnacle of her achievements within WWE. And yet, the company did little to acknowledge her from the time she left in 2001 to her unfortunate death in 2016.
Steve Austin was always pretty quiet about his friendship with Chyna, such to the extent it may have been a slight shock to fans when he took to his podcast the week after she passed to give his thoughts on the matter. Austin referred to Chyna as being “an absolute sweetheart” who deserved far more than the company gave her. Austin also defended Chyna’s actions later in life, and made it clear he was closer to her than anyone had ever let on while she was alive. Austin is just one of many superstars to have spoken about WWE’s mistreatment of Chyna, but his high status in the company will always add levity to who he supports, regardless of when he chooses to do so.
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