Many people have forgotten that during the first Wrestlemania, there were two headlining matches. The big one of course featured Mr. T and Hulk Hogan squaring off against Rowdy Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff, but the co-main event featured a couple of lady wrestlers who had just fought against each other a month prior. That battle was between Wendy Richter and defending champion Leilani Kai.
Leilani Kai, training under the Fabulous Moolah had upset Richter to win the WWF Women's Title, and because the bout was so intense, a rematch was scheduled just a month later to co-headline the first Wrestlemania. Wendy Richter as you might remember brought in rocker Cyndi Lauper to be her manager and defeated Leilani Kai after an intense battle. Shortly after the match began, Moolah grabbed Richter as she was outside on the floor, but Lauper saved her from an attack. Kai then performed a flying crossbody from the top rope, but Richter used Kai's momentum to roll-up Kai in a pinning position. With this pin, Richter became the new Women's Champion.
Leilani Kai was later paired with Judy Martin, in a tag team that would become known as The Glamour Girls. The team held the WWF Women's Tag Team Championship twice (managed by "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart) and the LPWA Tag Team Championship once. Later, Kai returned briefly to the WWF in 1994, challenging for the Women's Championship at WrestleMania X. She also wrestled for World Championship Wrestling under the name Patty Stonegrinder and held the NWA World Women's Championship.
She was inducted into the National Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame in 2006.
(Thanks to Steve at Bookprowrestlers for putting me in touch with Ms. Kai.)
Hi Ms. Kai. I see you are semi-retired. What are you up to these days?
I'm currently managing the shine tag team champions, "Legendary" Brandi Wine and Malia Hosaka. Also, I'm managing one of the top wrestlers in North America, Thunderkitty. I encourage fan's to look up these three talented lady wrestlers. They will be glad they did.
How has your body held up from all the years in the ring?
My body has held up well. I always trained hard and did my best to care for my body. I'm in a great shape and still wrestle when I feel the match is a important one for me to take.
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| Leilani Kai and Judy Martin aka The Glamour Girls |
What was your initial connection to professional wrestling?
Watching as a young child, it left a impression on me. I was connected immediately.
Tell me about your relationship with the Fabulous Moolah.
She was a tough coach and disciplinarian. Not the easiest to work for, but she got great in-ring results out of her girls.
Do you have a friendship with Cyndi Lauper?
Cyndi was very high energy and emotionally invested in my series of matches vs Wendy. We did become friends years later. But make no mistake about it, she was all in when we did those matches. What a talented performer she is still.
Tell me about the month or so after you initially beat Richter, before your rematch at Wrestlemania.
It was spent training every day. Relentlessly. Moohlah was pushing me to the limit. She would bring in special trainer's. We would visit special gym's. The preparation for that event was was like nothing I had ever experienced. It meant a lot.
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| Leilani Kai sitting next to Brute in this undated photo. |
What was it like to be backstage at a huge wrestling event like Wrestlmania?
It was insane. Security and Celebrities were every where. Liberace, Muhammad Ali and so many more. You could tell that something special was taking place.
Tell me a good backstage story.
There's so many great backstage stories. One of the funniest thing's that I ever saw. One of the guys, who had just won a WWF championship was about to go out for his match and someone hid his title from him. That's always been my favorite.
How much have you had to deal sexism and diversity in your sport, and how have you overcome that?
It was never a problem for me. If your a female in this sport and your carry yourself with respect, you will be respected. People make the boys out to be a bunch of crazy guys. Let me tell you, they are all like your big brothers. God help anyone that disrespects one of the girls in front of those guys.
You are in the NWA Hall of Fame. What does that mean to you?
It mean's a lot to me. The NWA holds it's own place in wrestling history and I'm glad to be a small part of it.
Harvey Wippleman is the only man to have won a championship in the WWF Women's category. In your prime, could you have taken him?
Harvey is a very talented manager but I think I could have pinned him!
What advice do you have to offer young women who want to get into professional wrestling?
My advice would be to train, train, train. Make sure that it's in your heart and dont ever let anyone tell you that you dont belong or cant make it. You are in charge of your own destiny.
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| Kai tosses Darling Dagmar during a match. |
When it is all done and said, how would you most like to be remembered?
Oh, I dont worry too much about that. That's up to the fans and my co-workers to remember me how they will.
N/p: Sundial: "Red Sky"
If Shakespeare was alive today, he'd be writing wrestling shows. - Chris Jericho
If grasshoppers were the size of humans, they could leap about the length of a basketball court.
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