Former Madusa Reflects On Winning The WCW Cruiserweight Championship

Madusa, who also occasionally goes by the name Alundra Blayze, has had a pretty eventful life, let alone career. She's a former WWE Women's Champion — who infamously threw said title belt away on an episode of "WCW Nitro" — a veteran of WCW, WWE, and All Japan Women's Wrestling, a competitor at WWE's all-female Evolution pay-per-view, a future author, and a Monster Truck driver. As former co-worker Ron Simmons would say, damn. In between all of that, Madusa also fit in a reign as WCW Cruiserweight Champion during her time there, defeating Evan Karagias at Starrcade 1999 to win the title. And during a live signing with K&S WrestleFest, Madusa summed up her feelings on winning the title pretty well.

"Confused," Madusa said. "I was like 'Why wouldn't they give me the Ladies Championship?' Somebody there didn't like me." Unfortunately, a reign as WCW Women's Champion wasn't in the cards for Madusa during 1999, or any time during her WCW run. While WCW did introduce a Women's Title in 1996, it was quickly deactivated within a year. Madusa challenged for the title on four occasions, losing each time to inaugural champion Akira Hokuto, including the match to determine the first ever Women's Champion at Starrcade 1996.

As for her reign as WCW Cruiserweight Champion, which took place during Vince Russo's first run as booker of the promotion, Madusa would defend the title successfully twice before ultimately dropping the belt to Ed Ferrera, portraying the Jim Ross parody character Oklahoma, in January 2000. Madusa would continue to wrestle for WCW through the end of the year, before ultimately leaving when WCW was sold to WWE.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit K&S Wrestle Fest and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription