Chyna Was A Major Inspiration In KiLynn King's Life As First Role Model She Could Identify With

Growing up, pro wrestler KiLynn King felt she looked different than everyone else, but upon seeing Chyna on her television screen, she began to embrace her physical qualities. In a recent interview with Steve Fall on "Ten Count," King reflected on her early childhood.

"I was always at least a foot or so taller than all the girls in my class, sometimes all the boys too," she said. "Even before I got into sports and into weightlifting and stuff like that, I always had a bigger frame. I just always looked very different. I'm an Irish, pale girl. You just stand out no matter where you go."

While she tried her best to accept herself, King admitted she began attributing her physical attributes with negative connotations, which prompted her to feel like an "outsider." Luckily, professional wrestling opened an avenue for King to escape her intrusive thoughts, and King came across a figure she could finally identify with.

Touted as the "Ninth Wonder of The World," Chyna established herself as a dominant force in WWE, unafraid to challenge the norms set for women in the 1990s and early 2000s. For KiLynn King, Chyna, who passed away in 2016, was the first female role model she felt she truly connected with, and under her influence, King realized that being different was actually cool. "She was the first step for me mentally becoming okay with who I was," King said.

Now as a wrestler herself, King continues to carve her own unique legacy. "The Majesty of Pain" recently announced she signed an exclusive contract with Impact Wrestling.