Tori had one of the more unusual setups of WWE’s Attitude Era, and Jim Ross says it actually worked in her favor.
While speaking on his podcast, Ross revealed that Tori and her boyfriend were living on a houseboat in Stamford, Connecticut, putting her close to WWE headquarters and making her one of the easiest people for creative to grab when they suddenly needed someone. Ross said Tori already had plenty going for her as a performer, but being local gave her even more value because WWE didn’t have to fly her in or track her down.
“She and her boyfriend lived on a houseboat, and they had it parked in the harbor there in Stamford. She was one of those experienced females that could work with any of the other females. She kept herself in great shape. She had a lot of sex appeal, a lot of athleticism. So I thought she always contributed well.”
That houseboat setup also meant Tori was constantly around the office and gym, and Ross admitted that helped her land extra opportunities simply because she was right there whenever creative came up with something.
“She garnered some extra opportunities because she and her boyfriend lived on a houseboat, and they had it parked in the harbor there in Stamford. So she was around the office, in the gym and et cetera, et cetera. Or if creative had an idea that they needed to use, well, they could reach out easy and get her because she was local. Hop in a car, go do your business.”
That availability came at a time when WWE was already throwing Tori into just about everything. She debuted in late 1998 as Sable’s obsessed fan, eventually turned against her, challenged for the Women’s Championship at WrestleMania XV, and later got into programs with Jacqueline and Ivory.
Her feud with Ivory got especially nasty, including WWE’s first women’s Hardcore Match, where Tori took some brutal punishment with a mirror and an iron. From there, she was shifted into a bigger television role as Kane’s on-screen girlfriend, eventually betraying him and joining X-Pac and D-Generation X. Ross said Tori wasn’t just useful because she was nearby. Her experience, especially from working in Japan, made her someone WWE could trust in the ring with different women on the roster.
“She was, I thought, a valuable asset and contributed significantly to the success of the program and the other women. She worked so long in Japan where it was, in that era, very, very stiff, very snug.”
That background helped her fit into a lot of different situations, whether WWE needed her in a women’s match, a hardcore angle or one of the bigger storyline-heavy programs tied to Kane, X-Pac and DX. The run eventually started breaking down physically, though. Tori suffered shoulder problems and a torn labrum, and Ross believes those injuries played a big role in bringing her WWE career to an end.
“She had some issues with her shoulder. I think that’s what ended up creating her exit. She just couldn’t hold up. So I think she went back to Portland. I think she’s from Portland, but a real nice lady, real good athlete.”
Ross also said Tori understood the political side of wrestling and had no problem coming directly to him if she was worried about how she was being used. Again, living nearby made that a whole lot easier.
“She too had been in the business long enough to understand what insecurities felt like booking-wise. So there’s always that issue. And because she lived locally, she could find her way into my office pretty much anytime because, again, we didn’t have to fly her in.”
Looking back, Ross made it clear he saw Tori as more than just a convenient local talent. He thought she brought a complete package and specifically pointed to her run with Kane as one of the better uses of her during that stretch.
“I’m glad that we got her under contract. She looked great, solid in the ring. Good hand. I thought she had a nice package there with Kane too, for a while. But she was an asset.”
So while Tori was bouncing from Sable to Ivory to Kane to D-Generation X on WWE television, she was also living on a boat just a short distance from company headquarters. According to Ross, that strange little detail ended up helping her career because when WWE needed somebody fast, Tori was already there.
What do you make of Jim Ross saying Tori’s houseboat lifestyle helped her get more WWE opportunities during the Attitude Era? Let us know what you think and leave your feedback in the comments.
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