Chyna, born Joan Marie Laurer and also known as Joanie Laurer, was a groundbreaking professional wrestler who became one of WWE’s most recognizable stars of the late 1990s and early 2000s. She was billed as “The Ninth Wonder of the World,” stood 5 feet 10 inches tall, and was 45 when she was found dead in April 2016. The Los Angeles County coroner later ruled that her death was accidental, caused by the combined effects of alcohol and multiple drugs.
Chyna quick facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ring name | Chyna |
| Birth name | Joan Marie Laurer |
| Also known as | Joanie Laurer |
| Height | 5 feet 10 inches |
| Age at death | 45 |
| Wrestling promotion | World Wrestling Federation, now WWE |
| Best known for | D-Generation X, the Intercontinental Championship and breaking gender barriers in mainstream wrestling |
| WWE Hall of Fame | Inducted in 2019 as part of D-Generation X |
| Date found dead | April 20, 2016 |
| Place of death | Redondo Beach, California |
WWE’s official profile lists Chyna at 5 feet 10 inches. That figure is also consistent with reporting on the coroner’s findings.
Who was Chyna?
Chyna was the professional-wrestling name of Joan Marie Laurer. She rose to prominence in the World Wrestling Federation during the Attitude Era, first as an imposing bodyguard and enforcer associated with D-Generation X, Triple H and Shawn Michaels.
WWE emphasized that she was more than a manager or ringside presence. Her character was presented as a physically dominant competitor who could participate directly in matches and storylines traditionally reserved for male wrestlers. That positioning made her one of the most distinctive crossover stars in late-1990s wrestling.
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Chyna’s wrestling career and major achievements
D-Generation X and the “Ninth Wonder of the World”
Chyna became an original member of D-Generation X and served as the group’s intimidating enforcer. Her size, strength and presentation immediately separated her from the conventional roles commonly given to women in mainstream wrestling at the time.
Her nickname, “The Ninth Wonder of the World,” reflected the extraordinary way WWE marketed her. She was not simply portrayed as a female wrestler competing in a women’s division; she was regularly placed in stories involving some of the company’s top male performers.
Royal Rumble and King of the Ring milestones
According to WWE, Chyna became the first woman to qualify for the King of the Ring tournament. She also became the first woman to qualify for the Royal Rumble Match, achieving that milestone in both 1999 and 2000.
These appearances mattered because the Royal Rumble and King of the Ring were traditionally treated as major men’s competitions. Chyna’s participation expanded the kinds of matches and competitive roles that WWE could plausibly assign to a woman performer.
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Chyna was the first woman to hold WWE’s men’s Intercontinental Championship. WWE’s profile states that she won the title twice, while WWE’s historical video coverage identifies her 1999 victory over Jeff Jarrett as the first time a woman won the championship.
The accomplishment placed her in direct competition for a recognized singles title outside the women’s division. It remains one of the defining achievements of her career.
Rank #2
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Women’s Championship
Chyna later won the WWF Women’s Championship by defeating Ivory at WrestleMania X-Seven. WWE states that she retained the title until leaving the company nine months later.
Her career therefore included success in both men’s and women’s championship settings. That combination was unusual then and remains central to discussions of her influence on women’s wrestling.
Was Chyna in the WWE Hall of Fame?
Yes. WWE lists Chyna as a 2019 WWE Hall of Fame inductee. She was inducted as part of D-Generation X, rather than being described in WWE’s current profile as an individual, standalone inductee.
Her Hall of Fame recognition acknowledged both her role in D-Generation X and the wider importance of her WWE career. Her milestones helped widen the perceived possibilities for women in mainstream American wrestling—a reasonable historical interpretation of the documented achievements, though it is not a precisely measurable claim about causation.
Chyna outside professional wrestling
Laurer also appeared in reality television. ABC News’ obituary-style coverage noted appearances on VH1 programs including The Surreal Life and Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew.
She published a memoir in 2001. Chyna’s memoir, If They Only Knew, was published under the names Chyna and Joanie Laurer, with Michael Angeli credited as a collaborator. Publisher’s Weekly lists the book as a 325-page ReganBooks title, and library records identify the U.S. first edition with ISBN 978-0-06-039329-8.
The memoir offers readers a personal account connected to her life and wrestling career, although readers should distinguish an autobiographical account from independently verified historical reporting.
Rank #3
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When and where did Chyna die?
Chyna was found dead in her apartment in Redondo Beach, California, on April 20, 2016. Contemporary reporting identified her as 45 years old.
Some secondary biographies display April 17, 2016 as the date of death. Because contemporary reporting and coroner-related coverage identify April 20 as the date she was found, the clearest wording is that she was found dead in her Redondo Beach apartment on April 20, 2016, at age 45.
What was Chyna’s cause of death?
The Los Angeles County coroner ruled that Chyna’s death was accidental and resulted from the combined effects of alcohol and multiple drugs. Reported toxicology findings included alcohol, diazepam, nordiazepam, oxycodone and oxymorphone.
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- Cause of death: the combined effects of alcohol and the identified drugs.
- Manner of death: accidental.
Early reports said the cause had been deferred while the coroner awaited additional investigation and toxicology testing. That preliminary status should not be confused with the later final finding. Reporting at the time also indicated no sign of foul play, and the coroner did not classify the death as suicide.
How old was Chyna when she died?
Chyna was publicly reported as 45 years old when she died. Some biographical references list her birth date as December 27, 1969, which can produce a different age calculation when paired with the April 2016 date. Other records list 1970, and WWE’s official profile does not publish a birth date.
Rank #4
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For that reason, the least misleading formulation is: Chyna, born Joan Marie Laurer, was 45 when she was found dead in April 2016. If her birth date is mentioned, December 27, 1969 should be identified as a commonly reported date rather than presented as an uncontested record.
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Chyna’s importance lies not only in the number of championships she won. WWE placed her in competitive situations that challenged the assumed boundary between men’s and women’s wrestling. She entered the Royal Rumble, qualified for King of the Ring, won the men’s Intercontinental Championship twice and later captured the Women’s Championship.
Those accomplishments made her a barrier-breaking crossover star. They also gave later performers a prominent example of a woman being presented as a physically credible threat to top male wrestlers, rather than being limited to a supporting or romantic role. Her career did not eliminate gender divisions in wrestling, but it demonstrated that mainstream wrestling audiences could accept a woman as an enforcer, singles competitor and championship-level attraction across divisions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Sources and records
The key career details come from WWE’s official Chyna profile and WWE historical coverage. Contemporary reporting from ABC News and CBS Los Angeles provides the reported age, location, height and final coroner findings. Publisher’s Weekly and library catalog records support the bibliographic details for If They Only Knew. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s explanation of cause and manner of death helps distinguish those terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Chyna’s real name?
Chyna’s birth name was Joan Marie Laurer. She was also commonly known as Joanie Laurer.
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How tall was Chyna?
WWE and coroner-related reporting listed Chyna at 5 feet 10 inches tall.
Best Value
- WWE action figures bring fan-favorite Superstars to life in 6-inch scale!
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- Fans can recreate signature moves with 14 points of articulation for dynamic posing!
- Reenact favorite WWE Main Event matches or create new rivalries and moves for play and display!
- WWE fans can find their favorite Superstar figure or can collect them all (each sold separately, subject to availability).
How old was Chyna when she died?
Contemporary reporting identified Chyna as 45 when she was found dead in April 2016. Public biographical records contain conflicting birth-year information, so the reported age is the safest formulation.
What was Chyna’s official cause of death?
The Los Angeles County coroner ruled that she died accidentally from the combined effects of alcohol and multiple drugs, including diazepam, nordiazepam, oxycodone and oxymorphone.
Was Chyna the first woman to win the Intercontinental Championship?
Yes. WWE identifies Chyna as the first woman to hold the men’s Intercontinental Championship, which she won twice.
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When was Chyna inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame?
Chyna was inducted in 2019 as part of D-Generation X.
The Bottom Line
Chyna was 5 feet 10 inches tall, a two-time Intercontinental Champion and a 2019 WWE Hall of Fame inductee with D-Generation X. She was found dead in Redondo Beach on April 20, 2016, at age 45. The coroner ruled that her death was accidental and caused by the combined effects of alcohol and multiple drugs.
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