Gail Kim

Gail Kim is crowned new TNA Women's Champion at Bound For Glory. Photo by Bob Kapur. Gail Kim Photo Gallery

REAL NAME: Gail Kim
NICKNAMES: La Felina, Gail Kim
SIZE: 5-foot-4, 125-pounds
BORN: February 20, 1977 in Toronto, Ontario

Kim grew up in Toronto and majored in kinesiology at the University of Toronto, but later transferred to Ryerson and switched her major to nutrition. Always a natural athlete, Kim decided to try her hand at professional wrestling after obtaining her degree. She received her training from Ron Hutchison's School of Pro Wrestling, as well as Rob Etchevarria at the Squared Circle Pro Wrestling Gym. Debuting in December 2000 under a mask as La Felina, she would go on to work the Canadian indy circuit for two years.

In October 2002, Kim signed a contract with WWE and spent the next eight months training in Ohio Valley Wrestling. She made a huge splash in her June 30, 2003 RAW debut, winning the WWE Diva belt after surviving a seven-woman Battle Royal. Her reign last a month before Molly Holly, (who helped lure Kim to the WWE in the first place), defeated her for the championship.

Kim fractured her right collarbone in November 2003 during a match against Trish Stratus, and was out of action until late April. In November 2004, she was surprised to learn she'd been released from her WWE contract.

She spent the next several months wrestling around the world, including stops in Korea, Australia, Mexico, and the U.S. She would return to mainstream wrestling after debuting on TNA in October 2005. Her in-ring role was mostly limited to acting as valet to Jeff Jarrett and America's Most Wanted.

She began a babyface turn after the split between the "Tennessee Cowboy" James Storm and "Wildcat" Chris Harris in December 2006. At the following month's Final Resolution, she stood up against Storm following his victory against Petey Williams and got a beat down from both Storm and Jackie Moore, her eventual replacement. Kim hooked up with Williams in mixed tag matches against Storm and Moore for the next few months.

But it was the creation of TNA's Knockout Division which really allowed Kim to shine. At the October 2007 Bound for Glory, she won a Knockouts Gauntlet match to become TNA's first Women's Champion. She would engage Awesome Kong in a long, intense feud, and even pin her in a no-DQ match at Final Resolution. Kim, however, lost the belt to Kong on the following Impact. That loss, however, didn't stop TNA from naming Kim as its Kockout of the Year in January 2008.

The feud with Kong continued, and Kim teamed up with ODB to take on Kong and Raesha Saed. They both later also engaged The Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Skye). Kim, ODB, and Taylor Wilde would defeat The Beautiful People and Kong at Hard Justice, although Kim would fall to Kong in a Street Fight match on Impact. Thereafter, unable to reach an extension, Kim's TNA contract expired.

In the autumn, Kim signed a deal that would return her to WWE. The company began airing vignettes of Kim on SmackDown in February 2009.

An actress as well, Kim will appear in Royal Kill, a psychological thriller that is scheduled for limited U.S. release April 10, 2009.

-- Compiled by Richard Kamchen

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