Former WWE wrestler Chyna dies at 45

Former WWE Women's and Intercontinental champion Joanie Laurer, better known to wrestling fans as Chyna, has died, according to her personal social media accounts. She was 45.

The news of Laurer's death began to spread when her verified Twitter account reported that the former wrestling star had died. George Pennacchio of ABC 7 in Los Angeles confirmed the news of her death.

A one-time bodybuilder, Laurer began her wrestling career in Killer Kowalski's school in Malden, Mass in 1995. It was while training there that she was noticed by Paul Levesque, better known to wrestling fans as Triple H. Levesque was a former student of Kowalski's that had moved on to success in the WWE. However, at that point, he was looking for something to refresh his act. He found it in having Laurer be his bodyguard. She began working for WWE in 1997.

Because Laurer was so physically imposing, it was believable that should could hold her own in a fight against most men. WWE presented her in that way and she quickly became a star as a part of D-Generation X with Levesque and his longtime friend Shawn Michaels.

After the group expanded and eventually broke up, Laurer, dubbed the ninth wonder of the world (Andre the Giant was the eighth), became a star on her own. She became the first woman to compete in the Royal Rumble and the King of the Ring, and she eventually became the first and only woman to ever hold the WWE Intercontinental championship in 1999.

Despite being at the height of her popularity, Laurer left WWE in 2001 partially due to the abrupt end to her real-life relationship with Levesque.

From there, things began to get rocky for Laurer. Laurer took part in reality television shows and even adult films with fellow wrestling star Sean Waltman (X-Pac), but Laurer's biggest issue was her drug and alcohol addiction.

Because of that and some controversial statements about her time with WWE, Laurer had been essentially shunned by the company since her departure.