The Real-Life Heat Between WWE Divas Chyna & Sable, Explained

May 2024 ยท 4 minute read

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WWE was ascending to unprecedented popularity in 1999. Most will point to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Vince McMahon, and The Rock for the massive uptick in revenue, and while that may be true, two women had an enormous part in the success of WWE's Attitude Era; Sable and Chyna.

As the Attitude Era gained traction, Sable and Chyna dug their heels into the ground and staked their spot on the roster. The rating numbers that Sable drew were second only to Steve Austin. But as fierce and impactful as the dynamic duo of Sable and Chyna were, they couldn't have been further apart in skill set, personality, and goals. In early 1999, the unspoken tension between Sable and Chyna became very public... and very real.

RELATED: WWE: 5 Reasons Chyna Was The Biggest Female Star Of The 90s (& 5 Why It Was Sable)

Initially, Sable had no intention of being a wrestler. Sable came to WWE as an on-screen escort. She debuted in 1996 with Hunter Hearst Helmsley but was quickly moved to her then-husband, Marc Mero. Her movie star good looks intoxicated WWE fans, and it didn't take long for Sable to surpass her Mero in popularity.

At the time, WWE didn't have much of a women's division. However, Vince McMahon saw the opportunity to capitalize on Sable's stardom. He re-instated the WWE Women's Championship and strapped-up Sable the first chance he got. The fans were ecstatic, and the money was rolling in. There was only one problem: Sable couldn't wrestle.

The amount of screen time Sable received irked the WWE talent, who were upset that somebody who couldn't wrestle was hogging up precious television time. It was a valid argument, but money talks and Sable was a money-making machine.

RELATED: 10 Things Fans Should Know About Sable

Chyna Had A Unique Plan For Her Wrestling Future

Chyna debuted in WWE shortly after Sable, ironically, also with Hunter Hearst Helmsley. The physiques between the two women could not have been more different. Chyna was stacked and appeared to but cut out of marble. She wasted no time asserting her physical dominance against the women and men of WWE. By several accounts, Chyna had very little interest in wrestling women. She was interested in making her mark in the men's division.

As the popularity of DX soared, so too did Chyna's. Before long, she became one of the marquee attractions in the company, culminating in 1999 when she became the first woman to enter the Royal Rumble Match.

Sable & Chyna Get Into A Shoot Argument On TV

Weeks ahead of WrestleMania 15, Sable, Chyna, and Debra appeared on the TSN talk show Gallagher. The three women were meant to promote upcoming WWE events, but the interview quickly devolved into chaos.

Gallagher asked Chyna why she wasn't going after the WWE Women's Championship, which Sable was holding at the time. Chyna said she had no interest in the women's title and claimed that she would beat Sable in two seconds (which just isn't possible, she'd need at least three seconds to pin her).

Sable took offense to Chyna's statement and questioned how Chyna could say such a thing as they'd never faced each other before. "Well, I'm twice your size. I'm twice your strength," Chyna answered. Sable then asked whyChyna was twice as big and strong as she was. "I work just as hard as you do, but I do not supplement my body the way that you do." Yikes! Sable's comment received a chorus of "oooohs" from the live studio audience. Chyna then referred to Sable's breasts as supplements, eluding that she may have had plastic surgery.

Gallagher moved quickly to throw to a commercial break. It was clear that this argument was not rehearsed. Chyna and Sable stared daggers at each other as the show went to break.

The Fallout From Sable & Chyna's Public Debacle

Both Chyna and Sable came out of the TSN show looking unprofessional. However, the majority of the WWE locker room sided with Chyna. Pro wrestlers are not too keen on public accusations about steroids. Aside from that, Chyna was considered by many to be "one of the boys" since she was so close with Triple H and the rest of DX, who had far more backstage pull than Marc Mero.

A mere four months later, Sable would leave the WWE and sue the company for $110 million. She cited sexual harassment and an unsafe working environment for her lawsuit. Sable's quick exit meant we never got a Chyna vs. Sable match, which likely would have done excellent business. We did, however, get a war of words that will never be forgotten.

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