WWF / WWE Tough Enough

Season 1:

The first season of WWF Tough Enough was released on DVD in 2002, as was the soundtrack.

Trainers
¡ Al Snow
¡ Jacqueline
¡ Tori
¡ Tazz

Contestants
¡ Bobbie Jo Anderson
¡ Chris Niflor
¡ Christopher Nowinski (a.k.a. Chris Harvard) (later joined the Raw brand but retired after suffering a severe concussion)
¡ Darryl Cross
¡ Greg Whitmoyer (went to join other various promotions)
¡ Jason Dayberry
¡ Josh Lomberger (a.k.a. Josh Mathews) (later joined the SmackDown! brand as an announcer, currently a commentator on WWE Friday Night SmackDown and WWE NXT)
¡ Maven Huffman (winner)
¡ Nidia Guenard (a.k.a. Paulina Thomas) (winner)
¡ Shadrick McGee
¡ Taylor Matheny
¡ Victoria Tabor

Order of Elimination:
¡Episode 1 Tom, after being selected to the final 13, refused to sign the MTV contract and was replaced by Greg.
¡Episode 3 Jason quit because he could not handle the road life.
¡Episode 4 Bobbie Jo and Victoria quit together because they could not handle the physicality.
¡Episode 5 Darryl was cut for poor ability and attitude.
¡Episode 6 Shadrick was cut due to ring stuggles.
¡Episode 7 Paulina dropped out due to severe leg and knee injuries sustained in the second episode.
¡Episode 9 Greg is forced to quit due to three herniated discs.
¡Episode 10 Chris Ni. quits after recognizing his recklessness in the ring.
¡Episode 13 Taylor, Chris No., and Josh were eliminated upon the announcements of Nidia and Maven as season one winners.

Maven Huffman and Nidia Guenard won the first season of Tough Enough. Only two contestants were actually cut from the competition, the others who were eliminated voluntarily exited. Of the final five contestants, four would eventually join the Federation. Nidia was released from WWE on November 3, 2004, while Maven was released on July 5, 2005.

Though they both survived the initial cut from 230 contestants down to 25, eventual season two winner Jackie Gayda and former TNA Women’s Knockout Champion ODB (Jessica Kresa) were not selected among the final 13 contestants that appeared in season one. Current WWE ring announcer Justin Roberts sent in an audition tape, which aired in a season one teaser on the January 25, 2001 edition of WWE SmackDown.

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Season 2:

Trainers
¡ Al Snow
¡ Hardcore Holly
¡ Chavo Guerrero
¡ Ivory

Contestants
¡ Aaron Lewis
¡ Alicia
¡ Anni
¡ Danny
¡ Hawk
¡ Jackie (winner)
¡ Jake Darren
¡ Jessie Ward
¡ Kenny Layne (would later go on to wrestle for TNA and Ring of Honor)
¡ Linda Miles (winner)
¡ Matt (would later go on to wrestle for WWE and TNA)
¡ Peter
¡ Robert Savhalet

Order of Elimination:
¡ Episode 3: Aaron was cut because he could not physically catch up with the rest of the group’s speed. That caused him to pass out on the beach while exercising.
¡ Episode 3: Robert was cut because he was struggling with all the physicality in and out of the ring; thus, he tired out more easily than others.
¡ Episode 5: Danny was cut because he lacked of charisma while trying to perform an interview for the trainers.
¡ Episode 6: Matt left because he tore a ligament in his right knee and his doctor told him it would not be safe to continue wrestling in the ring.
¡ Episode 7: Alicia was cut because she had an injury and it hindered her from continuing to wrestle in the ring.
¡ Episode 7: Jessie left because she was diagnosed with a heart condition.
¡ Episode 11: Hawk left because he became concerned about his performance in the ring.
¡ Episode 12: Pete and Anni were cut because they couldn’t keep up in the ring as well as the others.
¡ Episode 13: Jake and Kenny were joint runner up after Linda and Jackie were announced the winners of Tough Enough 2

By the time the second season aired, the World Wrestling Federation had changed its name due to a another company being called the WWF (World Wildlife Fund), so the name of the company was changed to “World Wrestling Entertainment” and the show was renamed “WWE Tough Enough”. The second season winners were Linda Miles and Jackie Gayda. The announcement of the winners offended members of the male finalists, who claimed that this was not what was promised when they signed forms to compete on Tough Enough, citing that the forms claimed there would be one male winner and one female winner. Eventually, Linda was released on November 12, 2004 and Jackie was released on July 5, 2005.

Former WWE wrestler, Shad Gaspard, former member of the tag team Cryme Tyme, was chosen to be one of the final 13 contestants on the show but failed a drug test, causing him to be replaced. Eventual season three winner John Hennigan made his official debut during the auditions and survived the first cut down to 25 contestants. Despite displaying well-tuned athletic ability, Hennigan’s arrogance irritated the judges. It would be another year before Hennigan would make the show. Former WWE Diva & TNA Knockout Shelly Martinez, as well as Kia Stevens (otherwise known as former TNA Knockouts champion, Awesome Kong), also made brief appearances during the auditions, but did not make it through.

Season 3:

Trainers
¡ Al Snow
¡ Bill DeMott
¡ Ivory

Contestants
¡ Eric
¡ Jamie
¡ Jill
¡ John (winner)
¡ Jonah
¡ Nick
¡ Justin
¡ Kelly
¡ Lisa
¡ Matthew (winner)
¡ Chad
¡ Rebekah
¡ Scott

Order of Elimination:
¡ Episode 2: Jill quit after the very first day of training. The trainers were all annoyed and labeled her as a “quitter” because she never put forth her best effort.
¡ Episode 3: Lisa left because she decided wrestling wasn’t the right career for her (see below).
¡ Episode 4: Chad was cut because of his lack of ability to keep up the pace with the rest of the group.
¡ Episode 5: Rebecca left because she had a family emergency back at home and could not continue to pursue this competition.
¡ Episode 6: Nick was cut because he had a shoulder injury and he lacked the ability to perform certain tasks in the ring.
¡ Episode 7: Scott was cut because of his lack of ability to keep up with the rest of the group.
¡ Episode 8: Kelly was cut because she had a serious back injury and she was beginning to fall behind everybody else in terms of learning new moves.
¡ Episode 11: Justin was cut because he lacked aggression in the ring as well as a competitive spirit.
¡ Episode 14: Jamie, Eric and Jonah were eliminated and Matt and John were announced the winners of Tough Enough III.

In the cover story from the October 5, 2002 issue of the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter, it was revealed that contestant “Lisa” was removed from the show after what was referred to as a “psychotic breakdown.” After being left at the house while the other contestants went out to dinner, she began throwing herself against the walls of the house, eventually breaking into the hidden MTV control room and working her way onto the roof. After being talked down by producers, she was committed to a hospital facility to receive psychiatric treatment. Her parents flew in from New Mexico to pick her up, but she physically attacked them, claiming she did not know them. She then escaped custody inside LAX, shutting down a wing of the airport until she was located. Again, she was hospitalized, but she was able to check herself out shortly after. She then contacted Tough Enough producers, claiming she was ready to return to the show. Producers informed her she had been removed from the competition due to her actions. The other contestants (and, subsequently, the audience) were initially told that Lisa simply decided wrestling “wasn’t the right career for her.”

Lisa then reemerged in Louisville, Kentucky at the Ohio Valley Wrestling training center, claiming that trainer Al Snow and producer John “Big” Gaburick had sent her for additional training, both in the ring and to learn further about the structure of the developmental territory system. At a series of shows in California in September 2002, she managed to talk her way backstage, and was even allowed to assist with the pyrotechnics for the wrestlers’ entrances at a TV taping. One source even claimed that she had a face-to-face conversation with Vince McMahon, who was apparently unaware of her status with the Tough Enough program. Soon after, her photograph was circulated to security personnel and she was barred from any backstage areas.

The third season was won by John Hennigan and Matt Cappotelli. Hennigan, who wrestled for two years under the name Johnny Nitro, is now wrestling on WWE’s Raw brand as John Morrison. He is a former ECW Champion and was the first Tough Enough contestant to win a major championship in WWE. He is a three-time Intercontinental Champion, and he has held both the WWE World Tag Team Championship and the WWE Tag Team Championship, making him the most successful Tough Enough winner. Cappotelli was developing his talent further in the WWE development territory Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), but was diagnosed with a brain tumor in December 2005, forcing him to step away from wrestling and relinquish his OVW Championship. The tumor was removed in 2007, although it is unknown whether Cappotelli will return to professional wrestling.

Melina Perez tried out for Tough Enough III and made it to the final 25, but was cut from the competition. During the tryouts, however, she met John Hennigan and they eventually began a romantic relationship. She now works for WWE as Melina on the Raw brand and became the first-ever Tough Enough contestant to win the WWE Women’s Championship, a title she has held three times. Additionally, Melina is also the first-ever Tough Enough contestant to win the WWE Divas Championship, making her the most successful female Tough Enough contestant to enter the WWE. Both Shawn Daivari and Daniel Puder are seen on film during audition episode. Both made it to the final 75, but were cut before they could make it to the training facility. Both men later went on as performers for the WWE.

Season 4:

$1,000,000 Tough Enough

The fourth Tough Enough competition was conducted as part of WWE’s SmackDown brand between October and December 2004 in response to Raw holding the first annual “Raw Diva Search” contest. The prize was a $1,000,000 professional wrestling contract split evenly over four years with only the first year guaranteed. The winner of the fourth series, announced on December 14, 2004 and televised on December 16, 2004, was Daniel Puder, an American professional mixed martial artist. Puder competed in his second WWE pay-per-view event on January 30, 2005, being the third entrant in the 2005 Royal Rumble match. Soon after, he was sent to OVW before eventually being released in September 2005.

The most notable incident from this competition came on the November 4, 2004, episode of SmackDown, during an unscripted segment of Tough Enough, Kurt Angle, a former American amateur wrestler and 1996 Olympic gold medalist, challenged the finalists through a squat thrust competition. The winner was Chris Nawrocki, and the prize Nawrocki won was a match against Angle. After Angle defeated Nawrocki, Puder challenged Angle. During the match, Angle and Puder wrestled for position before Angle took Puder down; in the process, Puder locked Angle in a real submission hold, a kimura lock. With Puder on his back, one of two referees in the ring, Jim Korderas, quickly counted three to end the bout, but some observed that during the pin, Puder’s shoulders were not on the mat. Puder later claimed he would have snapped Angle’s arm, thus making Angle tap out on national television, if Korderas had not ended the match. On December 14, 2004 (televised on December 16), Puder was announced as the winner of Tough Enough. Following the incident, Dave Meltzer and Dave Scherer gave these comments;

“It was real. If you don’t follow fighting, Puder had Angle locked in the Kimura, or keylock as Tazz called it, although Tazz didn’t let on the move was fully executed. Not only was Angle not getting out of the move, but most MMA fighters would have tapped already. Angle couldn’t tap for obvious reasons. The ref counted a three even though Puder’s shoulders weren’t fully down, trying to end the thing, because the reality was Angle would have been in surgery had it gone a few seconds longer or had Puder not given up the hold.” \ Dave Meltzer

“As you would expect, Kurt Angle was less than happy backstage at Smackdown after almost being forced to tap out to Tough Enough contestant Daniel Puder. Downright ticked off would probably be the best way to describe his mood. The unscripted nature of the contest was the main reason that Angle was made to look so bad since Puder just reacted to the situation and could have forced Angle to submit had the referees not thought quickly and counted a pin that wasnft there on Puder.” \ Dave Scherer

Marty Wright, who lied about his age during the auditions and was disqualified, later signed with WWE and competed as The Boogeyman.

A DVD of this fourth competition was released in 2005.

Other finalists were:
¡ Nick Mitchell (later joined WWE, most notably as Mitch was released in May 2007 now training in MMA)
¡ Mike “The Miz” Mizanin (later joined WWE, he now wrestles under the Raw brand, and is the WWE Champion.)
¡ Chris Nawrocki (later signed a developmental contract but was released in 2005)
¡ Justice Smith (later a Gladiator on American Gladiators)
¡ Ryan Reeves (later joined WWE but was released in January 2007. Signed another contract in Fall 2008. Competes on the Raw brand as Skip Sheffield)
¡ Daniel Rodimer (later signed to a development contract but was released in August 2007 to return to real estate)

Season 5:

On October 18, 2010, the television website Deadline.com reported that the USA Network was considering expanding into reality programming with a revival of Tough Enough. The website also reported that the show was expected to “run in tandem with USA’s WWE Raw series.” On January 3, 2011, both The New York Times and WWE further confirmed the revival, revealing that the revived series will begin airing Monday nights beginning on April 4, 2011 following WWE Raw, a day after WrestleMania XXVII. On the following week, Tough Enough will then be at its planned time slot before WWE Raw The revived series will be a co-production with Shed Media. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin is set to be the show’s new host.

HostEdit
¡”Stone Cold” Steve Austin

Trainers
¡ Bill DeMott
¡ Booker T
¡ Trish Stratus

1 Andy Leavine

2 Luke Robinson

3 Jeremiah Riggs

4 A.J. Kirsch

5 Christina Crawford

6 Martin Casaus

7 Ivelisse Velez

8 Eric Watts

9 Ryan Howe

10 Rima Fakih

11 Mickael Zaki

12 Michelle Deighton

13 Matt Capiccioni

14 Ariane Andrew

Episode 1: Ariane was eliminated as Steve Austin and the trainers felt she did not have passion for wrestling.

Episode 2: Matt was eliminated for not breaking free of the pack even though he has 9 years of experience.

Episode 3: Michelle quit so she could be with her daughter. Mickael was eliminated since Ryan performed a better promo in the end.

Episode 4: Rima was eliminated after showing no improvement in the past month.

Episode 5: Ryan was eliminated because of his performance and being in the bottom 3 three times in a row.

Episode 6: Ivelisse was eliminated for not pushing through her minor injury, although not forced to quit because of it. Eric was eliminated for not improving.

Episode 7: Martin was forced out as he fractured his ankle and was not allowed to continue.

Episode 8: Christina was eliminated for not showing any charisma. A.J. was eliminated because of his performance prior to charisma week, even after winning the skills challenge.

Episode 9: Jeremiah was eliminated for having his inexperience catch up to him.

Episode 10: Luke was eliminated when Andy was chosen as the winner of Tough Enough