Mad Maxine

Mad Maxine
Birth name Jeannine Mjoseth
Born (1959-04-27) April 27, 1959
West Germany
Alma mater University of South Florida
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Mad Maxine
Lady Maxine
Billed height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Billed weight 170
Trained by The Fabulous Moolah
Boris Malenko
Debut 1984
Retired 1986

Jeannine Mjoseth (born April 27, 1959) is a German journalist, photographer, independent art curator, and retired professional wrestler better known by her stage names Mad Maxine and Lady Maxine. She is best known for her height (standing approximately 6'2" tall) and having a green mohawk during her stint in the World Wrestling Federation. Her unique look, including leather lace-up wrestling gear, was modeled on characters in the Australian Mad Max film series and the X-Men comic book character Storm.

Early life and training

Mjoseth grew up as an army brat and attended high school in West Germany. She received a scholarship to play basketball at the University of Kentucky, and played with the Kentucky Wildcats for two years before choosing to take a sabbatical from college studies. She eventually returned to college and was once again offered an athletic scholarship (this time with the University of South Florida), but declined the offer to play sports at USF and instead chose to concentrate on journalism. After graduation, Mjoseth was introduced to a friend's boyfriend that worked as a professional wrestler, and became interested in the idea of women's wrestling. She moved to South Carolina to be trained by the Fabulous Moolah at her wrestling school. While a trainee at Moolah's school, Mjoseth cut her hair into a mohawk and developed the Mad Maxine persona.[1]

Wrestling career

World Wrestling Federation

As Mad Maxine, Mjoseth appeared in the World Wrestling Federation in 1985 managed by Moolah.[2] She only wrestled two matches in the WWF. On March 5, 1985, Maxine (accompanied by Moolah) defeated Susan Starr in her first WWF match (which aired on the March 31, 1985 edition of All American Wrestling). She was accompanied again by Moolah for her second WWF match, which was against Desiree Petersen on April 16, 1985. She won both matches, and Moolah attacked her opponents after both victories.[3] She is briefly featured on the WWF Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest! VHS video. Although she was initially brought into the WWF to feud with Wendi Richter for the WWF Women's Championship, the two women never wrestled against each other.

She began appearing in WWF merchandising at this time, including a sticker collection of WWF Superstars.[4] She was also originally animated for the CBS Saturday morning cartoon titled Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling and appeared in early commercials and print advertisements for the cartoon as the female adversary of Richter.[5] Her character on the show would have been named "Mad" Maxine Ryder, and would have driven a "punk cycle" as her vehicle.[6] However, her character was removed from the cartoon and replaced by Moolah when she left the WWF before the cartoon's debut.[7]

Various theories developed over the years regarding Mjoseth's sudden disappearance from the WWF. There has been speculation that Moolah was unwilling to provide her more bookings and wanted her spot on the Rock 'n Wrestling cartoon,[8] while others noted that she required further in-ring training.[9] The theory regarding Moolah wanting Mjoseth's spot on the cartoon is still undecided amongst the show's creators.[10] However, Mjoseth stated in an earlier interview that she was simply happier working as a journalist than working for Moolah, which is why she chose to leave the WWF.[1]

American Wrestling Association

Mjoseth briefly surfaced in the American Wrestling Association in July 1985 as Mad Maxine and participated in a battle royal with Debbie Combs, Sherri Martel, Joyce Grable, Candi Devine, Rose Devine, Carol Summers, Crystal Monroe, Nature Girl, Despina Montagas, Bobbi Lee, Carol Thomas, and Sweet Melody.[11]

Independent circuit and Universal Wrestling Federation

Mjoseth relocated to Florida with a group of three other women wrestlers (Angelle "Luna" Vachon, Peggy Lee Pringle, and Tamara).[12] With her four-woman wrestling team, Maxine moved first to Miami and then to Tampa. Renaming herself Lady Maxine, she began working for Wahoo McDaniel as his valet and teamed with him in mixed tag team matches in August 1985. She also feuded with Percy Pringle throughout October and November 1985. She physically dominated Pringle during their physical confrontations. Peggy Lee Pringle, a member of Maxine's four-woman wrestling team, was introduced as Pringle's sister and often fought Maxine, including a memorable boxing match where Peggy managed to bloody the taller blond rather quickly.[13][14]

She then appeared in Continental Championship Wrestling in January and February 1986 as the bodyguard of Norvel Austin. She assisted him in his feud with "Exotic" Adrian Street and Miss Linda.[15][16][17]

In February 1986, she also began wrestling in Florida against Luna Vachon, who was also a member of Maxine's four-woman wrestling team.[14] Although Vachon previously worked with Maxine as "Angelle Vachon" in late 1985, she developed her black leather and mohawk persona after becoming a member of Kevin Sullivan's Army of Darkness (where she also became tag team partners with the The Lock, who adopted a similar persona).[18][19] By the time Maxine and Vachon were feuding in Florida in February 1986, Vachon was working as Sullivan's valet and had just recently adopted her punk persona.[17]

In April 1986 in the Universal Wrestling Federation, Lady Maxine became the manager of Jack Victory. She accompanied him in singles matches, as well as 6-man tag team matches where he was paired with the Sheepherders.[20][21] While managing Victory, she became involved in a feud with Dark Journey. The two women engaged in numerous cat fights from April though June 1986.[22][23] They also competed in a mixed tag team match which pitted Maxine and Victory against Dark Journey and Koko Ware. The feud between Maxine and Dark Journey ended with Maxine being run out of UWF. In actuality, she chose to retire from professional wrestling (since she had grown tired of the business) and focus on her journalism career.[24]

Personal life

She is a trained journalist with a degree from University of South Florida, Tampa. During her wrestling training period, she was editor of the Black News after infiltrating a KKK rally on freelance assignment.[25] Mjoseth retired from professional wrestling in 1986 to return to the field of journalism. In addition to working as a journalist and communications manager,[25] Mjoseth works as a video artist and independent art curator.[26][27] Mjoseth appeared in an episode of the HBO television series Real Sex, which featured an erotic art auction.[28]

In wrestling

References

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