Gail Kim first stepped into the ring for World Wrestling Entertainment on Dec. 7, 2002. For Kim, then 26, it was the realization of a dream derived from many years of hard work and dedication that had as much to do with years in the classroom as with natural athleticism.
Early Years
Roddy Piper, Bret Hart and Killer Kowalski are just a few of the many big-name professional wrestlers to come out of Canada. Gail Kim, born in Toronto on February 20 1977, grew up with a substantial nationwide history of the sport, a fan with a dream to compete.
One Rung At a Time
Following her years in high school as a multi-sport athlete, Kim would couple her raw ability with knowledge of how to sustain it. Kim enrolled in the University of Toronto majoring in kinesiology, the science of human movement, before transferring to nearby Ryerson University and changing her major to nutrition. After college, a lifelong love of professional wrestling led her to Ron Hutchinson's Pro Wrestling Gym. "When I came across the wrestling school, it was a little bit intimidating for me to even check it out," Kim said in a WWE interview. "But then as soon as I met everyone there, the girls and the guys that were learning, I don't remember a specific moment but I thought, 'Hey, this is possible, OK, let me follow my dream.'" From there, Kim moved on to Toronto's Squared Circle Gym, where she defined her style.
Higher Learning
Kim signed with the WWE in 2002. Inspired by wrestlers such as Rey Mysterio Jr. and Eddie Guerrero, Kim fashioned her wrestling style "lucha libre," a high-flying form of Mexican wrestling. Combining this spectacular style with a Matrix-like persona and outfit, black sunglasses and dark leather, Kim made a memorable television debut on June 30, 2003. The match was a seven-woman battle royal, which culminated in Kim achieving one of her dreams and winning the WWE Women's Championship.
The Top Turnbuckle
In 2004, Kim was released by WWE but found work shortly after, wrestling for Total Nonstop Action until 2008, a run in which Kim won the inaugural Women's Knockout Championship and Knockout of the Year award. Kim was re-signed by WWE in 2009 and was still with them at time of publication. "Just me getting here, I always feel like everything is possible," said Kim. "I think that's halfway to getting the where you want to be, believing that it is possible." Combining determination and a strong foundation, Gail Kim a prime example of a champion made, not born.
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