What drives a beautiful woman to step into a sport as dangerous as professional wrestling, to put their body (and looks) on the line night-after-night?
For Katie Lea, the answer is simple.

The drive to be the best.

�I wouldn�t want to do anything else,� Lea said. �If you have a desire and passion, it�s not a question of choice. It�s something I have to do.�

For the past seven years, Lea has traveled the globe, expanding her wrestling expertise in her attempt to become �Queen of the World.�

Germany, England, France. Didn�t matter where her battles took her, she was there, winning titles and impressing fans along the way.

So much, in fact, that in May, 2006, she signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) following tryouts at a WWE UK TV taping. Once she signed that contract, she packed her bags and headed to Louisville, where she would work for Ohio Valley Wrestling.

Lea was born in Germany, but her parents were English, and they soon moved to London, England, where she grew up a fan of the old World Wrestling Federation and one wrestler in particular: Big Daddy Cool Diesel, Kevin Nash.

�I simply idolized him,� Lea said. �I liked his power moves, and you could say that I had a school-girl crush on him.� She also liked Sable and Chyna. �Chyna broke the mold,� Lea said, referring to the former muscular female bodyguard for Triple H who was no stranger to stepping into the ring with male wrestlers. �Once I started wrestling in England, I used to wrestle guys.� She added that Trish and Lita were also amazing.

Once she found out you could go to wrestling school, she wasted no time in contacting a facility and started training with the Kent-based promotion NWA-UK Hammerlock, a school she found on the Internet.

During her stint in Europe, Lea wrestled under the name of �Nikta,� and she even appeared in a British independent action movie call �Tough Justice.� She played Agent Milan in that film. She also was the Trans-Atlantic Wrestling Challenge women�s champ, and she held the Queens of Chaos championship.

Once she landed on the shores of the United States, she changed her ring name to �Katie Lea,� something that was closer to her real name. �I didn�t feel that name (Nikita) suited me at all. Katie Lea is more me.�

She made her OVW debut at a TV taping on August 23, 2006, defeating Melody in a dark match. During her time with the Louisville-based promotion, she has feuded with such divas as Beth Phoenix, Serena and ODB.

In fact, she and Phoenix competed in the first-ever women�s ladder match, something Lea said was a �very exciting experience.�

�It felt good that they (OVW) trusted us to do a ladder match, and working with Beth was great,� Lea said. �It was a dangerous match, but it was also one of those highlight moments.�

And she said that she didn�t let the danger of the match bother her any.

�You always worry that something can go wrong,� Lea said. �But, the more you worry, the more you tense up and things happen.�

The self-proclaimed �Queen of England� has worked as both a good guy and bad guy while in OVW, but prefers the role as the bad girl.

�It�s more fun,� Lea said. �When you are a good guy, the crowd cheers for you because they feel like they have to. But when they boo you, it�s because they hate you.�

Back on November 1, 2006, Lea won the women�s title by defeating Phoenix, Ariel, Roni Jonah, Melody, Jenny Mae, ODB and Serena in an 8-Woman Gauntlet match. She would later defend it against Phoenix in the aforementioned ladder match.

Then she lost the title to ODB on June 1 of this year, and she desperately wants it back.

�ODB has my title, and I want it back,� Lea said. �I will do whatever it takes to get my title back.�

Like all wrestlers, Lea wants to make it to the WWE one day, to test her skills against the likes of Phoenix, Candace Michael and Mickie James.

�Anybody who starts training wants to have a chance to go to the top,� Lea said. �I�ve made it to this level. Now I want to make it to the next level.� And she feels like the combination of her talent and looks are just the ticket to the top.

�It helps if you are pretty, if you want a chance with the WWE,� Lea said. �But I keep working to be the best I can be. Right now we are finishing off the �Divalympics,� and after that, I will not rest until I am the number one diva in the sport. I will be the Queen of England, OVW and the world!�

Lea and the rest of the OVW superstars will be in London Saturday night at the Optimist Center. Bell time is set for 7:30 p.m.

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What drives a beautiful woman to step into a sport as dangerous as professional wrestling, to put their body (and looks) on the line night-after-night? For Katie Lea, the answer is simple. The drive to be the best. �I wouldn�t want to do anything else,� Lea said. �If you have a desire and passion, it�s not a question of choice. It�s something I have to do.� For the past seven years, Lea has traveled the globe, expanding her wrestling expertise in her attempt to become �Queen of the World.� Germany, England, France. Didn�t matter where her battles took her, she was there, winning titles and impressing fans along the way. So much, in fact, that in May, 2006, she signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) following tryouts at a WWE UK TV taping. Once she signed that contract, she packed her bags and headed to Louisville, where she would work for Ohio Valley Wrestling. Lea was born in Germany, but her parents were English, and they soon moved to London, England, where she grew up a fan of the old World Wrestling Federation and one wrestler in particular: Big Daddy Cool Diesel, Kevin Nash. �I simply idolized him,� Lea said. �I liked his power moves, and you could say that I had a school-girl crush on him.� She also liked Sable and Chyna. �Chyna broke the mold,� Lea said, referring to the former muscular female bodyguard for Triple H who was no stranger to stepping into the ring with male wrestlers. �Once I started wrestling in England, I used to wrestle guys.� She added that Trish and Lita were also amazing. Once she found out you could go to wrestling school, she wasted no time in contacting a facility and started training with the Kent-based promotion NWA-UK Hammerlock, a school she found on the Internet. During her stint in Europe, Lea wrestled under the name of �Nikta,� and she even appeared in a British independent action movie call �Tough Justice.� She played Agent Milan in that film. She also was the Trans-Atlantic Wrestling Challenge women�s champ, and she held the Queens of Chaos championship. Once she landed on the shores of the United States, she changed her ring name to �Katie Lea,� something that was closer to her real name. �I didn�t feel that name (Nikita) suited me at all. Katie Lea is more me.� She made her OVW debut at a TV taping on August 23, 2006, defeating Melody in a dark match. During her time with the Louisville-based promotion, she has feuded with such divas as Beth Phoenix, Serena and ODB. In fact, she and Phoenix competed in the first-ever women�s ladder match, something Lea said was a �very exciting experience.� �It felt good that they (OVW) trusted us to do a ladder match, and working with Beth was great,� Lea said. �It was a dangerous match, but it was also one of those highlight moments.� And she said that she didn�t let the danger of the match bother her any. �You always worry that something can go wrong,� Lea said. �But, the more you worry, the more you tense up and things happen.� The self-proclaimed �Queen of England� has worked as both a good guy and bad guy while in OVW, but prefers the role as the bad girl. �It�s more fun,� Lea said. �When you are a good guy, the crowd cheers for you because they feel like they have to. But when they boo you, it�s because they hate you.� Back on November 1, 2006, Lea won the women�s title by defeating Phoenix, Ariel, Roni Jonah, Melody, Jenny Mae, ODB and Serena in an 8-Woman Gauntlet match. She would later defend it against Phoenix in the aforementioned ladder match. Then she lost the title to ODB on June 1 of this year, and she desperately wants it back. �ODB has my title, and I want it back,� Lea said. �I will do whatever it takes to get my title back.� Like all wrestlers, Lea wants to make it to the WWE one day, to test her skills against the likes of Phoenix, Candace Michael and Mickie James. �Anybody who starts training wants to have a chance to go to the top,� Lea said. �I�ve made it to this level. Now I want to make it to the next level.� And she feels like the combination of her talent and looks are just the ticket to the top. �It helps if you are pretty, if you want a chance with the WWE,� Lea said. �But I keep working to be the best I can be. Right now we are finishing off the �Divalympics,� and after that, I will not rest until I am the number one diva in the sport. I will be the Queen of England, OVW and the world!� Lea and the rest of the OVW superstars will be in London Saturday night at the Optimist Center. Bell time is set for 7:30 p.m.
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