Candice Michelle

Candice Michelle Beckman (born September 30, 1978), better known as Candice Michelle, is an American retired professional wrestler, model and actress, best known for her time with WWE.
After spending years modeling and acting, Michelle was hired by WWE in 2004, after she participated in the WWE Diva Search. Outside wrestling, she is considered to be a sex symbol and is known as the Go Daddy Girl, performing in the company's annual Super Bowl commercials. She also posed for a cover and nude pictorial in the April 2006 issue of Playboy. At Vengeance in 2007, she defeated Melina to win her first WWE Women's Championship and became the first former Diva Search contestant to win a WWE title. She was released from her WWE contract on June 19, 2009. She made a return to WWE on the Raw Reunion episode on July 22, 2019, and became the second woman to win the WWE 24/7 Championship.
Early life
Beckman was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Michael Beckman (1951–1980) and his wife, Kathleen (née Iwen; 1951–2002). Beckman is of German and Costa Rican descent. She has one older sister, Dana. She played varsity and college basketball and has an avid interest in many sports. Candice is a Green Bay Packers fan.
At sixteen, Beckman won a modeling competition at her local skating rink. Around 1999, she moved to Los Angeles, California, to become a professional model and actress. She studied Theater Arts at Santa Monica College and had on-camera acting and Meisner technique training at The Piero Dusa Acting Studio. It was during this time that Beckman adopted her middle name Michelle as her working last name. She appeared in numerous bodybuilding and car magazines such as FLEX and Lowrider Magazine, as well as being named Cyber Girl of the Week in the June 2002 issue of Playboy, and between 2002 and 2006, she worked as a fetish model under the name Mackenzie Montgomery. Beckman also made appearances on television programs such as Party of Five, 7th Heaven and Hotel Erotica, as well as appearing in such films as Tomcats, Anger Management, DodgeBall and A Man Apart.
Professional wrestling career
World Wrestling Entertainment
Vince's Devils (2004–2006)
In July 2004, Beckman auditioned to be a contestant for World Wrestling Entertainment's Raw Diva Search. Despite not being chosen to be in the final ten, she was hired by the company under the gimmick of a makeup artist. She competed on Raw in several Diva contests, including lingerie fashion shows and limbo contests, until the end of the year.
On June 30, 2005, Candice was moved to SmackDown! where she became involved in a storyline between Torrie Wilson and Melina. On July 24, Candice made her pay-per-view debut at The Great American Bash where she served as the Special Guest Referee for the Bra and Panties match between Wilson and Melina. She was then moved back to Raw in a trade along with Wilson. In her next storyline, Candice and Torrie became villains by taunting 2005 Diva Search winner Ashley Massaro, and they joined forces with fellow Raw Diva Victoria to form an alliance known as Ladies in Pink (later Vince's Devils). On the September 5 episode of Raw, Wilson defeated Massaro after the interference from Victoria and Candice. They continued feuding with Massaro until Trish Stratus returned from a legitimate injury to help Massaro "retaliate" against Vince's Devils. On the October 17 episode of Raw, where she, Torrie and Victoria faced off against the team of Stratus, Massaro, and their new ally Mickie James in a winning effort after Wilson pinned James. On November 28 episode of Raw, Candice teamed up with Victoria and Torrie Wilson in losing effort to Trish, Ashley and Mickie. In November, Candice signed on to pose for the April 2006 issue of Playboy. She had her first shot at the WWE Women's Championship in a Fulfill Your Fantasy Battle Royal at Taboo Tuesday but was eliminated from the match by Massaro. At the Tribute to The Troops on December 19, Michelle teamed up with Maria Kanellis in a winning effort defeating then Women's Champion Trish Stratus and Ashley Massaro in a divas-tag-team match after Candice pinned Ashley.
In January, Candice appeared at New Year's Revolution in the first ever Bra and Panties Gauntlet match, where she was eliminated by Maria. On the February 13 episode of Raw, Michelle accompanied Torrie in a losing effort to Ashley. After winning a number one contender's Diva battle royal on Raw, Candice got her first singles WWE Women's Championship match, but lost to then-champion Trish Stratus on February 27. After the match, Candice slapped Wilson, blaming her, in storyline, for the loss. Vince's Devils later broke up when Torrie became a fan favorite after Candice and Victoria turned on her during Candice's Playboy cover unveiling. This feud led to a match at WrestleMania 22 in which both Playboy cover girls competed in a Playboy Pillow Fight. Torrie Wilson won the match. On the June 12 episode of Raw, Candice was defeated by Torrie in the first ever "Wet and Wild match", a wrestling match involving water balloons and squirt guns, in which the winner of the match would be on the cover of the WWE 2006 Summer Special magazine. The feud continued sporadically in backstage segments where Candice was depicted as Vince McMahon's "sex slave". On the July 11 episode of ECW, the villainous Candice appeared as Kelly Kelly's dance partner on that night's Kelly's Exposé segment, and attempted to seduce Kelly in a backstage segment before the two divas went out to perform.
Singles competition and Women's Champion (2006–2007)
On the July 17 episode of Raw, Candice was the Special Guest Referee during a tag team match of Stratus and Wilson against Victoria and Mickie James. James entered the match without being tagged in, so Candice threw her out of the ring. Afterwards, Victoria tried to clothesline Candice, but she ducked out of the way, allowing Stratus to perform a Stratusfaction for the victory. As a result of her participation in the match, Candice became a fan favorite. On the Raw following Unforgiven, Candice won a match against Lita. The next week, in her second match against Lita, Candice was pinned after she was speared by guest referee Edge, in the first round of the WWE Women's Championship tournament. On the November 27 episode of Raw, during the Diva battle royal, Candice suffered a legitimate broken nose when Victoria kicked her in the face. She had surgery on November 30 to repair her deviated septum.
Candice returned at New Year's Revolution on January 7, when she went to the ring with Maria to fight off Melina as she tried to interfere in the Women's Championship match between then-champion Mickie James and Victoria. Candice made her in-ring return on January 22 when she and Mickie James defeated Victoria and Melina in a tag team match with Candice scoring the pinfall. Candice then resumed her feud with Melina, who claimed in her blogs that no Playboy cover model was capable of defeating her in the ring. Candice took offense to this, which led to a Bra and Panties match between the two, which she lost. During this time, Candice began training on her off-days to improve her in-ring abilities. Weeks later, Candice was beginning to receive more air-time and higher profile matches, and she won tag matches that pitted her with Mickie James against Victoria and Melina. She also picked up several wins against the latter two in singles matches, which culminated at One Night Stand, where Candice defeated Melina in the first ever match held in a swimming pool full of pudding. Candice defeated Melina to capture her first WWE Women's Championship at Vengeance, becoming the first ever WWE Diva Search contestant to win the Women's Title. Candice retained her title against Melina in a rematch at The Great American Bash as well as debuting a new finisher called the Candywrapper.
Beth Phoenix became the number one contender for the Women's Title after winning a Diva battle royal at SummerSlam. At the Unforgiven pay-per-view, however, Candice successfully retained her title in their match by countering one of Phoenix's moves with a crucifix pin. Their feud continued when Phoenix pinned Candice during a non-title mixed tag team match on Raw on September 24. At No Mercy on October 7, Candice dropped the title to Phoenix, ending her reign as Women's Champion. On October 22, Candice legitimately cracked her clavicle during her rematch for the Women's Title against Phoenix in a two out of three falls match; Phoenix ran into the ropes, causing Candice to fall face-first off of the turnbuckle onto her face, neck, and shoulders necessitating a rushed finish and putting her out of action for 14 weeks.
Injuries and release (2008–2009)
Candice made her on-screen return on the February 18, 2008, episode of Raw, distracting Beth Phoenix during a match with Maria. She returned to in-ring action on March 17, teaming up with Maria to defeat Jillian Hall and Victoria. During the match, Candice injured her left shoulder by tearing the scar tissue over her previously broken left clavicle. Unlike her previous injury, Candice broke her clavicle in four separate places, in essence, shattering it. As a result, Candice was replaced by Ashley for her scheduled match at WrestleMania XXIV. On March 23, Candice underwent successful surgery on her re-broken clavicle.
On the September 1 episode of Raw, Candice made her in-ring return match teaming up with Kelly Kelly and Mickie James to defeat Jillian Hall, Katie Lea Burchill and Beth Phoenix, with Candice pinning Phoenix. Candice received a push upon her return as she was named the number one contender for the Women's Championship, but lost to Beth Phoenix at No Mercy. On November 23, 2008, Candice competed in 5 on 5 Survivor Series Elimination Match where her team went victorious. On the February 2 episode of RAW, Candice was defeated by Beth Phoenix after an interference by Mendes and Marella. On the February 16 episode of RAW, Candice, James and Kelly stopped Marella and Mendes from interfering in the Women's Championship match between Melina and Phoenix, which was won by Melina.
On April 15, 2009, Candice was drafted to the SmackDown brand as part of the 2009 Supplemental Draft. She, however, never reappeared on the brand and was released from her WWE contract on June 19, 2009.
Independent circuit (2017)
In October 2017, it was announced that Candice Michelle's retirement match would take place on December 2, at the House of Hardcore 36 – Blizzard Brawl show, where she defeated Lisa Marie Varon in singles action.
Return to WWE (2019)
On July 22, 2019, Candice returned to WWE during the Raw Reunion episode in a backstage segment with Melina, Naomi, and 24/7 Champion Kelly Kelly, who Candice congratulated for winning the title. After Melina revealed herself as a referee, Candice attacked Kelly, after which she pinned Kelly to become the new 24/7 Champion. Shortly after, Candice lost the title via submission to Alundra Blayze.
Other media
Video games
Candice has appeared in three WWE video games. She made her in-game debut in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 and also appears in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009.
Music videos
In December 2011, Candice Michelle along with Torrie Wilson filmed Lilian Garcia's music video "U Drive Me Loca".
Television and modeling
On October 11, 2002, Candice starred in an episode of the softcore porn television series – Hotel Erotica that aired on Cinemax, playing a character called Natasha.
During the week of November 5, 2007, Candice appeared on five episodes of Family Feud with several other WWE superstars and Divas. Also in 2007, Candice Michelle was No. 82 on AskMen.com's "100 Most Desirable Women" list.
Beckman appeared on the February 6, 2008, episode of Project Runway, in an episode where the contestants were challenged to design wrestling attire for several of WWE's female wrestlers. Beckman made a special appearance on the November 12, 2008, episode of Redemption Song, which is hosted by fellow WWE wrestler Chris Jericho, with several other Divas. She also appeared in the February 2009 issue of FLEX magazine.
Go Daddy
Beckman gained national attention in 2005 when she appeared in a commercial for internet domain provider Go Daddy, which aired during Super Bowl XXXIX. She played a character named "Nikki Cappelli" who had trouble with a snapped spaghetti strap on her tank top as she testified before a panel holding broadcast censorship hearings. The commercial was a parody of the 2004 "wardrobe malfunction" in which Janet Jackson's right breast was exposed. She then became widely known as "Miss GoDaddy.com" and the "Go Daddy Girl".
The following year, she was featured in several more Go Daddy commercials. During the 2006 NFC playoffs, she was featured cleaning windows. She later appeared in a commercial during Super Bowl XL, where she seduced an ABC executive to acquire an advertising slot for Go Daddy. She appeared in another commercial for Super Bowl XLI in 2007, where she danced in a room being doused with champagne. Beckman appeared on American Chopper to promote the commercial as well as Go Daddy's custom made chopper. In 2008, she was featured in her fourth consecutive Go Daddy commercial for Super Bowl XLII, entitled "White Light", but Fox refused to air it.
Personal life
On May 7, 2005, she married Ken Gee Ehrlich, a Los Angeles chiropractor. Together they have three daughters: AkiAnne Rose, born May 23, 2010, Ryumi Grace, born October 20, 2012 and Aloha Von Ehrlich, born July 17, 2015.
She has a tattoo of the word "faith" on her inner wrist, which she considers a "personal affirmation". It is also a reminder, in her words, to "believe in myself and have 'faith'". She got the tattoo, which was documented on the reality show LA Ink, after breaking her collarbone in 2007. The tattoo is also related to her Christian beliefs. When Candice made her return, she had new tattoos on her back, her new tattoos are of five stars, which starts at the lower part of her back then finished at the middle of her back.
Candice, along with Bautista, Shelton Benjamin, and Josh Mathews, represented WWE at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in an effort to persuade fans to register to vote in the 2008 Presidential election.
Championships and accomplishments
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (2007)
Ranked No. 10 of the top 50 female wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2008
Woman of the Year (2007)
World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE
WWE Women's Championship (1 time)
WWE 24/7 Championship (1 time)
References
Further reading
External links
Candice Michelle at Online World of Wrestling
1978 births
American Christians
American female professional wrestlers
American people of Costa Rican descent
American people of German descent
Living people
Professional wrestlers from Wisconsin
Professional wrestling managers and valets
Santa Monica College alumni
Sportspeople from Milwaukee
Wisconsin Democrats
WWE Diva Search contestants
WWF/WWE Women's Champions
WWE 24/7 Champions
21st-century American women
21st-century female professional wrestlers