Debra Marshall Debra Gale Marshall ( March 2 , 1960 ) is an American actress and former professional wrestling manager and WWE Diva . Arguably best known by her ring name , Debra , she gained recognition for her appearances with the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF ) between 1998 and 2002 . She began her career in professional wrestling in 1995 , accompanying her husband Steve " Mongo " McMichael to the ring in World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) . She joined the WWF in 1998 , where she managed the tag team of Jeff Jarrett and Owen Hart , up until the evening of Hart ' s in - ring death in May 1999 . Weeks prior to the accident , she had won the WWF Women ' s Championship from Sable in an Evening Gown match . She later appeared on - screen with her second husband Stone Cold Steve Austin until 2002 , when the duo left the company . In addition to her wrestling career , Marshall has had small acting roles and formerly competed in beauty pageants . Early life . Raised in West Blocton , Alabama , Marshall became a track - runner , cheerleader , and Homecoming Queen in high school before attending the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York . She then became a flight attendant . Before her involvement in wrestling she competed in beauty pageants , winning Miss Illinois . Professional wrestling career . World Championship Wrestling ( 1995 – 1997 ) . Marshall was first seen in WCW in late - 1995 and early - 1996 , making occasional unnamed appearances as an audience plant , and as part of a group of valets for the team of Hulk Hogan and " Macho Man " Randy Savage . She was first acknowledged by name in April 1996 as Debra McMichael , the real - life wife of Nitro announcer Steve " Mongo " McMichael , and soon began appearing regularly as a valet for her husband as he transitioned to competing as a wrestler . Based on her real - life participation in beauty pageants , Debra was portrayed as a beauty pageant queen character , giving herself the nickname " The Queen of WCW " and often making bitchy comments about other wrestlers and valets in ( kayfabe ) interviews . At The Great American Bash 1996 , Steve McMichael and his partner Kevin Greene competed against The Four Horsemen ( Ric Flair and Arn Anderson ) . Flair won the match after Mongo and Debra turned on Greene by hitting him with a steel briefcase , joining the Horsemen . The briefcase later became one of Debra ' s signature objects . At Bash at the Beach in July 1997 , Debra turned on Mongo during his WCW United States Heavyweight Championship match against Jeff Jarrett by handing Jarrett the steel briefcase , which he then used to knock Mongo out and thus win the match . Next , Debra briefly managed Goldberg and Alex Wright . After her divorce from McMichael , Debra joined the WWF . World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment ( 1998 – 2002 ) . Manager of Jeff Jarrett ; Women ' s Champion ( 1998 – 1999 ) . In 1998 , Marshall rejoined Jarrett in the WWF . At the beginning of her WWF career , known simply as Debra , she played the part of a shrewd businesswoman , wearing business suits . She also played the part of Jarrett ' s girlfriend . In late 1998 , Jarrett began a feud with Goldust that culminated in December at in a " Striptease match " . During the match , Debra hit Goldust over the head with Jarrett ' s trademark guitar , enabling Jarrett to win . WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels , however , disqualified Jarrett , and Debra had to strip due to the match ' s stipulations . As she stripped , The Blue Blazer ( Owen Hart ) and Jarrett covered her up . Debra , however , began utilizing a new strategy during matches , distracting Jarrett ' s opponents by unbuttoning her blouse . She would willingly take off her blouse to show the crowd her " puppies " , a nickname originally bestowed upon her chest by wrestler Road Dogg and later utilized by commentator Jerry Lawler . The strategy helped Jarrett and partner Hart defeat The Big Boss Man and Ken Shamrock to become World Tag Team Champions in January 1999 . In February , Debra feuded with female professional wrestler Ivory , and Jarrett and Hart retained the tag title in a tag match against Ivory ' s associates Mark Henry and D ' Lo Brown at . In March , the team lost their tag title to the team of Kane and X - Pac . As Debra continued to manage Jarrett and Hart , a potential storyline developed where Hart and Debra would have an affair , but the creative team vetoed the idea before it played out on - screen . A team name was also in the works — Debra favoring " Talent and Attitude " ( T & A ) — but Hart died in May 1999 at Over the Edge . Later in the event , Debra and Jarrett lost a mixed tag team match against Nicole Bass and Val Venis . Debra and Jarrett were interviewed moments after Hart ' s fall from the rafters at Kemper Arena , where Debra was noticeably shaken and fighting back tears of concern for her friend , and was unable to stay in her persona . On May 10 , 1999 , Debra won the Women ' s Championship from Sable in an Evening Gown match . Usually , in an Evening Gown match , the woman who forcibly removes her opponent ' s dress wins . Because Sable removed Debra ' s dress , she therefore should have been the winner . Commissioner Shawn Michaels , however , ruled that he considered the woman who had " lost " her dress the winner , crowning Debra the new Women ' s Champion . Debra lost the Women ' s Title to Ivory on June 14 , due to interference from Nicole Bass . At SummerSlam in 1999 Jarrett faced D ' Lo Brown . During the match , Debra and Brown ' s former tag - team partner Mark Henry interfered on Jarrett ' s behalf , allowing him to win both the European Championship and the Intercontinental Championship . The following night , Jarrett awarded Henry the European title and gave Debra an assistant , Miss Kitty . At Unforgiven on September 26 , Debra turned on Jarrett and hit him over the head with a guitar in the middle of his match against Chyna for the Intercontinental Championship . Chyna pinned Jarrett , but referee Tom Prichard overturned the decision due to Debra ' s involvement . Sporadic appearances ( 1999 – 2002 ) . Debra appeared sporadically thereafter , but she participated in an eight - women Sudden Death match at Survivor Series in 1999 where she teamed with The Fabulous Moolah , Mae Young , and Tori . Debra stayed off television while her new husband Stone Cold Steve Austin recovered from neck surgery . She reappeared in April 2000 , acting as a guest ring announcer at Backlash . In the fall of that year she played the role of Lieutenant Commissioner , the assistant of Commissioner Mick Foley . Meanwhile , the marriage became incorporated into on - screen storylines , and on an episode of " Raw " , Stone Cold and Debra took on Matt Hardy and Lita . Debra and Lita fought outside the ring until Stone Cold pinned Hardy to win the match . She appeared sporadically thereafter , and left the company in June 2002 with Austin . Other media . Before becoming involved in wrestling , Marshall studied acting in Texas . Her first acting jobs involved commercials and two music videos for country musician George Strait . She also had a small role in the 1994 film " Texas Chainsaw Massacre : The Next Generation " as a policewoman . The producers originally offered her the lead in the film , but when the director ' s first choice changed her mind and accepted the role , Marshall was given the small role instead . On March 10 , 2002 , Marshall appeared on an episode of " The Weakest Link " alongside several other members of the WWE roster . She also appeared in " Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy " as " Jenny " . In addition , she has a role in the 2010 film " Gathering of Heroes " . Personal life . Marshall ' s marriage to National Football League alumnus and professional wrestler Steve McMichael lasted ten years . McMichael ' s mother , whom Marshall met on an airplane , set up their first meeting as a blind date . They divorced on October 12 , 1998 . Debra met Steve Williams ( known on - screen as Stone Cold Steve Austin ) in 1998 ; they moved in together in 2000 . On September 6 of that year , they married at The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas , and she changed her name to Debra Williams . On June 15 , 2002 , police responded to a call to the couple ' s residence in San Antonio , Texas , and found Debra with bruises and a bloody nose . On August 14 , the authorities arrested Austin and charged him with misdemeanor assault . He pled no contest on November 25 and received a year ' s probation , a $ 1 , 000 fine , and an order to carry out eighty hours of community service . Austin filed for divorce from Marshall on July 22 , 2002 and the divorce was finalized on February 5 , 2003 . Marshall later auctioned her wedding ring off on eBay and donated a portion of the proceeds ( $ 27 , 100 ) to " Safe Place " , an organization which assists the victims of domestic abuse . In June and July 2007 , Marshall made several appearances to discuss the Chris Benoit double murder and suicide . She described steroids and drugs as the cause of Stone Cold hitting her in June 2002 and suggested links between such substances and the death of Benoit and his family . She also alleged that Austin beat her three times . Marshall told " Fox News " that WWE put a gag order on her so she would not reveal that Stone Cold hit her , as it would cost the company millions of dollars .