Candice Michelle

In July 2004, Michelle auditioned to be a contestant for World Wrestling Entertainment's *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 the November 28 episode of *Raw*, Candice teamed up with Victoria and Torrie Wilson in losing effort to Trish, Ashley and Mickie. 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 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 escort. 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.

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 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. 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.

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 the February 2 episode of *Raw*, Candice was defeated by Beth Phoenix after an interference by Rosa Mendes and Santino 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.

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 turned heel and 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.