Barbara ‘Barbie’ Jean Blank, the small town girl who has become so much more. We all know her for her In-Ring Name ‘Kelly Kelly’, but what truelly lies behind the name? Born January 15, 1987 in Jacksonville, Florida, Barbie has a background of gymnastics and cheerleading which she shows off every week on WWE TV. The once hopeful broadcast journalisti who now appears on our screens as a WWE Diva was signed to WWE in 2006 where she peformed weekly strip tease was on the ECW Brand, she was sent to WWE’s developmental territory – Ohio Valley Wrestling where she would continue to train to improve on her Wrestling skills. During the start of her ECW career, she became the Valet (And Girlfriend) to Mike Knox, who would begin to weekly interupt Kelly Kelly’s stripteases (Known as Kelly’s Exposé).
Barbara Blank who has been a fan of Wrestling since her childhood, see’s Stone Cold Steve Austin as her old time favorite. During Kelly Kelly’s early days of wrestling, she noted she watched Trish Stratus’s DVD (100% Stratusfaction) claiming she inspires her. Carmen Electra was also an inspiration for Kelly’s stripteases on ECW. Barbie was in to Gymnastics for 10 years – before being forced to quit due to an Injury. she later took up cheerleading, going onto Modelling, before being signed by the WWE. Barbie was in a two-and-a-half year relationship with wrestler Andrew Martin (also known as Test). Martin passed March 2009.
Kelly Kelly made her first Televised In-Ring debut on the August 22, 2006 episode of ECW on Sci-Fi in a six-person mixed tag team match, Kelly Kelly along with Mike Knox & Test lost to Dreamer, Sandman and Torrie Wilson. At this time Test was Kelly Kelly’s Real Life Boyfriend. Months later, Kelly Kelly went into a storyline involving Mike Knox & CM Punk, who she began having a liking for, making Knox jealous. During the next few weeks, Kelly Kelly continued to flirt with Punk – aswell as watching his matches. During a Halloween Costume Contest, Kelly Kelly was dressed as CM Punk, which Knox was not too pleased about which lead to a match between Punk & CM Punk, in which Kelly Kelly cheered for Punk. At December to Dismember (WWE PPV), Kelly Kelly teamed up with Knox at her first Pay-Per-View event, going against the team of Kevin Thorn & Ariel. In a loosing effort, Ariel pinned Kelly Kelly after Knox left Kelly Kelly to fight on her own. The next episode of ECW, Kelly Kelly defeated Ariel in her first ever singles match via a Roll Up. Afterwards Knox came out with a bunch of flowers, apologizing for what hes done to her. Kelly Kelly forgave him, Knox again said he is sorry, but went on to say hes sorry he waited this long to dump Kelly Kelly. He chucks the folowers in her face, and performed his finishing move Knox Out out on Kelly Kelly, making Kelly Kelly inactive for 6 weeks.
Kelly Kelly returned to ECW on January 16th, 2007 where she cut a promo on how she will be bringing back Kelly’s Exposé next week. The following week Kelly Kelly – along with Brooke Adams & Diva Search Winner Layla El came out and formed Extreme Exposé. Much like Kelly’s Exposé, the trio performed weekly dance segment’s on ECW for the next several months. Months later, Extreme Exposé went into a storyline with The Miz, were all members of Extreme Exposé were attracted to him. Balls Mahoney was also bought into the storyline, were we saw Kelly Kelly turn her attention to Mahoney – instead of The Miz. Miz, who owned the contracts of Extreme Exposé forbid Kelly Kelly of going on a date with Kelly Kelly, or she would be fired. Weeks on, Kelly Kelly would continue to see Mahoney after he gave her a Teddy Bear which she would bring to the ring. On October 16, Kelly Kelly went out on a date with Mahoney. A week later, The Miz comfronted Kelly Kelly, The Miz claims he can fire Kelly Kelly for going against The Miz, he says instead he will make Kelly Kelly’s life miserable. On November 1, Brooke was released from her WWE contract which lead to Extreme Exposé being over, and putting Layla & Kelly Kelly into a feud.
On October 29, Kelly Kelly competed in a Battle Royal on RAW in a winning effort, giving her the opportunity to earn a match against the WWE Women’s Champion, Beth Phoenix – who came out after the match and attacked Kelly Kelly. Kelly Kelly lost her match against Beth the following week. Kelly Kelly continued to feud with Layla, with Victoria & Lena Yada coming into the feud. Kelly Kelly would continue to feud with the trio, with the addition of Michelle McCool helping Kelly Kelly various weeks.
After WWE’s 2008 draft, Kelly Kelly was moved over to the RAW Brand – Kelly Kelly debuted on RAW on July 7, appearing in a backstage segment with John Cena & Mickie James, Kelly Kelly was confused when Cena asked how Kelly Kelly moved to RAW – saying she didnt know they had contracts. Later that night Kelly Kelly teamed with Mickie James to defeat Jillian Hall & Layla. Kelly Kelly would go on to have various matches with Beth Phoenix, and in late 2008 have a mini-feud with Jillian Hall. At WWE’s Survivior Series, Kelly Kelly was part of the victorious Raw Diva team which defeated the SmackDown Divas in a five-on-five elimination match. During the match, she eliminated Victoria, before being eliminated by Maryse. On April 5, 2009, Kelly competed in a Divas Battle Royal at WrestleMania XXV, but the match was won by Santina (Santino) Marella.
On the May 18 episode of Raw, Kelly Kelly won a battle royal eliminating Beth Phoenix & Mickie James to become the Number #1 Contender for Maryse’s Divas Championship. The following week, Kelly Kelly defeated Maryse via disqualifcation. The following week, Kelly Kelly again competed for the Championship, to be defeated by Maryse for the win. The following months Kelly Kelly would continue to appear in Number #1 Contender matches. At the Bragging Rights pay-per-view in October, Kelly, Gail Kim and Melina comprised Team Raw, but lost to Team SmackDown, consisting of Phoenix, Natalya and McCool. The following month at the Survivor Series pay-per-view, Kelly participated in a five-on-five elimination match, which her team won. She eliminated Layla before being eliminated by Phoenix. Early 2010, Melina had to vacate the Divas Title due to injury, which started a tournament to determine the new Divas Champion. Kelly Kelly unsuccessfully lost in the first round against Alicia Fox. During the course of 2010, Kelly Kelly would appear in backstage segments with RAW’s Celebrity Guest Hosts. On February 15, Kelly Kelly along with other Superstars & Divas appeared in a segment with Jerry Springer, Jerry bought out Kelly Kelly claiming she had a secret – Kelly Kelly claimed that she is pregnant, the rest of the segment would go on to be who the Daddy is, many people claimed they were, it was revealed as Hornswoggle. After the segment, Jerry began to walk out, but the Superstars & Divas got on the mic and claimed they fooled him into believing it all. At WrestleMania XXVI, Kelly teamed with Phoenix, Kim, James and Eve Torres in a losing effort to McCool, Layla, Maryse, Fox and Vickie Guerrero. Kelly Kelly was pinned by Vickie Guerrero after Vickie hit the Cougar Splash on Kelly Kelly.
In the 2010 WWE Draft, Kelly Kelly made the switch to Friday Night SmackDown!, Kelly Kelly would come out and wave to LayCool (Michelle McCool & Layla). On the April 30 episode of SmackDown by teaming with Beth Phoenix to defeat Lay-Cool. Kelly Kelly found herself involved in a feud with LayCool along with her Blondetourage partner Tiffany. After continous victorys over LayCool, Kelly Kelly was awarded a Womens Championship Match at Money In The Bank going against Layla – but was unsuccessful. On August 31, Kelly announced that she would be a Pro on NXT – with her Rookie Naomi. Her Rookie went on to be in the final 2 of NXT – which was won by Kaitlyn.
In December, Kelly Kelly was placed into a storyline with Drew McIntyre – which was originally planned for Drew’s Real Life Wife, Tiffany who was released a few weeks later. Kelly Kelly didnt like the way Drew was, Drew tried to change for Kelly Kelly but was unsuccessful, leaving Kelly Kelly not interested. On January 30, 2011, at the Royal Rumble Kelly Kelly came out and prevented Vickie Guerrero from interfering with Edge’s match against Dolph – which lead to a new storline between the four. On the following episode, Vickie made the announcement that Ziggler will team up with LayCool to go against Edge & Kelly Kelly in a two-on-three handicap match for the World Heavy Weight Championship. The spear was yet again banned from the match, Edge had no faith in Kelly Kelly that she could defeat LayCool. At the end of the match, Kelly Kelly hit the spear on layla picking up the victory – aswell as making history on SmackDown! for being the first Diva to defend the World Heavy Weight Championship. Following the match, Guerrero fired her. Weeks later, Teddy Long was back and re-hired Kelly Kelly at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. She came out to attack Vickie – but LayCool came out – followed by the returning Trish Stratus. Kelly Kelly got her revenge on Guerrero as the following week, Kelly Kelly teamed up with Edge to face off against Guerrero and McIntyre in a mixed tag team match, causing Guerrero to be fired in storyline per the pre-match stipulation. WWE Officials had planned for Kelly Kelly to be at WrestleMania 27, but was later changed as Snooki took Kelly Kelly’s place.
Kelly Kelly was yet again traded in the WWE Draft of 2011, as she went back to the RAW Brand as part of the 2011 supplemental draft. Kelly Kelly made her return to RAW the following week on May 2nd. Going against Maryse in singles competition, WWE’s newest Diva, Kharma came out and ended the match, leaving it a No Contest. The storyline down the line was to involve both Kharma and Kelly Kelly, with Kharma helping Kelly Kelly at Over The Limit in which she faced Brie Bella. Kharma was nowhere to be seen and Brie Bella defeated Kelly Kelly. The following night on RAW (May 23, 2011), Kharma came out and broke down crying, the following week she announced that she was pregnant and would be out for a year, this would be the reason as to why Kelly Kelly did not get the title at Over The Limit. Since Kelly Kelly has continued to pick up victorys on RAW, eventually on the June 20 edition of Raw, a special Power to the People edition, Kelly won her first WWE Divas Championship after she was selected by the WWE Universe to face Brie Bella
Kelly Kelly has also been featured on TV outside of WWE – Including appearing in a music video for the Timbaland song “Throw It on Me“(featuring The Hives). She has also appeared on Celebrity Fit Club: Boot Camp in which she was a trainer, along with several other WWE Divas. Soccer AM has also had the pleasure of having Kelly Kelly appear twice on their segment
