10 Things We Learned From VICE's Chyna Documentary
9. Early Indy Footage Is Amazing
This was one of the brighter points in the doc.
There's some really cool footage of Chyna working intergender matches, women's matches and cutting promos on small spot shows pre-WWE. Most of this comes from 1995-1996, and it's clear straight away that Joanie had star power. She was different, and definitely a cut above everybody else shown.
Perhaps the best thing about these clips is that they present a totally untapped period of Chyna's journey through wrestling. WWE, to date, hasn't produced an in-depth documentary on her life that includes this sort of thing, and that's a shame. Laurer was truly inspiring in her youth, and refused to let a "manly" appearance hold her back.
Talk of changing perceptions about women in wrestling was ahead of its time too. Honestly, anybody who enjoyed Chyna's run in the WWF will get a lot out of this footage. You need to see it for yourself.