Arguably the most popular female performer in WWE history and girlfriend of Matt Hardy, Lita was one of the most visible stars of the new Millennium. She was cool, sexy and extremely marketable, something the company wasted little time capitalizing on. She was on t-shirts, in magazines and even penned an autobiography. When details of a real-life affair with co-worker Edge made the rounds on the Internet, the fiery redhead's career changed forever. Gone were the cheers and the adulation. In their place were chants of, "she's a crack whore" and "slut." She was greeted with boos and had her personal life put on display for the entire world to see. When the negative responses grew to the point that they simply could not be ignored, the decision was made to not only turn her heel but to align her with Edge in a case of real life bleeding into entertainment. Dubbed the "Sinister Sexpot" by Joey Styles at WrestleMania 22, Lita embraced her sexuality and wore less and less clothing as she accompanied the Rated R Superstar Edge to the ring, something that was typically smiled upon by the fans but not in the case of the former Women's champion. She was as reviled as any male star on the roster. It was one of the first times of note that what happened in someone's life away from the cameras had a direct impact on their career to that level. Lita would guide Edge to two WWE Championship reigns and lend credibility and legitimacy to the Rated R Superstar gimmick. She was as responsible for Edge taking that last major leap to the top of the sport as all of his hard work and dedication was. After establishing herself as a key element of a main event act, she was rewarded with two Women's title reigns. In 2014, one of WWE's greatest heat magnets was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
