At Ozzie News, we are launching a new section dedicated to sportswomen from around the globe. Many individuals fail to take sportswomen seriously, and for those who do… we aim to provide insight and perhaps inspire a change of heart.
Candice Michelle, born on September 30, 1978, is an American model, actress, and professional wrestler, primarily recognized for her tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment.
In 2004, after attending the WWE Diva Search, she was signed by WWE following years of modeling and acting experience. Outside the wrestling world, she is widely recognized as the Go Daddy Girl, featured in the company’s annual Super Bowl commercials. Additionally, she graced the cover and posed for a nude pictorial in the April 2006 issue of Playboy.
During Vengeance in 2007, she secured her first WWE Women’s Championship by defeating Melina, making history as the first former Diva Search contestant to win a WWE title. However, her WWE contract was terminated on June 19, 2009.
Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Candice Michelle has both German and Costa Rican heritage. She has played varsity and college basketball, demonstrating a keen interest in various sports. Being a Wisconsin native, it’s no surprise that she is a devoted Green Bay Packers fan.
At the young age of sixteen, Candice Beckman, known at the time, triumphed in a modeling competition held at her local skating rink. Subsequently, she relocated to Los Angeles, California, to pursue her dreams of becoming a professional model and actress. She attended Santa Monica College to study Theater Arts, receiving training in on-camera acting and the Meisner technique at The Piero Dusa Acting Studio.
Her career included appearances in several fitness and automotive magazines such as FLEX 
and Lowrider Magazine. In June 2002, she was named Cyber Girl of the Week in Playboy. Candice also worked under the name Mackenzie Montgomery as a foot fetish model for a specific website. During this period, she appeared on television shows like Party of Five, 7th Heaven, and Hotel Erotica, while also acting in films such as Tomcats, Anger Management, and DodgeBall.
On June 30, 2005, she transitioned to SmackDown!, where she became embroiled in a storyline involving Torrie Wilson and Melina. Candice made her pay-per-view debut on July 24 at The Great American Bash, serving as the Special Guest Referee for the Bra and Panties match between Wilson and Melina. Following this, she was traded back to Raw along with Wilson. In a new storyline, Candice and Torrie took on villainous roles by ridiculing Ashley Massaro, the 2005 Diva Search winner. They allied with fellow Raw Diva Victoria to create the group known as Ladies in Pink (later called Vince’s Devils), continuing their rivalry with Massaro until Trish Stratus returned from an injury to aid Massaro in her “retaliation” against Vince’s Devils.
In November, Candice agreed to pose for Playboy in the April 2006 issue. She had her initial opportunity at the WWE Women’s Championship during a Fulfill Your Fantasy Battle Royal at Taboo Tuesday, but Massaro eliminated her from the match.
January saw Candice participating in a historic Bra and Panties Gauntlet match at New Year’s Revolution, where she was eliminated by Maria. Following a victory in a number one contender’s Diva battle royal on Raw, Candice earned her first singles match for the WWE Women’s Championship but ultimately lost to the then-champion Trish Stratus on February 27.
Following the match, Candice slapped Wilson, placing the blame on her, as per the storyline, for the defeat. Vince’s Devils eventually disbanded when Wilson gained popularity with fans after Candice and Victoria betrayed her during the unveiling of Candice’s Playboy cover. This rivalry led to a match at WrestleMania 22, showcasing both Playboy cover girls in a Playboy Pillow Fight. Although Wilson won that match, the feud persisted intermittently through backstage segments where Candice was portrayed as Vince McMahon’s “sex slave.”
During the Diva battle royal, Candice experienced a broken nose after Victoria delivered a kick to her face. To repair her deviated septum, she underwent surgery on November 30.
In an effort to enhance her in-ring skills, Candice started training on her off-days. A few weeks later, she began to appear more frequently on television and engaged in higher profile matches, winning tag matches alongside Mickie James against Victoria and Melina. Additionally, she secured multiple victories against both women in singles matches, culminating at One Night Stand, where Candice triumphed over Melina in the first-ever match conducted in a swimming pool filled with pudding.
Candice achieved her first WWE Women’s Championship by defeating Melina at Vengeance, making her the very first WWE Diva Search contestant to capture the Women’s Title. She successfully defended her title against Melina in a rematch at The Great American Bash, where she introduced a new finishing move referred to as the Candywrapper.
On May 7, 2005, she married Dr. Ken Gee Ehrlich, a chiropractor based in West Los Angeles. The couple met at the Key Club on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood during the week she first relocated to Los Angeles to chase an acting and modeling career.
In mid-2007, Candice Michelle found herself embroiled in a real-life feud with fellow Diva Melina Perez via their WWE.com blogs. This dispute ignited when Candice accused Perez of appropriating one of her signature wrestling moves. In response, Perez addressed Candice’s claim in her blog by sharing a photograph of herself executing that move at an independent wrestling event in 2003, asserting that she had been using the maneuver long before joining WWE and prior to Candice’s foray into professional wrestling. Subsequently, she penned a blog in April that year, which WWE.com declined to publish due to its content regarding her feelings toward Perez. Candice took issue with Perez referring to her as having a “spare tire” during an episode of Raw, and in retaliation, claimed that Perez’s remarks stemmed from jealousy. The off-screen tensions between the two eventually evolved into an on-screen storyline.
In November 2009, Candice revealed on her website that she was anticipating her first child. On May 23, 2010, she welcomed her daughter, AkiAnne Rose, into the world.
by Terence Johns
