DATE: March 1999
COMPANY: Raw Magazine
AUTHOR: Laura

When Chyna went corporate, everybody—from fans to World Wrestling Federation Superstars—were dumfounded. Why would the Ninth Wonder of the World turn her back on DX and go into league with the devil, Mr. McMahon? Speculation abounds—some are convinced it is because her ultimate goal is to get her hands on the Federation Women’s Championship, while others believe Chyna’s explanation of a better financial deal from Team Corporate. Regardless, it is the popular consensus that Chyna sold out big time when she left DX to go "corporate".

On Sunday Night Heat, Chyna told the world that her decision to join the corporation was all about money."I never had any loyalty to DX. It was strictly an employee/employer relationship, just as it is with the corporation. They happened to offer me a better deal and I took it," Chyna affirmed.Could money really be the only motivating factor behind Chyna’s decision to go corporate?

In DX, Chyna was the backbone of the group—its stabilizing force. However, she never had the spotlight—her presence was that of the silent leader. Does Chyna believe she will be able to achieve more prominence in the corporation—perhaps aspiring to be the "corporate centerpiece"?"I feel more useful in the corporation. I felt more like a babysitter with DX—that I always had to take care of them, I had to carry them through everything. Now I can be my own person in the corporation," Chyna attests."Working for the corporation is no different than any other job. All my jobs are the same. I get hired, I do what I’m supposed to do and that’s it. It doesn’t make me any more fearful of other people or better or worse. It’s just different, it’s a different group."

However, will a group of men—especially one in which inflated male egos abound—allow this woman to be her own person? Moreover, what makes Team Corporate any different from DX—or from any work environment, for that matter? Despite the progress women have made and the advances "equal opportunity" has afforded the fairer gender, women are still treated as second-class citizens to men. Just as the proverbial glass ceiling exists in the office, so does a glass rope envelop the wrestling ring. The question is: Will the corporation be able to tie that rope around Chyna’s neck and keep her down? Or will the Ninth Wonder of the World be more than Team Corporate’s "eye candy" centerpiece? Will she be the one to crash through that glass rope, changing the image of women in the ring—in the workforce—in society?

"Will they give a woman equal opportunity to grow?" Chyna wonders. "No. Will they give Chyna equal opportunity? They have to because I’ll force them to," she replies.

Chyna is certainly a force to be reckoned with. The woman knows what she’s worth and what she wants—and she’s not afraid of going after it. But, again, what is it that Chyna really wants? Is it the Federation Women’s Championship, as so many speculate?

"I have absolutely no interest in the women’s championship. To me [Federation women] are a bunch of bimbos wrestling around. I am far beyond that and in a completely different category," Chyna asserts.

Will Team Corporate allow Chyna to have her way? It is safe to assume that the corporation has visions of acquiring the Federation Women’s Championship, a probable reason for her recruitment. Or will Chyna be strong enough to defy their wishes? Sometimes you really do have to play by the rules to win the game, Chyna…

Perhaps that is exactly what the Ninth Wonder of the World is doing. In order to conquer one’s enemy, one needs to know it from the inside out—and what better way than by becoming one of its very own. Don’t judge her too quickly, though. Perhaps Chyna is not a sell-out. In fact, it could be argued that she is just the opposite. The woman believes strongly enough in herself that she is able to take the steps necessary to advance her career and truly grow—despite how others may now perceive her.

There is much more to Chyna than meets the eye. Regardless of the motive behind her move to Team Corporate, the Ninth Wonder of the World will never cease to amaze us—and keep us guessing. Perhaps she will be the one to shatter the Team Corporate mold—Chyna is a lot more durable than the fragile egos around her.