Former Wrestlers Speaks Out Against Allegations That Led to WWE Removing Fabulous Moolah's Name from Battle Royal

[iamthedoctor]

 

Nine women's wrestlers who were associated with WWE Hall of Famer The Fabulous Moolah are speaking out against the allegations that led to WWE removing Moolah's name from the women's battle royal at WrestleMania 34.

 

As we've noted, WWE was forced to change The Fabulous Moolah Battle Royal to the WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal due to fan backlash over controversial allegations from Moolah's past. The backlash included fans contacting WrestleMania sponsor Snickers and their parent company, which appears to be the final straw for WWE. Moolah remains in the WWE Hall of Fame but the company will not be honoring her at WrestleMania.

 

The Matt Riviera Show sent us the following press release today:

 

9 Women Wrestlers From “Camp Moolah” Denounce Allegations Against The Fabulous Moolah

 

Recent social media outrage has led to the WWE removing the name of legendary women’s wrestler, the late Fabulous Moolah’s (Lillian Ellison) name from a planned featured Women’s Battle Royal, which was to honor her at the upcoming WrestleMania 34 event, set for New Orleans, LA on April 8, 2018.

 

World Wrestling Entertainment was pressured to remove Moolah’s name by the event’s sponsor, Snickers, after rumors and unsubstantiated allegations from such names as Sherri Martel, Luna Vachon, & Sweet Georgia Brown, involving Ellison’s activities while a performer, trainer, & manager to many female wrestlers became echoed on social media. These claims involve accusations of stealing money, the drugging, & prostituting of female wrestlers who worked for The Fabulous Moolah.

 

Now, in the wake of these allegations, 9 former female wrestlers who worked for Moolah have stepped forward to denounce these allegations against Moolah, & proclaim her innocence. These women represent many different generations, & many of these women lived for decades at the infamous “Camp Moolah”, located in Columbia, SC, where the majority of the rumored wrongdoings are said to have occurred.

 

 

One of the women, Leilani Kai, is a former WWE Women’s Champion & lived at Camp Moolah for 20 years: “She had never once drugged any of us” Kai stated on a recent episode of Madusa’s Full Throttle Podcast. “She was a champion, she was a booker, and she was a great legend. And she deserves to be honored for enternity…”

 

One man who has been working diligently to shed light onto this situation is wrestling industry insider, Nigel Sherrod, who has been interviewing former female wrestlers that worked for Moolah ever since the controversy broke. He has interviewed 8 of Moolah’s girls, so far, including:

 

Former NWA Women’s Champion, Susan “Tex” Green: “How much (money) did Moolah take from you?” Sherrod asks. “30%” replies Green. “Which... I signed a contract. I didn’t have a problem with that… she was putting me in the ring, in front of the people, in front of the writers that put my face & pictures out in magazines. So I took that all in stride.” As for allegations of Moolah pimping girls? “… nobody ever came to my room late at night”.

 

“Golden Girl” Lisa Darnell, the youngest trainee ever at “Camp Moolah” at age 16: “She never did anything that was inappropriate at all… And me being the youngest person there, like they said, she was pimping the girls out? That’s just ridiculous… I would have been the one she pimped out. I was a young, fresh girl, you know?”

 

Moolah’s daughter, Mary Ellison, who also trained at “Camp Moolah”: “I don’t know who made up the rumors, but it’s a lie… About Sweet Georgia Brown, I don’t know who brought that up, but she did go with Buddy Lee (Moolah’s Ex Husband) when they split… some of the girls went with him, & some of them stayed with my mother. And the ones that went with him, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were drugs & prostitution involved. Which would be back on him, not on my mother.”

 

Brittany Brown, Multi Time Champion: “If anything like that ever did happen to me, I would have flown back home to Boston faster than you could even write her name down… and I’m sure most everybody else that I knew there would’ve, too… I saw the contracts. It spelled out word for word, by the penny, what percentage she took…. 40 years later or 30 years later, for people to say, “Oh, my God! I can’t believe she took 30% of my pay. I should’ve been getting that.” Well, no. You signed the contract. You wanted to be on TV so bad, that 30% was okay with you… Was it high? I don’t know, but if you thought it was, you shouldn’t have signed it.”

 

Little wrestler, Diamond Lil on Moolah pimping out wrestlers: “That’s a lie, it never happened. Whoever’s saying that is crazy.”

 

Native American wrestler, and former Tag Team partner of Luna Vachon, Winona Littleheart: “No way. She never pimped me out. And as far as I know, none of the other girls that I know.

 

Former WWF Superstar, Peggy Lee Leather: “No, she was not a pimp. She was my booker. She booked me for a certain percentage. And all this about being a pimp, it just makes me just almost sick inside. Because that’s saying that I was pimped out by The Fabulous Moolah. She was nothing but a business woman. A shrewd one. On allegations by the late Luna Vachon that Moolah forced her to take inappropriate pictures for a local doctor while she was underage: “I think it was Dr. Goldstein, and he liked women’s wrestling, and he liked to take photos of them… Moolah would just, you know, approach the girl & just ask them would they like to go out there… I know several of them that went out there… not one of them told me that he did anything derogatory in any way or mentioned anything about sex… When Luna got there, she’d already had two children at that time & she was going through a divorce with her husband… She was in her 20’s when she got to Moolah’s, she wasn’t 16.

 

Multi Time Champion, Joyce Grable: “As far as I was concerned, she never sent me nobody. And hey, I had a good body, back then. I was kind of pretty, long blonde hair. Especially when I went to Puerto Rico. Mexico. If she was gonna pimp somebody out, I would’ve been #1 on the list”

 

Wrestling Observer

[SPS]

"Multi Time Champion, Joyce Grable: “As far as I was concerned, she never sent me nobody. And hey, I had a good body, back then. I was kind of pretty, long blonde hair. Especially when I went to Puerto Rico. Mexico. If she was gonna pimp somebody out, I would’ve been #1 on the list”"

 

What a gross way to dismiss these allegations and defend Moolah, how vain do you have to be to think that such a horrible thing couldn't possibly have happened because you basically think you were more attractive than the victims.

[FMKK]

It seems very bizarre to me that you're so desperate to defend Moolah just because she was a star when you were growing up watching wrestling.

[Al]

Are there wrestlers on record as accusing Moolah of pimping them as opposed to those accusing Moolah of pimping other girls?

[flyonthewall2983]

Sherri had nothing but nice things to say about Moolah in her RF interview. Did she change her tune subsequent to that?

[GSR]

Sherri had nothing but nice things to say about Moolah in her RF interview. Did she change her tune subsequent to that?

 

Conversely, and it's been several years since I watched it, but from memory I'm sure Leilani Kai was quite negative about Moolah in her interview with RF. Is she another who's changed her turne?

[El-P]

but from memory I'm sure Leilani Kai was quite negative about Moolah in her interview with RF.

 

That's what I remember too.

[Victator]

It sounded to me like her problems were based on money and Moolah getting getting her fired in 88.

"Multi Time Champion, Joyce Grable: “As far as I was concerned, she never sent me nobody. And hey, I had a good body, back then. I was kind of pretty, long blonde hair. Especially when I went to Puerto Rico. Mexico. If she was gonna pimp somebody out, I would’ve been #1 on the list”"

What a gross way to dismiss these allegations and defend Moolah, how vain do you have to be to think that such a horrible thing couldn't possibly have happened because you basically think you were more attractive than the victims.

 

[Blehschmidt]

Whether it happened or didn't happen I have no idea, but wrestling is an incredibly vain business and the fact that half of these sound like "I was the prettiest and she didn't force me to fuck anyone, so it couldn't have happened" is incredibly sad.

[Hawkeye12]

 

Sherri had nothing but nice things to say about Moolah in her RF interview. Did she change her tune subsequent to that?

 

Conversely, and it's been several years since I watched it, but from memory I'm sure Leilani Kai was quite negative about Moolah in her interview with RF. Is she another who's changed her turne?

 

 

She wasn't happy with how things played out her last year or so as the Glamour Girls, and blamed Moolah for that. She said Moolah tried to become the manager for the Glamour Girls rather than Jimmy Hart, and then she had them regain the WWF belts from the Jumping Bomb Angels on the last show of a Japan tour when they were supposed to do it at WM4. Then Vince got pissed and cancelled their PPV match. But that's just wrestling business stuff, not even close to what the other handful are claiming. You'd think if she thought any of that had gone on, that'd been a good time to air her dirty laundry.

[Bix]

Apparently, both Matt and Nigel had some limited interaction with Moolah on southern indie shows I'm their early days.

[Victator]

When I talked to Del Wilkes, he said her school was really crummy. That for men she had some local indy guys teach him basic bumping. The only benefit he got was she got him booked and he got on the job training.

[ragemaster]

I just don't understand hypocrisy from the fans and also Snickers who threaten to pull the sponsorship because of Moolah.

But will support a company run by Vince McMahon, who's done just as many/worst vile things in his life over the years.

Also the fact they willing to do business with Saudi Arabia is a bigger issue for woman than this Moolah battle royal.

[NickH]

Reminds me of that Simpsons episode where Lisa finds out Jebediah Springfield was a murderous pirate and wants to tell the town but realizes his good image means too much to the town.

[G. Badger]

Whether it happened or didn't happen I have no idea, but wrestling is an incredibly vain business and the fact that half of these sound like "I was the prettiest and she didn't force me to fuck anyone, so it couldn't have happened" is incredibly sad.

Yeah, that was my take away message as well.

[El-P]

 

I just don't understand hypocrisy from the fans and also Snickers who threaten to pull the sponsorship because of Moolah.

But will support a company run by Vince McMahon, who's done just as many/worst vile things in his life over the years.

Also the fact they willing to do business with Saudi Arabia is a bigger issue for woman than this Moolah battle royal.

 

Well, there's that too indeed. Plus, I mean, Linda is a member of Trump's administration. So yeah. But that's entertainment consumption with a political correctness aspect. And yes, it is hypocrisy.

[shodate]

 

 

I just don't understand hypocrisy from the fans and also Snickers who threaten to pull the sponsorship because of Moolah.

But will support a company run by Vince McMahon, who's done just as many/worst vile things in his life over the years.

Also the fact they willing to do business with Saudi Arabia is a bigger issue for woman than this Moolah battle royal.

 

Well, there's that too indeed. Plus, I mean, Linda is a member of Trump's administration. So yeah. But that's entertainment consumption with a political correctness aspect. And yes, it is hypocrisy.

 

western government ass lick the Saudi regime and vince if hardcore Right Winger so he will kiss up to the Saudi's ala trump did so did may the uk leader

[fxnj]

The Moolah controversy always struck me as virtue signalling. Even if we are to assume all the bad things claimed about her are true and she did nothing good for anyone, it is far too late to get outraged about it when she's already been dead for a decade and her heinous acts happened 30-60 years ago. About the only tangible effect is making the Redditors who complained to Snickers about it feel good about themselves.

[Log]

The Moolah controversy always struck me as virtue signalling. Even if we are to assume all the bad things claimed about her are true and she did nothing good for anyone, it is far too late to get outraged about it when she's already been dead for a decade and her heinous acts happened 30-60 years ago. About the only tangible effect is making the Redditors who complained to Snickers about it feel good about themselves.

 

I'd say stopping a very large, publicly-traded company from honoring her on a show viewed by millions of people is a pretty tangible effect.

 

It stops them from convincing a bunch of people who don't know any better (most of their viewership) that she was some trailblazing saint.

[PeteF3]

Are we also forgetting that Moolah brought ZERO positive qualities as a performer and set back women's wrestling in the U.S. to a point where it's only now recovering? She has zero good matches, zero good interviews, was tangentially involved in maybe one good angle (the Richter feud, where Lou Albano did 90% or more of the heel work). It would be a disgrace to name it after her even if she lived up to the WWE's grandmotherly presentation of her. It would be akin to naming the Palme d'or at Cannes after Herschell Gordon Lewis.

[Mad Dog]

Are we also forgetting that Moolah brought ZERO positive qualities as a performer and set back women's wrestling in the U.S. to a point where it's only now recovering? She has zero good matches, zero good interviews, was tangentially involved in maybe one good angle (the Richter feud, where Lou Albano did 90% or more of the heel work). It would be a disgrace to name it after her even if she lived up to the WWE's grandmotherly presentation of her. It would be akin to naming the Palme d'or at Cannes after Herschell Gordon Lewis.

 

Especially when Mildred Burke was selling out arenas in her time. Women's wrestling was a joke for a long time because of Moolah.

 

I think what people are missing here is. If she was doing what some of those women have alleged. She wouldn't do that to everyone, that would be fucking stupid and endanger the scam. If some girl comes along with a family and a strong social support structure, you're going to treat them completely different than someone who is from a broken situation and has little they can do to you.

[El-P]

Yes. From a pure business and talent standpoint, honoring Moolah is akin to have a Vince Russo Booker Award.

[Loss]

 

 

 

I just don't understand hypocrisy from the fans and also Snickers who threaten to pull the sponsorship because of Moolah.

But will support a company run by Vince McMahon, who's done just as many/worst vile things in his life over the years.

Also the fact they willing to do business with Saudi Arabia is a bigger issue for woman than this Moolah battle royal.

 

Well, there's that too indeed. Plus, I mean, Linda is a member of Trump's administration. So yeah. But that's entertainment consumption with a political correctness aspect. And yes, it is hypocrisy.

 

western government ass lick the Saudi regime and vince if hardcore Right Winger so he will kiss up to the Saudi's ala trump did so did may the uk leader

 

 

Let's keep it Pro Wrestling Only.

[Loss]

 

Are we also forgetting that Moolah brought ZERO positive qualities as a performer and set back women's wrestling in the U.S. to a point where it's only now recovering? She has zero good matches, zero good interviews, was tangentially involved in maybe one good angle (the Richter feud, where Lou Albano did 90% or more of the heel work). It would be a disgrace to name it after her even if she lived up to the WWE's grandmotherly presentation of her. It would be akin to naming the Palme d'or at Cannes after Herschell Gordon Lewis.

 

Especially when Mildred Burke was selling out arenas in her time. Women's wrestling was a joke for a long time because of Moolah.

 

I think what people are missing here is. If she was doing what some of those women have alleged. She wouldn't do that to everyone, that would be fucking stupid and endanger the scam. If some girl comes along with a family and a strong social support structure, you're going to treat them completely different than someone who is from a broken situation and has little they can do to you.

 

 

This. If something didn't happen to everyone, it doesn't mean something didn't happen to anyone.

[flyonthewall2983]

Still don't have an example of Sherri saying something negative about her