 Sharmell in 2025 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sharmell Sullivan (1970-11-02)November 2, 1970 (age 55)[1] Gary, Indiana, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Spelman College |
Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Paisley Queen Sharmell[1] Sharmell Sister Sharmell Storm |
| Billed height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Billed weight | 125 lb (57 kg; 8.9 st) |
| Billed from | Houston,Texas |
| Trained by | WCW Power Plant[2] Ohio Valley Wrestling Fit Finlay Molly Holly[2] |
| Debut | December 1998 |
| Retired | 2023 |
Sharmell Sullivan-Huffman, born November 2, 1970, is an American beauty queen, dancer, professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is best known for her time withWorld Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) under the ring nameQueen Sharmell alongside her husbandBooker T. In 2022 Sullivan was inducted in to theWWE Hall of Fame. She was also the winner of theMiss Black America pageant in 1991.
Sullivan wasvaledictorian ofRoosevelt High School inGary,Indiana in 1988. She graduated fromSpelman College inAtlanta,Georgia in 1997 with a degree in mathematics.[3]
Sullivan began entering pageants at a young age, winning Miss Black Indiana. In 1991 at the age of 20, Sullivan won theMiss Black America pageant, representing as Miss Black Indiana.[1][4]
After winning the pageant title, Sullivan began a career as a professional dancer. She toured with severalhip hop andR&B artists such as;Keith Sweat andP. Diddy.[5] She also toured for3+1⁄2 years withJames Brown.[1][2]
Sullivan joinedWorld Championship Wrestling's (WCW)Nitro Girl dance troupe in December 1998, under the stage name Storm.[6] During her time with the Nitro Girls, Sullivan performed for the live crowds during commercial breaks and engaged in various promotional works. Sullivan alongside other Nitro Girl's were a part of the short lived pop groupDiversity 5.[6] They released one single titledI Promise/Shake Me Up, which failed to chart, Sullivan left the group in 2001 to sign with theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF).[7]
In December 1999, Sullivan was renamed Paisley and became the valet forThe Artist (Prince Iaukea).[8] She managed The Artist through the WCW Cruiserweight tournament, landing him a title match atSuperBrawl 2000, againstLash LeRoux for the vacantWCW Cruiserweight Championship, in which The Artist won.[9][10] She accompanied The Artist at theUncensored pay-per-view in March 2000, where he regained the championship againstPsychosis.[11] Her debut match was a mixed tag team match on the March 15, 2000, episode ofWCW Saturday Night, alongside The Artist in a losing effort toBilly Kidman andTorrie Wilson.[12] She made her in-ring singles debut againstTammy Lynn Sytch on the April 26, 2000, episode ofWCW Thunder, winning the match with aDDT.[13] Shortly after The Artist was released from WCW, leading Sullivan to begin valeting forKwee Wee.[14]
She then formed a villainous alliance with fellow former Nitro Girl,Tygress, entering a feud withMajor Gunns.[15][16] Sullivan defeated Major Gunns on two separate occasions, first on the June 27, 2000, episode ofWCW Thunder[17] and for a second time on the August 22, 2000, episode ofWCW Thunder.[18] On the August 28, 2000, episode ofWCW Nitro,[19] Sullivan lost to Tygress in a triple threat match also including Major Gunns, she would however, defeat both Major Gunns and Tygress in a rematch the following night on the August 29, 2000, episode ofWCW WorldWide.[20] Her final match with WCW came on the September 19, 2000, episode ofWCW Thunder, where she defeated Torrie Wilson in 50 seconds.[21] In 2001 just before WCW was bought by the WWF, Sullivan was released from the company.
Shortly after being released from WCW, Sullivan signed a developmental contract with the WWF with the intent of becoming a full time professional wrestler and backstage interviewer.[1] Sullivan was sent to WWF's developmental territoryOhio Valley Wrestling (OVW) to continue her training, becoming the valet ofThe Suicide Blondes, wearing a blonde wig and performing under the ring name Sister Sharmell.[6][22] While in OVW Sullivan began feuding withJazz, losing to her at the October 27, 2001, OVW television taping.[23] Her training was cut short however, due to a severeACL injury, forcing her to retire from in-ring work.[1] In November 2001, Sullivan made her main roster debut as the official backstage interviewer of theSmackdown! brand. Sullivan worked as the backstage interviewer of the show from November 2001 until early 2002, where she was granted her release and retired from professional wrestling to run a clothing store inHouston,Texas.[24] She was featured in the WWE DVD special,WWE Divas: Tropical Pleasure.[22]
In 2005 Sullivan was rehired by the (now renamed) WWE, re-debuting as aface, for her real life husbandBooker T under the her real name Sharmell. According to Booker T,Vince McMahon decided to resign Sullivan after their wedding so they could spend more time together.[25] Sullivan and Booker T took part in a controversial feud withKurt Angle, which began with Angle continually sexually harassing and stalking Sullivan.[26][27][28] Including segments involving Angleorgasming over Sullivan, pretending to dream about her while he slept and admitting he wanted "perverted sex" with Sullivan.[29] Sullivan featured in multiple backstage segments being comforted by her friendJoy Giovanni.[30] Booker T defeated Angle at the 2005Judgment Day pay-per-view, however, on the May 31, 2005, episode ofSmackdown! Angle defeated both Booker T and Sullivan in a handicap match, after pinning Sullivan in her WWE debut match.[31] The feud ended one week later on the June 9, 2005, episode ofSmackdown! when Booker T, accompanied by Sullivan, defeated Angle.[32] On the August 16, 2005, episode ofSmackdown! Sullivan and Booker T lost a mixed tag team match toJoey Mercury andMelina, after interference byMNM's valetJillian Hall.[33] The feud between MNM versus Sullivan and Booker T was shortly dropped due to real lifeheat between Sullivan and Melina.[34]
Sullivan continued accompanying Booker T to his matches and began slowly turningheel. In October 2005 she began interfering in Booker T's matches without his knowledge, to help him win his matches.[35] Her heel turn was officially cemented when she helped Booker T win theWWE United States Championship on the October 21, 2005, episode ofSmackdown! where he defeatedChris Benoit.[36] The following week onSmackdown! Booker T also turned heel, when he revealed he knew of her involvement in his matches the entire time.[37] At theSurvivor Series 2005 pay-per-view, Sullivan was involved in a controversial, infamous backstage segment where WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, greeted Sullivan and Booker by using aracial slur.[38][39] That night Booker defeated Benoit in a best of seven series.[32] Benoit and Booker continued to feud through toNo Way Out 2006, where Benoit retained the title defeating Booker, accompanied by Sullivan.[40] Sullivan and Booker T then began a short lived feud withThe Boogeyman. The Boogeyman kidnapped Sullivan on the March 31, 2006, episode ofSmackdown!.[41] The feud culminated atWrestleMania 22, when The Boogeyman defeated both Sullivan and Booker T in a handicap match, during the match The Boogeyman kissed Sullivan while he had a mouth full of worms.[42]
Sullivan managed and helped Booker T emerge victorious in the2006 King of the Ring tournament, where Booker T, accompanied by Sullivan, defeatedBobby Lashley in the finals atJudgment Day 2006.[43] Booker T then began referring to himself as King Booker and Sullivan as Queen Sharmell. As part of their new on-screen personas, the duo began speaking in fauxBritish accents and behaving pompous. Sullivan also coined the phrase "all hail King Booker!" which she yelled before and after Booker's matches. The duo then began a villainous group namedKing Booker's Court, recruitingSir Finlay andSir William Regal. On the July 7, 2006, episode ofSmackdown! Booker won a number 1 contender battle royal to face theWWE World Heavyweight Champion,Rey Mysterio atThe Great American Bash, after the match both Sullivan and Booker attacked Mysterio backstage.[44] AtThe Great American Bash, Sullivan accompanying Booker, defeated Mysterio to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, cementing the duo as the main event stars of theSmackdown! brand.[45] At theSummerSlam pay-per-view, Booker retained his championship againstBatista via disqualification after Sullivan interfered in the match, attacking Batista.[46] Batista alongside Bobby Lashley continued to feud with King Booker's Court in the following months. At theNo Mercy pay-per-view, Booker retained the championship again in the main event, defeating Batista, Bobby Lashley and Finlay in a fatal four way match, the show ended with Sullivan and Booker celebrating with the championship.[47][48] Sullivan and Booker were featured on the official advertisement poster for the pay-per-view. The following month at theCyber Sunday pay-per-view event, Booker being accompanied by Sullivan, facedECW ChampionBig Show andWWE ChampionJohn Cena, in the main event in a triple threat match, for Booker's WWE World Heavyweight Championship, as voted by the WWE fans. During the match, Cena hit Sullivan with an FU as she attempted to hit Cena with the championship belt, knocking Sullivan out,[49] distracting the referee, while distractedKevin Federline interfered hitting Cena with the championship belt, letting Booker pin Cena to retain the championship.[50] The following month atSurvivor Series, Booker lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Batista in the main event, had Booker been counted out or disqualified because of Sullivan's interference, he would lose the championship.[51] During the match Batista went to hit Sullivan with a Batista-Bomb, before throwing her outside the ring. At theArmageddon pay-per-view the team of Batista and John Cena defeated Booker and Finlay, being accompanied by Sullivan in the main event, officially disbanding King Booker's Court.[52] Sullivan accompanied Booker at theRoyal Rumble, where he was eliminated byKane. AtWrestleMania 23, Sullivan accompanied Booker in theMoney in the Bank ladder match, during the matchMatt Hardy set Sullivan up in the Twist of Fate, threatening to hit Sullivan with the move, before Booker decided to save her instead of win the match.[53][54] On the April 6, 2007, episode ofSmackdown! Sullivan turned on Booker, claiming his failure to defeat Matt Hardy that night, claiming he did not care for her honor.[55] Later that night, Booker tried to impress her by attacking the World Heavyweight ChampionThe Undertaker, which resulted in Booker being hit with a Tombstone Piledriver, on the announce table, spraining his neck putting him out of action.
On the June 11, 2007, episode ofRAW, Sullivan and Booker were drafted fromSmackdown! toRAW a part of theWWE Draft.[56] Booker and Sullivan returned to television, entering a brief feud against John Cena over the WWE Championship. Losing a fatal five way match in theVengeance: Night of Champions, main event.[57] Sullivan and Booker then began feuding withJerry "The King" Lawler, claiming only Booker could be called a king. Booker defeated Lawler on the August 6, 2007, episode ofRAW. AtSummerSlam Booker was defeated by a returningTriple H.[58]
Due to conflicts with storylines, issues with overall character direction and burn out, Sullivan and Booker requested and were granted their releases from their contracts by the WWE.[59]
At the 2007Gensis pay-per-view, Sullivan debuted forTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in the main event, as a face, for theTNA World Heavyweight Championship, attackingKaren Angle.[60] At theTurning Point pay-per-view, Sullivan accompanied Booker andKaz to win againstChristian Cage andRobert Roode.[32] AtFinal Resolution 2008, Sullivan and Booker T defeatedMs. Brooks and Robert Roode in a mixed tag team match, after Sullivan pinned Brooks.[61] After the match, Roode was arguing with Brooks, Sullivan returned to the ring to defend Brooks and stop Roode, only to get hit in the face andkayfabe breaking her jaw. Sullivan made her return two months later, atDestination X, coming to the aid of Booker T whippingPayton Banks and Roode. The two teams continued to feud untilLockdown, where Sullivan and Booker defeated Banks and Roode in a mixed tag team six sides of steel cage match.[62]
Sullivan would then go inactive from the company for the next couple of months, following Booker T's heel turn, but returned at theVictory Road pay-per-view during the main event between her husband andSamoa Joe, also turning heel in the process by making the three-count herself, allowing her husband to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.[63] Sullivan continued to accompany Booker to the ring for his matches, the duo joinedThe Main Event Mafia in October of that year.[64] On the November 20, 2008, episode ofImpact! Sullivan was challenged to a match withODB atFinal Resolution, which she accepted, at the event alongsideThe Beautiful People (Angelina Love andVelvet Sky), Sullivan's team lost to ODB,Taylor Wilde andRoxxi.[65] Sullivan began arguing and disagreeing with fellow Main Event Mafia valet,Jenna Morasca, leading to a backstage catfight on the May 28, 2009, episode ofImpact! this led to Sullivan challenging Morasca to a singles match atVictory Road. Sullivan withSojournor Bolt in her corner, lost to Morasca who hadAwesome Kong in her corner.[66] Their match is infamously known as one of the worst professional wrestling matches in history,[67][68] during the match the fans in the arena began turning their back to the match in protest. Wrestling journalistDave Meltzer gave the match minus five stars.[69]
Sullivan then went on to compete in theTNA Knockout Tag Team Championship tournament teaming with Traci Brooks, representing The Main Event Mafia, they were eliminated in the first round after losing to Awesome Kong andRaisha Saeed, in Sullivan's last televised wrestling match.[70] Sullivan and Booker T's final appearance for the company was atBound for Glory, before being granted their release from the company.[71] Sullivan then ultimately retired from wrestling.
In 2005 Sullivan and Huffman founded wrestling school and independent promotion,Reality of Wrestling.[72] The promotion works alongside local charities, including the Fight For Kids Foundation, which helps children stay off the streets and gives them benefits towards better lives.[73] Sullivan works as a coach for the promotion. On October 29, 2024, ROW became an independent wrestling school for theWWE's developmental program designed for the independent wrestlers calledWWE ID, short for WWE Independent Development.[74]
In 2013 Sullivan appeared at theWWE Hall of Fame to watch her husband be inducted.[1] In 2021, WWE listed Sullivan was acknowledged as one of the women who made a large impact as a valet in the WWE.[75] The following year it was announced she would be inducted in to theWWE Hall of Fame.[76] Sullivan appeared on the May 1, 2023, episode ofRAW alongside her husband to announce the draft picks for the 2023 WWE Draft. At the 2025Evolution pay-per-view, Sullivan was once again acknowledged as one of the pioneers of women's wrestling in WWE history.
Sullivan andHuffman began dating while they both worked for WCW, the couple married in February 2005.[1][77] She has a stepson Brandon, from a relationship Huffman had in high school. Sullivan gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, named Kendrick and Kennedy on August 5, 2010.[78]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | WCW Nitro Girls Swimsuit Calendar Special | Storm | TV special |
| 2000 | BET Tonight with Ed Gordon | Self; guest | 1 episode |
| Ready to Rumble | Storm | ||
| 2002 | WWF Divas: Sex on the Beach | Sharmell | TV special |
| WWF Divas: Tropical Pleasure | Sharmell | Direct to DVD | |
| 2007 | WWE 2007 Hall of Fame | Self; guest | TV special |
| Family Feud | Self; contestant | 5 episodes[79] | |
| 2008 | TNA Today | Sharmell | 1 episode |
| 2012 | WWE 2012 Hall of Fame | Self; guest | TV special |
| 2013 | WWE 2013 Hall of Fame | Self; guest | TV special |
| 2014 | WWE 2014 Hall of Fame | Self; guest | TV special |
| 2016 | WWE 24 | Self; guest | 1 episode |
| WWE 2016 Hall of Fame | Self; guest | TV special | |
| 2017 | WWE 2017 Hall of Fame | Self; guest | TV special |
| 2020 | BKS, Best Kept Secret | Jackie Collins | TV film |
| 2021 | Bigger | Stella | 1 episode |
| Biography: WWE Legends | Self; feature | 1 episode | |
| WWE's Most Wanted Treasures | Self; feature | 1 episode | |
| 2022 | WWE 2022 Hall of Fame | Self; inductee | TV special |
| Mike | City council member | 1 episode | |
| 2023 | Chicago P.D. | Judge | 1 episode |
| 2024 | Who Killed WCW? | Self; interviewee | Documentary, 2 episodes |
| Sundown | Jewel Richards | ||
| 2025 | WWE 2025 Hall of Fame | Self; guest | TV special |
Last weekend Booker T (Booker Huffman) married longtime girlfriend Sharmell Sullivan (formerly valet Paisley and Nitro Girl Storm in WCW) in the bride's hometown of Gary, Indiana. Former Nitro Girl Chae was on hand as a bridesmaid. Sullivan, 33, graduated valedictorian from Gary's Roosevelt High School in 1988, is a graduate of Spelman College and was crowned Miss Black America in 1991.
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