Wikipedia

Leilani Kai

Patty Seymour[1][discuss](born January 23, 1957) is an American retiredprofessional wrestler,better known by herring nameLeilani Kai.She began training withThe Fabulous Moolahright after finishing high school. In the 1980s, as part of theWorld Wrestling Federation(WWF)'sRock 'n' Wrestling Connection,a storyline that combined wrestling and music, Kai defeatedWendi Richterto become theWomen's Champion.Kai, however, lost the title at the inauguralWrestleManiaevent. She was later paired withJudy Martin,in atag teamthat would become known asThe Glamour Girls.The team held theWomen's Tag Team Championshiptwice (managed by"The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart) and theLPWA Tag Team Championshiponce.

Leilani Kai
Birth namePatty Seymour[1]
Born(1957-01-23)January 23, 1957(age 68)[2]
Tampa, Florida,U.S.[1]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Leilani Kai
Patty Stone Grinder
Billed height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[3]
Billed weight162 lb (73 kg)
Billed fromHawaii
Trained byThe Fabulous Moolah[4]
Debut1975[3]
Retired2015

In her later career, Kai returned briefly to the WWF in 1994, challenging for the Women's Championship atWrestleMania X.She also wrestled forWorld Championship Wrestlingunder the name Patty Stonegrinder and held theNWA World Women's Championship.

Professional wrestling career

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Early career (1975–1985)

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Seymour was trained byThe Fabulous Moolahin 1975 right after she finished high school.[3]She was originally from Florida, but because Moolah thought she looked a little bitHawaiian,Seymour was given thering nameLeilani Kai,[5]as in theHawaiian languageLeilani translates to "heavenly flowers" and Kai to "ocean water".[2]Her fellow wrestlers also bestowed upon her the nickname "The Hawaiian Princess" during her early career.[3]Four weeks after beginning her training, Moolah sent her on a two-week tour ofAlaska.[1]Over the next few years she worked for promotions throughout the United States, including inOklahoma,Minnesota,California,andNew York.[1]It was in 1979 inNorth Carolina,that Kai first began working withJudy Martin,who would be her future tag team partner.[1][6]

World Wrestling Federation (1985–1989)

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Women's Champion (1985)

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See also:Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection

On July 23, 1984,Wendi Richterdefeated The Fabulous Moolah atMTV'sThe Brawl to End it Allfor theWWF Women's Championship,ending what was billed as the longest championship reign in professional wrestling history (Moolah's 28-year reign, though in reality she had won and lost the title on numerous occasions and Richter actually ended a 7-year reign).[7][8]As a result, in early 1985, Kai—who had been trained by Moolah—wrestled Richter and defeated her for the title atThe War to Settle the Score,with Moolah in her corner and singerCyndi Lauperin Richter's corner.[7]Richter, however, regained the title at the first-everWrestleManiaone month later.[9]These matches were part of the WWF's "Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection", an era that combined both music and professional wrestling.[7][9]

The Glamour Girls (1985–1989)

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Main article:The Glamour Girls

Kai was then paired with Judy Martin, and the duo won theWWF Women's Tag Team Championshipfrom the championsVelvet McIntyreandDesiree Petersenin Egypt in August 1985, although this match's existence has been disputed.[6][10][11]Meanwhile, in August 1986, Kai traveled to Japan where she wonAll Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling'sAll Pacific ChampionshipfromChigusa Nagayo,whom she also lost the title to in April 1987.[11]

In November 1987, Kai and Martin became known asThe Glamour Girls,and she underwent an image change that involved bleaching her dark hair platinum blonde at the suggestion of theirmanagerJimmy Hart.[1][11]The duo appeared at the firstSurvivor Seriesin 1987 as part of then championSherri Martel's team to face the Fabulous Moolah's team.[12]Martel's team—Martel, the Glamour Girls,Dawn Marie,andDonna Christanello—lost to The Fabulous Moolah's team—Moolah, Velvet McIntyre,Rockin' Robin,and theJumping Bomb Angels(Noriyo TatenoandItsuki Yamazaki).[12]Kai and Martin feuded in 1988 with Japanese imports the Jumping Bomb Angels for the Women's Tag Team Championship.[6]The two teams staged atwo out of three falls matchat the firstRoyal Rumbleevent in 1988, with the Jumping Bomb Angels capturing the gold.[6]Kai and Martin recaptured the title months later in June 1988 before the belts were once again abandoned in 1989 when the company lost interest in the women's division.[6]

Ladies Professional Wrestling Association (1990–1991)

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The Glamour Girls then surfaced in the newly formedLadies Professional Wrestling Association(LPWA), managed byAdnan El Kassey.[6]In February 1991, they won theLPWA Tag Team Championshipfrom the team ofMisty BlueandHeidi Lee Morgan.Leilani Kai appeared on the November 10, 1991 episode ofWCW Main Event,losing to Madusa.[13]They retained the Tag Team Championship againstMalia HosakaandBambiat the only LPWA pay per viewSuperladies Showdownin 1992.[14]The title was abandoned when the promotion closed.[13]

Later career and retirement (1991–2015)

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Kai returned to the WWF on March 20, 1994, atWrestleMania Xto unsuccessfully challengeAlundra Blayzein a Women's Championship match.[15]On October 20, 1996, she wrestledMadusain a losing effort duringWCW WorldWide.[16]In the later 1990s, Kai returned toWorld Championship Wrestlingunder the name Patty Stonegrinder, usually wrestling againstMadusa.[17]

Kai traded the NWA Mid-Atlantic Women's Championship with Strawberry Fields in 2000, holding the belt a total of three times.[13]In the summer of 2002, Kai challengedLexie Fyfefor theProfessional Girl Wrestling Association's (PGWA) championship inBranson, Missouriand won the belt.[18]In 2002, however, Pippa L'Vinn defeated her for the title.[19]

On March 12, 2003, she defeated Madison to win theNWA World Women's Championshipin a dark match on aTotal Nonstop Action Wrestlingpay-per-view.[13][18]She defended the belt at theNWA 55th Anniversary Showagainst AJ Sparx in October 2003.[20]She was later stripped of the title by NWA President Bill Behrens on June 19, 2004, after Kaino-showedseveral events.[21]

After becoming less active in the ring, she also began training female wrestlers, includingAmber O'Neal.[22]She also served as a trainer for the California-basedWomen of Wrestling.[1]

On September 5, 2013, it was announced that Kai will debut at Pro Wrestling Syndicate Bombshells against Sumie Sakai on September 28 in Iselin, NJ.

On May 31, 2014, Kai appeared on West Coast Wrestling Connection, slapping Kylie Sutton for allegedly implying that she was old. The following week, Kai was scheduled to face Sutton in a match. After refusing to participate, she forced her managerJonny Fairplayto take her place. Sutton won the match by DQ after Kai entered the ring and attacked her, before referees pulled her off. She then subsequently retired from professional wrestling in December 2015.

Personal life

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In addition to wrestling, Seymour has trained withnunchucksfor at least two years.[3]She also rides motorcycles, deep sea fishes, and hunts wild boar.[3]Seymour previously owned an apartment in Hawaii.[1]On September 18, 2024, Seymour went under a successful total righthip replacementsurgery.[23][24]

Championships and accomplishments

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Notes

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  1. ^abcdefghijkMonneyham, Mike (July 7, 2013)."'Moolah's Girls' made mark on wrestling world ".The Post and Courier.Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2016.RetrievedJuly 12,2013.
  2. ^abLaprade, Pat; Murphy, Dan (April 11, 2017).Sisterhood of the Squared Circle: The History and Rise of Women's Wrestling.ECW Press.ISBN9781773050140– via Google Books.
  3. ^abcdefghi"Leilani Kai".GLORY Wrestling.RetrievedMay 2,2009.
  4. ^Ellison, Lillian.First Goddess of the Squared Circle,p.111.
  5. ^Ellison, Lillian.First Goddess of the Squared Circle,p.145.
  6. ^abcdefJohnson, Steven (August 8, 2007)."Return of a" Glamour Girl "".SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012.RetrievedMay 18,2009.
  7. ^abcShields, Brian.Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s,p.105
  8. ^Corliss, Richard (April 15, 1985)."Hype! Hell Raising! Hulk Hogan!".Time.Archived fromthe originalon March 10, 2007.RetrievedJanuary 9,2009.
  9. ^abBanks, Bill (February 1999)."Fantasy Warefare [sic]: Sable vs. Wendi Richter ".Raw Magazine. Archived fromthe originalon February 10, 2009.RetrievedDecember 21,2008.{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help)
  10. ^Nevada, Vance (June 30, 2005)."Results for Velvet McIntyre".SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012.RetrievedNovember 2,2008.
  11. ^abcdDuncan, Royal and Gary Will (2006).Wrestling Title Histories(4th ed.). Archeus Communications.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.Information also available atSolie's Title Histories.
  12. ^abShields, Brian.Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s,p.164
  13. ^abcde"Title History".LeilaniKai. 2003. Archived fromthe originalon December 6, 2003.RetrievedJune 1,2009.
  14. ^Ladies Professional Wrestling Association (2000).Super Ladies Showdown: 1(DVD).
  15. ^"WrestleMania X results".World Wrestling Entertainment.RetrievedJune 2,2009.
  16. ^"WCW Worldwide: October 20, 1996".Blog of Doom. October 31, 2014.RetrievedJune 6,2020.
  17. ^"Nitro results 1999".Online World of Wrestling.RetrievedJune 2,2009.
  18. ^abcde"Explosion in Nashville!".LadySports. 2003. Archived fromthe originalon December 25, 2008.RetrievedJune 1,2009.
  19. ^"Pippa L'Vinn to Face Nikki Roxx in England".GLORY Wrestling. April 12, 2005.RetrievedJune 1,2009.
  20. ^Schramm, Chris (October 15, 2003)."NWA 55th anniversary show shines".SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on August 2, 2012.RetrievedMay 2,2009.
  21. ^"NWA World Women's Championship".Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling.Archived fromthe originalon January 18, 2010.RetrievedMarch 26,2009.
  22. ^"Amber O'Neal".Lethal Women of Wrestling. Archived fromthe originalon December 11, 2008.RetrievedJune 2,2009.
  23. ^Lambert, Jeremy (September 18, 2024)."Leilani Kai to Undergo Total Hip Replacement Surgery".Fightful.RetrievedOctober 12,2024.
  24. ^Currier, Joseph (September 19, 2024)."Leilani Kai 'feeling amazing' after total hip replacement surgery".Wrestling Observer Newsletter.RetrievedOctober 12,2024.
  25. ^"World Women's Tag Team Title".wrestling-titles.
  26. ^"PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME MOVING FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK TO TEXAS".PWInsider.November 20, 2015.RetrievedNovember 20,2015.
  27. ^Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000).Wrestling Title Histories(4th ed.). Archeus Communications.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.

References

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