Christina Lee Hemme ( ; born October 28, 1980) is an American wrestling executive and retired professional wrestler, ring announcer, backstage interviewer, singer and model. She is best known for her time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) where she performed as a wrestler and ring announcer. She also worked as a front office executive at the company. She is also a former wrestler in WWE, where she won the 2004 Diva Search.
Early life Hemme was born in Poway, California, but she grew up in Temecula, California. She enjoyed racing street bikes and dirt bikes. She was a "self-described" tomboy. She grew up watching wrestling and favored The Undertaker.
She was a cheerleader for two years at Temecula Valley High School. She graduated in 1998 at age seventeen. Hemme attended Mt. San Jacinto College, where she majored in dance.
Modeling career After graduating, she relocated to Los Angeles, California to pursue a career in modeling. Hemme initially joined a burlesque dance team known as "The Purrfect Angelz". She performed at Easyrider tours and Harley motorcycle rallies. She went on to appear in magazines such as Maxim, Playboy, Rolling Stone, and Stuff. In addition, she appeared in the music video of the Trace Adkins songs "Chrome", and "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" and in videos for bands Blink-182 and Sonic. She also had parts in commercials for AT&T Corporation and TrimSpa, and she was a spokesmodel for Hawaiian Tropic. Other early jobs included a waitressing job at Hooters.
In past years, her image has also been found on Bench Warmer trading cards as Christy "Sunni" Hemme. As Sunni, she was Bullz-eye.com's featured model in September 2002. Her modeling career led to her joining the cast of Comedy Central's The Man Show as a member of the "Juggy Dance Squad" in 2003. Hemme remained with the series for a year, during which she appeared on The Commies, a Comedy Central produced award show, on December 7, 2003.
Hemme took part in the 2004 Lingerie Bowl. She appeared on the cover of the April 2005 issue of Playboy magazine. Before appearing nude in the magazine, Hemme got the permission of her father, who had previously requested that she never pose nude. She also competed as a quarterback for the Chicago Bliss Lingerie Football League team in the 2006 Lingerie Bowl.
Professional wrestling career World Wrestling Entertainment Diva Search (2004) In mid-2004, Hemme participated in the Diva Search, a competition held by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to recruit new WWE Divas. In the course of the competition, Hemme and the five other finalists faced seven existing Divas in a game of dodgeball at SummerSlam on August 15, eliminating all eight Divas with the loss of just one finalist, Joy Giovanni. Hemme was announced as the winner of the competition on September 20, with a prize of a one-year contract with WWE, with remuneration of $250,000.
Brand switches (2004–2005) Hemme began her WWE career as a member of the Raw roster. She quickly began a feud with Carmella DeCesare, the runner-up of the Diva Search. The feud culminated in a "lingerie pillow fight" at Taboo Tuesday on October 19, which Hemme won.
Following her feud with DeCesare, Hemme began a rivalry with WWE Women's Champion Trish Stratus. Stratus, along with Molly Holly and Gail Kim, threw Hemme an initiation party, but, it soon turned into a 3-on-1 Bra and Panties Handicap match, which Hemme lost. As Stratus was ostensibly scornful of Hemme's appearance in the April 2005 issue of Playboy, Stratus interrupted Hemme's unveiling and spray painted all over the cover. Hemme responded by slapping her, which resulted in Stratus knocking her out with a Chick Kick and spraying the word "slut" on her back. Hemme eventually challenged Stratus to a match at WrestleMania 21, with Stratus' nemesis Lita training her in the weeks preceding the event. At the event on April 3, Hemme unsuccessfully challenged Stratus for the Women's Championship.
In the months after WrestleMania, Hemme began a feud with Victoria, who claimed to be jealous of the opportunities afforded to Hemme. Hemme would feud with Victoria during Raw house shows, and defeated her on several occasions. On the June 6 episode of Raw, Hemme teamed up with Rosey and The Hurricane in a losing effort to Victoria and The Heart Throbs (Antonio and Romeo) in a six-person mixed tag team match. The feud culminated in a bout at Vengeance on June 26, which Victoria won. With her feud with Victoria over, Hemme briefly aligned herself with Eugene, before she and Stacy Keibler were traded to the SmackDown! brand in exchange for Candice Michelle and Torrie Wilson, on August 25.
On the September 30 episode of SmackDown!, Hemme began a feud with Melina, the valet of MNM, after losing to her in a singles match, and in the process joined forces with the Legion of Doom. At No Mercy on October 9, Hemme and the Legion of Doom defeated MNM in a six-person intergender tag team match. Her feud with Melina continued on November 25 with Melina defeating Hemme.
Ohio Valley Wrestling (2005) On November 30, Hemme debuted in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), a WWE developmental territory, aligning herself with Matt Cappotelli in opposition to Aaron Stevens, Beth Phoenix, and Shelly Martinez. On the December 7 episode of OVW TV, Hemme teamed up with Cappotelli in a winning effort defeating Stevens, Phoenix, and Martinez in three-on-two handicap match.
On December 5, 2005, Hemme was released from her WWE contract. The release happened shortly after WWE asked her to relocate to Louisville, Kentucky to train at OVW. The company cited budget cuts and the creative team having nothing for her as the reason for her dismissal.
In November 2008, in her column for TNAwrestling.com, Hemme stated her departure from WWE was on her own terms.
Return to WWE (2017) Hemme appeared at the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame to support Beth Phoenix, the first time she has been seen in the WWE since 2005.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling The Rock 'n Rave Infection (2006–2008)
Hemme signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in April 2006, and she debuted on April 23 at Lockdown. In addition to her hosting role on Impact!, she was also the co-host of the Internet show TNA Global Impact! with Jeremy Borash. At Hardcore War, Hemme refereed a match between Traci and Gail Kim. In July 2006, she was featured on the Women of Action special. She also began traveling to Windsor, Ontario to train under TNA agent Scott D'Amore in between TNA television tapings. Hemme was also voted the 2006 Knockout of the Year.
On January 14, 2007, at Final Resolution, Hemme interrupted the Voodoo Kin Mafia (VKM) and cut a promo about the involvement of women in wrestling. She said that she wanted to wrestle too, and the mostly male crowd in the TNA arena jeered her. Kip James called her a "slut", which garnered him a slap from Hemme, while B.G. James attempted to play peacemaker, turning Hemme heel in the process. In the following weeks, Kip and Hemme argued over his lack of respect for her and women in general. Hemme made her TNA in-ring debut at Against All Odds, where she wrestled and defeated "The Big Fat Oily Guy" in a Tuxedo match, but after his match, Kip James stripped her of her clothes. On the March 8 episode of Impact, Hemme asked Jim Cornette for a match pitting the Voodoo Kin Mafia against her new, previously undisclosed, team, at Destination X. Cornette consented and booked the match. At the pay-per-view, Hemme introduced The Heartbreakers. Despite Hemme's attempts to give Kip James a low blow, the VKM defeated her team, who she later browbeat at ringside. Hemme later announced that she had found another team to face the VKM. On the pre-show prior to the Lockdown pay-per-view, the mystery team was revealed to be Serotonin (Havok and Kaz), but VKM defeated them as well. She then brought in Basham and Damaja as her new permanent tag team in her battle with VKM. The team beat Kip in a handicap match at Sacrifice, as B.G. had been attacked by them earlier in the night. At Slammiversary, VKM beat Basham and Damaja, but VKM's associate Lance Hoyt turned on them and kissed Hemme. at Bound for Glory, Hemme competed in the Gauntlet for the Gold match to crown the first TNA Women's Knockout Champion but was unable to continue and was removed from the match by EMTs.
Basham and Damaja were then released from the company, and Hoyt formed a partnership with Jimmy Rave, dubbed The Rock 'n Rave Infection, with Hemme as their manager. In the winter of 2007, Hemme, Rave, and Hoyt began a feud with The Latin American Xchange (LAX) faction after being attacked several times by a mysterious assailant. The assailant was revealed to be Salinas at Final Resolution following LAX's victory over the Infection. Shortly after Final Resolution, The Rock 'n Rave Infection began a new gimmick, portraying a rock band, with Hemme as the lead singer. On the March 13 episode of Impact, Hemme, Rave and Hoyt won a six-person tag team match against LAX after Hemme hit Salinas with a guitar. At No Surrender, Hemme, Hoyt, and Rave lost in an intergender six-person tag team match against the Prince Justice Brotherhood (Shark Boy, Curry Man, and Super Eric).
Singles competition (2008–2009) On the October 16, 2008 episode of Impact!, Hoyt and Rave were attacked by Kurt Angle, and were hospitalized. As Hemme attempted to leave the building and go to the hospital, The Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Sky) and Cute Kip confronted and insulted her, which led to the trio attacking her and placing a brown paper bag over her head. Hemme transitioned into a face by defeating Sky on the October 23, 2008 episode of Impact!. She feuded with the Beautiful People, which resulted in two consecutive tag team matches with ODB and Sojourner Bolt as per partners, respectively. After showcasing improved wrestling skills, Hemme was then placed into a more active in-ring role, being pushed to challenge Awesome Kong for the TNA Women's Knockout Championship at Final Resolution, after defeating Raisha Saeed on the November 27 episode of TNA Impact!. Hemme then teamed with A.J. Styles in a mixed tag team match against Kong and Scott Steiner, where Hemme pinned Kong. At Final Resolution, Hemme was attacked by Saeed and Rhaka Khan and won the match by disqualification, and thus Kong retained the title. Hemme was subsequently granted a rematch at Genesis. A week later, Hemme teamed with ODB against Khan and Saeed in a winning effort. In 2009, Hemme sustained a neck injury while in a match with Awesome Kong, and was deemed unable to compete at Genesis.
After a seven-month absence, Hemme returned on the August 13, 2009 episode of Impact!, defeating Sojournor Bolt. The following week on Impact, she formed an alliance with her former rival Tara, when they helped save Madison Rayne from an attack from Angelina Love and Velvet Sky. Later that night, Hemme competed in a four-way match against Sarita, Awesome Kong and Traci Brooks, which Brooks won. On the September 3 episode of Impact, Hemme competed in the first round of the tournament for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship alongside her tag partner Tara against Sojourner Bolt and Hamada, which Hemme and Tara won. However, on September 17, the duo lost in the semi-finals to the Beautiful People due to interference from Madison Rayne. On the October 1 episode of Impact!, Hemme defeated Traci Brooks in a "Battle of the Playboy Models" match, but was attacked by Brooks after the match. On the October 29 episode of Impact!, Hemme teamed with Hamada and ODB in a six-woman tag team match, where they were defeated by Rayne, Sky and Lacey Von Erich, after Von Erich pinned Hemme.
Ring announcer, interviewer, and backstage roles (2009–2016; 2022-2025)