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After WWE released them from their contracts last November, Karrion Kross and his wife, Scarlett Bordeaux, returned to the Stamford-based promotion a few hours ago on SmackDown. The former NXT Champion targeted the current number one contender for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title, Drew McIntyre.
Like her husband, Bordeaux has been an active in-ring competitor for nearly a decade. She has worked in several promotions, including Ring of Honor and IMPACT Wrestling. While these facts are probably well-known to wrestling fans, there are a few other things that the WWE Universe may not know about The Smokeshow.
Here are seven things you didn't know about Scarlett Bordeaux.
#7. Scarlett Bordeaux previously worked at a nightclub
During her early days as a professional wrestler, Scarlett Bordeaux landed a job as a server at the Chicago nightclub The Underground in 2014. The Smokeshow was in a bad financial situation and needed to earn some money.
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In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, the 31-year-old disclosed that she did not have heat or hot water at home when she started working at The Underground.
"I've never had a ton of money. I was in such a bad financial situation at home when I started at The Underground that we didn't have heat or hot water," she said.
Bordeaux's job was to deliver high-end liquor to high rollers and celebrities. Meanwhile, it gave her the income and flexibility the 31-year-old needed to continue pursuing a wrestling career.
Although working for The Underground was not her main goal, Bordeaux did her job well. In the same Chicago Tribune article, the nightclub's then-general manager Scott Horwitch praised her, stating that she was one of the venue's best servers.
"Professional wrestling and nightclubs don't really cross paths very often, but we knew she would be good because you have to work hard in the ring. She's probably one of our best servers. If she's on the floor and you're in her way, she'll give you a playful armbar so that you move. Last week she showed one of the hosts her signature move and jumped on his back. … We'll sometimes joke, 'Hey, Scarlett, can you go to the women's bathroom and get those hammered girls out of there?'" he said.
In 2014, Bordeaux was a regular competitor in Ring of Honor. She remained with the promotion until 2017.
#6. Scarlett Bordeaux is of Romanian descent and did not speak English until she was four
In May 1991, Scarlett Bordeaux was born in Edgewater, Chicago. However, she was only six months old when her parents sent her to Romania to live with her grandparents as they tried to settle in the United States.
About three and a half years later, The Smokeshow returned to American soil. However, the four-year-old Bordeaux did not speak a word of English. Being a quick learner, the current WWE Superstar picked up the language quickly. By high school, she participated in the choir.
The Smokeshow now holds a degree in musical theater from Columbia College Chicago.
#5. Scarlett Bordeaux trained at Seth Rollins' academy to prepare herself for WWE Tough Enough
Early on in Scarlett Bordeaux's wrestling career, The Smokeshow appeared on WWE television several times as one of Adam Rose's Rosebuds. While the 31-year-old's goal was to become a WWE Superstar, the company told her that she needed more matches under her belt.
In her quest to join the Stamford-based promotion, Bordeaux joined Seth Rollins' wrestling academy, The Black & The Brave, in Moline, Rock Island County, Illinois. Her main goal was to prepare herself to participate in the seventh season of Tough Enough. However, WWE unfortunately never ended up doing a seventh season of the program.
After making a name for herself in other promotions, Bordeaux's dream finally came true in 2019 when she signed a developmental contract with WWE.
#4. Scarlett Bordeaux's marriage plans changed
Scarlett Bordeaux is currently married to WWE Superstar Karrion Kross. However, that was not the plan The Smokeshow had seven years ago.
In her interview with the Chicago Tribune in 2015, Bordeaux stated that she did not see herself getting married before at least 2025.
"I can't see myself getting married and having kids for at least 10 years. I want to travel and meet different people," she said.
Despite this, Bordeaux's plans changed after meeting Kross. In an interview with Instinct Culture by Denise Salcedo, the former NXT Champion disclosed that his now-wife made the first move in their relationship.
"When her and I met, there was a spark and there was a connection (...) It's like there's just the thing in the room when you know two people gravitate towards each other and we were both terrified of it. So we tried to stay away from each other for like a long time actually. It was kind of like her and I were so attracted to each other that it was actually intimidating to the both of us, so we tried to stay away from each other for a while. So, you know, I guess just one time out of many we were just hanging out and yeah, she made a move," Kross said. (0:22 - 1:04)
Kross and Bordeaux announced their engagement in November 2021. The couple tied the knot in a private ceremony in Alaska in April. The Smokeshow had gotten married three years earlier than she thought she would.
#3. Scarlett Bordeaux's incident with a fan
While competing at an AAA event in Mexico in 2019 among a few other then-IMPACT Wrestling stars, Scarlett Bordeaux had an incident with one of the fans in attendance.
During a match, Lady Shani pushed Bordeaux into the guard rail. A fan then grabbed the 31-year-old inappropriately. The current WWE Superstar, however, did not realize what the fan did until she later watched the footage. She then took to Twitter to comment on the incident.
"It is NEVER okay to touch a performer without their consent. I didn't realize what happened until I watched the footage afterwards being so in the moment after a dive with my back turned otherwise I would have reacted much differently. (...) Just a final thought. If you wouldn't want a stranger to grab you on the street, don't do it to a wrestler as they're putting their bodies on the line trying to entertain you. To the few who tried to justify this persons behavior- What I wear is completely irrelevant. Could be a string bikini or a snowsuit, it doesn't matter. My body is mine and you cannot touch me without my permission. Most fans I encounter are respectful, awesome people and I appreciate you," she wrote in a series of tweets.
Bordeaux also did not hold back when a guy on Twitter claimed that the incident was her fault because of how she was dressed.
"Sounds to me like you dont respect women unless they fit YOUR standard of what they should be. If someone finds the way I'm dressed attractive. It doesn’t give them the right to do whatever they want to me. Your lack of self control doesn't mean you can violate whoever you please," she replied to the fan's comment.
Bordeaux's reply received a lot of support from several people. The guy then deleted his tweet.
#2. Scarlett Bordeaux's parents did not allow her to watch wrestling growing up
Although she is now a well-known professional wrestler, Scarlett Bordeaux was not a fan of the business growing up. She did not even start watching wrestling shows live or on television until she was a high school senior.
In an IMPACT Wrestling teleconference, the current WWE Superstar disclosed that her parents did not allow her to watch wrestling shows when she was a child. Instead, they let her practice figure skating, choir, horseback riding, and rock climbing.
The 31-year-old confessed that not watching wrestling during her childhood affected her during her early days in the business.
"Being new to wrestling and not watching it as a kid was really hard for me. I had to learn everything from scratch. Eventually I caught on," she said. [H/T: Windy City Slam]
In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, The Smokeshow revealed that her mother was initially not a fan of her entering the wrestling business.
#1. Scarlett Bordeaux's inappropriate request to her fans
Canadian YouTube personality Alicia Atout and Scarlett Bordeaux have a close relationship. The two worked together in IMPACT Wrestling and usually referred to themselves as "frenemies."
While talking about fashion during an interview with Atout, Bordeaux disclosed that she prefers tight clothes that show off a person's figure.
"I like showing off the figure. Whether it's guy, girl, especially the guy like a nice like fitted bu**, yeah," she said. (9:10 - 9:18)
The Smokeshow then jokingly made an inappropriate request to her fans. Seconds later, she admitted that she would regret making that request.
"If you don't follow me already do that (...) send bu** pictures, thanks. [winks]... Oh God I'm gonna regret saying that. [laughs]" she said. (9:55 - 10:15)
The newly-returned WWE Superstar then revealed that she used to receive intimate photos from some fans on Instagram when she traveled outside the United States.
