![2007 WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross [Image Credit: wwe.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/10/0a237-17299630424956-1920.jpg)
![2007 WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross [Image Credit: wwe.com]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%205.625'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAqNND/8QAHhAAAQQCAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgEDBAUABwYRIaL/2gAIAQEAAT8A2DZSqfc3AKOKDBRZ4h2Rj6Km8QO/GOUjaOEiF53n/8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/aAAgBAgEBPwB//8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/aAAgBAwEBPwB//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Jim Ross was responsible for assembling WWE's talent roster in the late 1990s. In a recent podcast episode, the legendary commentator recalled how the company turned down the opportunity to hire Kimona Wanalaya.
Wanalaya, real name Kristina Laum, made her name in ECW in 1996 as Raven's valet. In 1999, she made her WCW debut under the name Leia Meow amid speculation WWE wanted to sign her.
On his Grilling JR podcast, Ross said WWE considered Wanalaya but higher-ups were concerned about her lack of in-ring ability:
"She was on a shortlist of talents that we were looking at. To this very day, here in 2024, I don't know that she can wrestle. She's sexy, she looked great, exotic look and all those things. But, still, at the end of the day, to this very day, don't know and understand how advanced her wrestling skills were, so that was an issue." [1:12:33 – 1:13:04]
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Wanalaya also appeared in Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW) and the X Wrestling Federation (XWF) during her six-year stint in the wrestling business.
Jim Ross addresses Kimona Wanalaya to WWE rumor
In 1999, former WWE announcer Kevin Kelly reported on internet show Byte This that Kimona Wanalaya had been spotted at the company's headquarters.
More than two decades on, Jim Ross is unsure whether Kelly was trying to create a buzz or if Wanalaya really held talks with WWE:
"I never met with her in an official capacity or any other capacity that I can recall about bringing her in. I don't know where Kevin Kelly got his information, I'm assuming he got it from her, or just trying to do the right thing, help her out, but he may have misspoke on that one." [1:13:05 – 1:13:25]
In the same episode, Ross addressed Bill Goldberg's real-life fight with an AEW star.
Do you have any memories of Kimona Wanalaya in the wrestling industry? Hit the discuss button and let us know.
Please credit Grilling JR and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use Jim Ross' quotes from this article.
