04/26/06 Internet News - ECW To Return With The "Queen Of Extreme"
WWE has made the decision to bring back Extreme Championship Wrestling as a full time entity and has begun talking with former ECW talent about returning to work for the new version of the legendary promotion. As of right now, WWE is targeting a September return for the promotion. No decision has been made as to exactly how the company will be brought back yet. It's possible that it will take over the present OVW territory, that it will be a promotion that gets matches on the Raw and/or Smackdown promotions or possibly in some other manner. Sources have told us that Paul Heyman and Tommy Dreamer will be booking ECW when it starts up.
WWE has already contacted a number of ECW wrestlers and contracts will be sent out to them this week. The talents are being offered three year deals which consist of a series of one year contracts, with rollover clauses. A number of wrestlers have been contacts so far. We can confirm that WWE has talked with The Sandman, Francine and Balls Mahoney and will be sending contracts out to them this week. PWinsider.com
06/09/06 Internet News - Confirmation of ECW PPV Talent To Appear
Alongside the talent scheduled for a match at Sunday’s ECW One Night Stand PPV, the following ECW talent is confirmed to be appearing at the event: Jazz and Francine Rajah.com
06/20/06 Internet News
Both Axl Rotten and Francine’s pictures and biographies have been removed from the official ECW wrestler page. While we know Axl Rotten was probably released for the no-show that he pulled last week, it is unknown what exactly is going on with Francine. Rajah.com
07/05/06 Internet News - Francine To Take On Kelly
House show lineups for upcoming ECW house shows have been posted on WWE.com. There are some interesting names coming out of these lineups. Francine is scheduled to take on Kelly in several Extreme Vixen Body Contests. PowerWrestling.com
07/26/06 Internet News - Francine Trying To Get Into Shape?
On eBay, Francine recently bid and won a piece of fitness equipment to improve the appearance of her butt and thighs. The device she purchased is called a "Thane Bun & Thigh Isolator." Even though she has yet to appear on television, Francine has been appearing on ECW house shows as of late - usually in a bikini contest against Kelly Kelly. In several fan reports, Kelly Kelly has been getting rave reviews regarding her physique. On the other hand, Francine has been ripped in several reports - usually about how her butt and thighs looked flabby and out of shape. It is unknown if WWE pressured her to get into better shape or if she did this for herself. PowerWrestling.com
09/26/06 Tuesday ECW On SciFi - Tulsa, Oklahoma - Francine vs. Ariel - Extreme Cat Fight
Ariel got on the mic and said she read Francine's tarot card, and that she'll be "fat, ugly, and pregnant" and dreaming of being with Kevin Thorn. Francine attacked Ariel and ripped off her top, then hiptossed her and began ramming her head into the mat. Thron interfered and grabbed Francine so Ariel could get some shots in. Balls Mahoney ran out and hit Thorn in the gut with a chair, then cracked him across the head with it. Thorn and Ariel retreated while Balls and Francine challenged them to return to the ring. PowerWrestling.com
09/29/06 Internet News - Francine WWE.com Interview
Francine sounds off about Ariel in an interview conducted by WWE.com Rajah.com WWE.com
10/12/06 Internet News - Francine Fired
As reported earlier, the inevitable finally occured as WWE released "ECW Original" Francine Fournier, 34, from her contract this afternoon. She was basically let go because Vince McMahon just didn't like "her look." Also, fellow ECW Vixen Trinity's recent return to action from a severe knee injury ultimately sealed her fate.
Francine had been used sparingly on television since the ECW brand's startup back in June. She often appeared at house shows in bikini contests to put over fellow ECW Vixen Kelly Kelly. Sans a five second cameo appearance on the 8/1 ECW on Sci Fi show, Francine was left off television until September when WWE finally found her a role as the valet of Balls Mahoney. Mahoney had engaged in a feud with Kevin Thorn, and thus she was used to combat his valet Ariel, who had been interfering in his matches. It appeared as though that Francine had finally secured a permanent role with the company as she was starting to appear on television regularly, not to mention that ECW.com had posted up two articles in which she was heavily put over by her fellow peers which made it seem as if she was in line for a push. A slew of pictures from a recent photoshoot were posted up as well. Also, the articles and ECW show previews pushed her feud with Ariel and thus it appeared as though that this would be a long-term feud. However, without warning, the feud between the four individuals was dropped for some unknown reason. Francine last appeared on the 9/26 edition of ECW in an "Extreme Cat Fight" with Ariel and she was left off television the preceding three weeks in which she was available to appear.
Behind the scenes, Vince McMahon was said to have not been a fan of Francine. The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported back in August that upon seeing her in person backstage for the first time, McMahon went up to Johnny Ace and asked him as to who would hire someone that "looked like that." It is believed that Tommy Dreamer was the person who hired her when he was looking to sign some "ECW Originals" back in May for the startup project. Anyways, McMahon believed that Francine wasn't up to par with the daunting "WWE Diva" looks standard when it comes to beauty. She was said to have been on thin ice from that point on (well actually since the day she was first hired) and dubbed as the person most likely to be let go. It was largely believed that she'd be let go soon after her bikini contest program with Kelly Kelly on the house show circuit ran its course.
Francine's saving grace for a short while was that it was believed that she could make the 19-year-old Kelly Kelly look good in comparison to her during bikini contests so that she could get over with the fans. Regardless of what people thought of her, Kelly Kelly often received rave reviews regarding her physique. On the other hand, Francine received quite a few negative reviews from people that had seen her firsthand during the bikini contests at ECW house shows, at least initially. It wasn't so much that Francine was totally out of shape, but many fans in attendance would specifically take aim at how flabby and unappealing her butt looked in the revealing thongs she would sport. Francine was aware of this problem too as it was later revealed that she had purchased a piece of fitness equipment to improve the appearance of her butt and thighs off of eBay in July.
Lastly, Francine has removed all mentions and blogs concerning the WWE's ECW venture off of her MySpace page. Rajah.com WrestlingObserver.com
WebMaster's Note: We didn't think this was a "marriage made in heaven" to begin with and we were wondering how long it would last.
10/23/06 Internet News
As reported earlier, the inevitable finally occurred on October 12, 2006 when WWE released Francine Fournier, 34, from her contract. Internally, the move had been largely expected since the day she was first hired back in May.
Vince McMahon actually planned on letting her go as early as June after he saw her in person for the first time backstage. He wanted to let her go because he didn't like her look and he didn't believe that she was of "WWE Diva" caliber. However, people convinced McMahon to keep her on the payroll because they needed someone to lose to Kelly Kelly in the bikini contests held at ECW house shows, not to mention to make the 19-year-old blonde model look good in comparison. Perhaps her saving grace for a short while was that Trinity was on the injured list throughout the entire summer and they didn't have anyone else to use. WWE seemed to be building for her to have a permanent spot on the roster by linking her with Balls Mahoney in a feud with Kevin Thorn and Ariel, but her participation in the angle was dropped after two weeks.
After Francine was let go, the story on her backstage was that she had a bad attitude and carried herself like Sunny or Sable did back in the day. Also, she would call the office with weird demands such as wanting to be reimbursed for her tanning sessions. Whatever the case may be, the people in charge didn't like her look, and as noted before, she was doomed from the start. Rajah.com
10/27/06 Internet News
The recently released Francine Fournier finally broke her silence by posting the following message on her MySpace page. It appears as though that she'll go back to appearing on indy shows again as she has taken some bookings for December. In the meantime, she'll be taking some time off due to the standard 90-day no-compete clause.
I really love you all!!!
Just wanted to say "thanks" for all the wonderful comments you have left me. Just know that I am fine and very happy with the way things worked out. I'm taking some time off but I did take some bookings for the month of December so when I get more info on them, I will post it here!
Hope all of you are having a good week so far. Love you all and thanks again for all of your support! You all rock!!!
Francine xoxo
Rajah.com
11/03/06 Internet News - Francine Dispels Some Rumors
Posted on Francines MySpace.com page was her view on some of the rumors that have been going around the internet about her dismissal from the WWE.
I wasn't even going to point these out but so many of you are asking about it. There have been plenty of RUMORS as to why I no longer work for WWE. Here are a few of them:
"Apparently Francine was asked to do pre-show training with agents Steve Keirn and Fit Finlay and she wanted no part of it."
This couldn't be futher from the truth. I was NEVER asked to do any training while I was there. If something needed to be done, I would of did it because I am a team player. Also, I never really got to know Fit. I would shake his hand and say hello, but that's it. I do respect him for all he has done, especially with the women. I just never had a chance to work with him. Steve on the other hand was very helpful to me. We would discuss the angles and what they wanted from me. But neither of them asked me to train, ever. So no, this isn't true.
"Francine was released because of her poor backstage attitude and because she wanted to be reinbursed for her tanning appointments"
This one cracks me up. I was told that I had a great attitude backstage because I was so patient and because I didn't complain about not being used. As for asking about being reinbursed, I NEVER asked for anything to be taking care of. I knew that wasn't part of the deal, so why would I ask for it? Another false rumor.
Why some wrestling websites post false stories is beyond me. Nine times out of ten you are all reading something that isn't true. Ah, freedom of speech. Sometimes it good, sometimes it's just untrue.
I want you all to know that I am the happiest I've ever been now. I can't say how much longer I will be involved in wrestling, but whatever I decide, I will be sure to post it here first. Love you all :)
Francine
WebMaster's Note: Although we have reported the very same "rumors" we feel we have done a "fair and balanced" job by reporting the comments Francine has also made. Also please view the message that Missy Hyatt posted on her web site regarding Francine.
11/09/06 Internet News - Francine Retirement Message
On her MySpace.com page earlier today, Francine Fournier announced that she was retiring from professional wrestling once she fulfills her existing dates through the end of the year. Francine's reasons for retiring are that she wants to have a normal life and a family. Here is her retirement message:
Time to call it quits...
Hey all. I am typing this with a heavy heart right now. I have made the decision to "retire" from the wrestling business. It has been a sometimes great, sometimes not-so-great 13 years, but I think it is now time to move on with my life. I have not accepted any bookings after December. Now, there is a chance, (be it a small chance) that I might work on a show in the future, but I will not be doing this for a living anymore. If I do decide to work, it will only be a select numbers of shows, mainly just to catch up with good friends. But that might not even happen. I want to have a family and a normal homelife. One without the stress and hassle of what is known as the wrestling business. Believe me, I will miss performing for all of you. This was my life for over a decade, as it's going to be hard to stay away. But I feel it is time to move on and pass the torch to the "newer divas' lol.
There are too many people to thank individually, so I am going to just say "THANK YOU" to each person that I have worked with along the way. And a huge 'THANK YOU" to all of you for making me what I am today. I said it before and I'll say it again, without you guys and girls, there would be no me. I LOVE YOU ALL!!! Thank you for booing me when I was the trashy heel and cheering me when I was the sweet babyface. And thank you for not only caring about Francine the performer, but also caring about Francine the person. You will all remain in my heart forever! Take care and God Bless!
Francine xoxo
Rajah.com
