Throwback Thursday: Tough Enough Throwback – Nidia

Columns, Top Story

With the official announcement of Tough Enough returning to the USA Network on June 23, 2015 I think it’s to to go back a bit for myself, to my first article here on Inside Pulse, and begin recapping some of the winners, runners-up and seasons of Tough Enough from years past.

We’ve talked about my favorite from Season 1, Josh Mathews, and the male winner, Maven, now it’s time to pull back into the limelight Nidia Guernard, the first female to win Tough Enough.

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Let’s face it, Nidia was fun. She was loud, funny and had a tongue piercing. Translation? Everything my parents would hate for me to turn into (okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, maybe my parents only feared the tongue piercing). Early on she was a favorite of mine in this competition, Taylor and Paulina were my two other girls to cheer but in the end Nidia worked hard and earned her contract.

After Tough Enough Nidia went to OVW for developmental training and later debuted on Smackdown in June 2002.

Nidia would enter the WWE world and a heel valet, helping her on-screen boyfriend Jamie Noble (yes, Jamie Noble from J&J Security) win several matched by interfering, distracting the referee, etc.  The pair were given a “trailer trash” gimmick which basically meant Nidia was portrayed to be somewhat “loose” and Noble was portrayed as dumb and stubborn.

This on-screen romance continued, with Nidia eventually being injured by Tajiri’s “Black Mist” that “blinded” her. While blind and at ringside for Jamie Noble’s matches Jamie Noble used Nidia as a human shield on many occasions. Later in this storyline, Rey Mysterio told Nidia the truth, that Noble was using her as a shield and mistreating her. This lead to Nidia turning face and entering into a feud with her former flame, a feud which culminated in a match at No Way Out. In this match Jamie Noble was supposed to wear a blindfold but he removed it during the match in order to help him win.

Nidia was drafted to Raw where her Spanish background was used as part of her storyline, she spoke Spanish in promos and tag-teamed with other face Divas until her release in 2004.

After her release Nidia worked several wrestling matches  including versus Gail Kim for Mexico’s Toryumon and for Australia’s World Series Wrestling. She also worked for TNA and Northeast Wrestling for small periods of time.

After leaving wrestling behind Nidia gave birth to a baby girl and began studying the culinary arts and working in the culinary industry.

I was disappointed to see her career be so short, especially after winning Tough Enough. However, not everyone can be a stand-out star and sometimes, despite having a love for the business and a desire to compete, the business isn’t for everyone. Sometimes I miss the wacky Nidia on screen and sometimes I wonder if she would survive in the current Diva’s division. There is no way of knowing but there is one thing no one can take away from Nidia Guernard, she was the first female winner of Tough Enough.

A nerd all around and a huge wrestling fan for over half of my life. Just your average book worm, fan girl, and wrestling enthusiast. Unintentionally I apparently copy CM Punk with my straight edge lifestyle (ahem, I was straight edge before I saw him on a TV screen but I digress...) but that's okay because, love him or hate him, you will remember him. Brand new to this website, hopefully I don't disappoint!