Laurel Van Ness is a professional wrestler best known for competing in Impact Wrestling, where she portrayed a villainess.
Debut (2016-2017)[]
Laurel debuted for Impact on the September 15, 2016 episode of Impact Wrestling; introduced by Maria Kanellis as Allie's replacement in the #1 Contender's Gauntlet Match. During the match, Laurel formed an alliance with not only Maria, but with Sienna, and later eliminated Madison Rayne and Marti Bell before she was eliminated herself by Gail Kim. Laurel later began an on-screen relationship with Braxton Sutter, with Maria planning to marry the pair to torment both Braxton and Allie. During the wedding in February 2017, Laurel was dumped by Braxton, who professed his love for Allie.
Shortly after being left at the altar, Laurel became deranged and psychotic; spending months wearing the dress from the wedding and obsessing over being dumped. She even competed (and won) in the dress in several matches, and formed an alliance with Kongo Kong against Braxton and Allie. Laurel later became the object of pursuit from Grado, who needed to marry a citizen to stay in the US, only for Kongo Kong to thwart his attempts. On the August 24, 2017 edition of Impact, Laurel (now back to normal) proposed to Grado in the ring, with Grado accepting.
Heel Turn; Knockouts Champion (2017-2018)[]
Laurel turning into a psychotic villainess
However, after learning that Laurel was Canadian, Grado decided to call off the wedding. Laurel was informed by Grado that the wedding was off on the September 7 Impact, while claiming to be fine and OK with their relationship ending. In actuality, Laurel began turning heel again when she was shown transitioning into her psychotic persona, and in the weeks that followed, she kept appearing in the crowd in search for a husband; donning smeared lipstick on her face. At Bound For Glory on November 5, Laurel turned heel and attacked Grado during his Monster's Ball match against Abyss, doing so out of revenge. After the attack, the evil Laurel took possession of Abyss' signature weapon, "Janice," with intent on using it on Grado, only for Rosemary to appear and spray her mist at the crazed villainess.
Laurel entered the Knockouts Championship tournament on November 30, defeating Madison Rayne and KC Spinelli in a three way match to advance to the finals. In the tournament final, Laurel defeated Rosemary to capture the vacant Knockouts Championship. She then resumed her past feud with Allie, which included a successful title defense after Laurel struck Allie with the championship belt. Laurel lost the title to Allie in a rematch in March of 2018.
Gallery[]
