Wrestling videos of Diane Von Hoffman, professional women wrestler in the LPWA

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: varies from 165 lbs. to 185 lbs.
Trained by: Lillian Ellison, AKA the Fabulous Moolah, and Patricia Karisma-Schroeder, AKA Leilani Kai
First Tour: Columbia, S.C. to Madison Square Gardens and Boston Gardens, in 1981 with Fabulous Moolah
International Debut: Japan 1981 with Leilani Kai
Gimmicks: Diane Von Hoffman, German Nazi, and Moondog Fifi (crazy sister of the Moondogs)
Wrestling Style: Aggressive
Titles: USWA - 1992, All Japan Women's Tag Team with Leilani Kai - 1981, and MWA champion - 1986 to 1988
Record: More than 100 wins
Favorite Holds: Cross-faced Chicken Wing, Sleeper, German Suplex

Background

Diane Von Hoffman has lived her childhood dream. She began watching professional wrestling with her father when she was only eight years old. She remembers being impressed by the acrobatic skills of the athletes on television and the way they seemed to absorb pain without stopping. According to the blue eyed blonde, her brothers used her as a training partner when they were on their high school and college wrestling teams and she soon realized that she had the strength, stamina, and talent to become a professional wrestler. As a teenager, this ambition was reinforced when she started going to Georgetown to train at a local arena on Sunday afternoons. Diane decided she wanted to train with the Fabulous Moolah and wrote to her heroine requesting a position as her student. When she received a reply that she would need to move to South Carolina, she dropped out of beauty school and left home, at 17, in spite of her mother’s disapproval. Training with Moolah was intense and she worked out three times a day plus working the late shift at an IHOP to pay the bills.

Career

After a two month tour of Japan, Diane spent two months in El Salvador as Jimmy Hart’s partner in matches against Joyce Grable. Back in the states, she partnered with Ringo Mercanerio against Grable and Viking among others. She spent time in Canada with the Bear Man, Dave McKingney and George Cannon. Diane has also toured with Bobo Brazil, George the Animal Steele, and the original Shiek, Ed Farhat. Diane spent some time in the Ladies Professional Wrestling Association (LPWA) as well. She competed mostly in singles matches and wrestled the likes of Terri Power and Reggie Bennett. In 1984, she toured the Philippines and returned briefly to Japan. Diane has wrestled all across the states against some of the biggest names in the business, but she says her toughest opponent was Yokata Reme of Japan who defeated her in a title match.

Injuries

Over the years, Diane has had a number of ring injuries, including severe neck damage and a torn ACL in her knee. However, her most difficult recovery was due to an automobile accident in 1994. After several surgeries and extended therapy, she was just getting back on her feet when she was involved in a second accident and re-injured. Slowed down, but not defeated, she continued to fight her own limitations and finally re-entered the ring during Moolah's Ladies International Wrestling Association championships at Las Vegas in June of 1999.

Personal

Diane has been married twice and has two daughters. She loves dogs and owns three that are like extra children. When she is not on tour, she likes being outdoors and enjoys camping, boating, and swimming.

Future

This indomitable lady returned to the road and continued to work toward new goals. She currently has plans to go to Germany in 2011 for the DWA (Deutsche Wrestling Allianz) America tour. Diane has said she is very excited about this tour. Her grandmother was from Germany and Diane has always wanted to go there. As of now, Diane Von Hoffman plans to retire in 2011 after one last stateside tour with the Slammin' Ladies.