Melanie Cruise

Dec 25, 2019 - by Jamie Cruickshank

Real Name: Melanie Goranson
Height: 6’0
Weight: 161 lbs.
Date of Birth: January 7, 1986
From: Elk Grove Village, Illinois
Resides: Chicago, Illinois
Pro Debut: July 7, 2007
Trained By: Jimmy Blaze
Finishing Move: Cruise Control

Biography

– Goranson trained under Jimmy Blaze at POWW and would work exclusively for that promotion for the early part of her career
– Cruise worked a dark match at SHIMMER 21, defeating Cherry Bomb. She would become a regular for the promotion beginning in 2009
– Cruise wrestled a dark match prior to the April 20, 2011 episode of TNA Impact, losing to Sarita
– On November 25, 2011, Cruise won an 8-Woman Gauntlet Battle Royal to become the first RPW Womens Champion
– On January 13, 2012, Cruise defeated Serenity to retain the RPW Womens Title
– On February 17, Cruise defeated Sassy Stephie to retain the RPW Womens Title
– On May 11, Cruise defeated Sassy Stephie, Serenity, Shelly Martinez, Taylor Made & Nikki St John in an Elimination Match to retain the RPW Womens Title
– On June 15, Cruise defeated Angelina Love to retain the RPW Womens Title
– On September 14, the RPW Womens Title was vacated following a dusty finish in a mixed tag team match
– On October 20, Cruise fought Nikki St John to a double DQ, with the RPW Womens Title remaining vacant
– On November 30, Cruise defeated Nikki St John in an I Quit Match to regain the RPW Womens Title
– On February 16, 2013, Cruise defeated Stacy Shadows to win the BCW Womens Title
– On January 26, 2014, Cruise defeated PWB No Limits Champion Matty Starr by countout
– On March 16, Cruise defeated Anthony Antonelli, Jason Parks, Matt Dewar & The Masked Stretcher to win the SSW Lightning Division Title
– On May 25, Cruise fought Grin to a no-contest to retain the SSW Lightning Division Title
– In August 2014, Cruise travelled to Japan to work a tour with the WAVE promotion
– On November 21, Cruise defeated Mickie Knuckles to win the vacant AIWF Womens Title
– On December 16, Cruise defeated Dana to win the vacant GLCW Ladies Title
– On December 28, Cruise defeated Jason Parks to retain the SSW Lightning Division Title
– On February 28, 2015, Cruise defeated Marshe Rockett to retain the PWB Heavyweight Title
– On March 15, Cruise defeated Selene Grey to retain the SSW Lightning Division Title
– On July 25, Cruise defeated Angel Armoni to retain the GLCW Ladies Title
– On December 5, Cruise defeated Katie Forbes to retain the GLCW Ladies Title
– In May 2018, Cruise debuted her new ‘Raven’s Ash’ character for the SHINE promotion
– At RISE 9, Paradise Lost (Raven’s Ash & Dust) defeated Fire & Nice (Britt Baker & Chelsea Green), The Blue Nation (Charli Evans & Jessica Troy) and Kylie Rae & Miranda Alize to become the first Guardians of RISE Champions
– On July 8, Paradise Lost defeated The Twisted Sisters (Thunder Rosa & Holidead) and Bones Of Contention (Ray Lyn & Karen Q) to retain the Guardians of RISE Titles
– On October 19, Paradise Lost defeated Balls Of Doom (Shotzi Blackheart & Delilah Doom) to retain the Guardians of RISE Titles
– On January 19, 2019, Paradise Lost fought The Killer Death Machines (Jessicka Havok & Nevaeh) to a double countout to retain the Guardians of RISE Titles
– On February 16, Maidens Of Iron (Cruise & Stacy Shadows) defeated The Curse (Shawn Priest & Tylor Sullivan) to win the vacant BCW Tag Team Titles
– On March 22, Maidens Of Iron defeated The Curse by DQ to retain the BCW Tag Team Titles
– On April 13, Maidens Of Iron again defeated The Curse to retain the BCW Tag Team Titles
– On May 19, Cruise defeated Tylor Sullivan to win the ICW Midwest Title
– On June 9, Cruise defeated Jarrod Jaxx to retain the ICW Midwest Title
– Cruise debuted for AEW as simply ‘Mel’ on December 4, 2019, aligning herself with Brandi Rhodes and The Nightmare Collective
– The Nightmare Collective was infamously rejected by fans and was dropped by AEW in February 2020, with Mel disappearing from television. In fact, Mel would only wrestle twice more for AEW beyond this time
– On July 11, 2020, Cruise defeated Trent Daniels & Marni Gras with Priscilla Kelly as special guest referee to win the CCW Womens Title
– In August 2021, Mel’s AEW contract expired and was not renewed. Cruise entered semi-retirement at this point, competing only two or three times per year thereafter

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