At just 46 years of age, Joanie “Chyna” Laurer is the latest ex-WWE star found dead prematurely. Laurer, who was discovered lifeless in her Redondo Beach apartment Thursday, served as a trailblazer for women in the realm of sports entertainment.

As the iconic muscle-clad vixen “Chyna,” Laurer shattered several of professional wrestling’s long-held gender barriers. While becoming the first female to hold the coveted Intercontinental Championship in 2000, the “9th Wonder of The World” opened a new avenue for female competitors on sports-entertainment’s biggest stage.

Laurer’s official cause of death has yet to be determined, though responding officers initially reported the former WWE diva may have suffered a possible drug overdose. With her untimely demise, Joanie Laurer joins an enumerated list of former sports-entertainment performers aged 60 or younger who have passed in recent years.

[Photo by Star Max/ AP Images]

Regarding Laurer’s death, the WWE released this statement:

“WWE is saddened to learn of reports that Joanie Laurer, best known for competing in WWE as Chyna, has passed away. A physically striking and wildly talented performer, Chyna was a true sports-entertainment pioneer. Not only did the Superstar dubbed ‘The Ninth Wonder of the World’ help found the groundbreaking faction D-Generation X, but she also holds the distinction of being the first and only female to win the Intercontinental Championship. WWE extends its condolences to Laurer’s family, friends and fans.”

In addition to these sterling accolades, Laurer will be remembered for her reality-television appearances, best-selling autobiography, and as being named Playboy’s cover model twice. Laurer’s passing again raises vexing concerns pertaining to post-retirement physical and mental health issues suffered by former sports-entertainment competitors, a startling number of which are now deceased.

World Wrestling Entertainment’s official media response concerning these numerous fatalities is as follows:

“Unfortunately, some past performers were part of a generation of wrestlers who made unhealthy and poor personal lifestyle choices, which in some cases continued beyond their years in the ring. Today’s athletes take great pride and personal responsibility for their overall health and well-being. Notwithstanding, WWE talent are subject to random drug testing and expected to live healthy lifestyles, reinforced through our Talent Wellness Program, which was instituted in 2006.”

The WWE’s Talent Wellness Program was implemented following the untimely deaths of top former performers including: Eddie Guerrero, Curt Hennig, British Bulldog, Chris Candido, Public Enemy, Miss Elizabeth, and Rick Rude, to name a few. More recent deaths of former sports-entertainment talent include: The Ultimate Warrior, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Chris Benoit, and now Joanie “Chyna” Laurer.

Sadly, the above list only reveals a fraction of ex performers who met an early demise. While some of the onus for this sad epidemic can be attributed to poor lifestyle choices, not all can be. Many have postulated that traumatic brain injury from repeated jolts to the head cause a portion of the deaths involving depression, drug use, and suicide.

[Photo by MediaPunch Standard/ AP Images

Perhaps the most graphic example of the head-trauma theory is found in Chris Benoit’s tragic 2007 double murder/suicide. Until the fateful night of June 24, 2007, Benoit had by all accounts been a model employee and devout family man. In the wake of Benoit’s heinous acts, repeated blows to the head, leading to scientifically-proven postmortem brain injury, combined with rampant steroid use, were included as perhaps playing a role in his brutal final actions.

While the autopsy report of Joanie Laurer has yet to be revealed, the wrestling community and world mourn the loss of yet another ex-WWE star to be found dead.

[Photo by MediaPunch Standard/ AP Images]