Melissa Coates, who was a former bodybuilder and spent several years working in OVW and Deep South Wrestling, has passed away.
The news of her death was reported by the Cauliflower Alley Club, although no cause was stated.
Everyone here at the CAC is deeply saddened to hear the news that Super Genie Melissa Coates has passed away. We send out our sincerest condolences to her family, friends and fans. May they find comfort in the memories left behind during this most difficult time. R.I.P. Melissa. pic.twitter.com/mD77rvsFyO
— CauliflowerAlleyClub (@CACReunion) June 24, 2021
Coates had undergone significant health issues over the past year after enduring significant pain in her left leg and was admitted to the hospital. After learning that the arteries to supply blood to the leg were being stopped by blood clots, they ultimately had to perform a knee amputation of her left leg.
Coates was a native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, and was the youngest of four children with brothers JR and David, and a sister named Mary Beth.
Coates started competing professionally in bodybuilding in 1995 after doing contests throughout the province of Ontario for several years. She eventually appeared at Ms. Olympia and Ms. International events that got her coverage in various magazines including Muscle & Fitness, MuscleMag International, and Flex.
She transitioned to professional wrestling and trained under Walter “Killer” Kowalski as well as UPW’s school in Southern California.
She began training at Ohio Valley Wrestling during the era when OVW had a relationship with the WWE. Her roles at OVW included managing The Tolands, Tank and Chad, and later serving as a bodyguard for Jillian Hall. From there, she relocated to Atlanta and worked at Deep South Wrestling, which was also a WWE developmental territory working as ‘The Bag Lady’ and managed The Freakin’ Deacon a.k.a. Doc Gallows (Drew Hankinson).
She made an appearance at the WWE Backlash pay-per-view in May 2005 during Chris Masters’ Master Lock Challenge. Coates played a fan in the crowd that attempted to break the Master Lock and failed to do so.
Coates gained some fame appearing on the first season of ‘Extreme Dodgeball’ as part of the Barbell Mafia team that aired on the Game Show Network. The series ran for three seasons from June 2004 to November 2005.
Coates bounced around the independent scene throughout the rest of her career. In 2014, she became ‘The Super Genie’ and served as the traveling valet with Sabu.
Coates had just turned 50 this past Friday.
We send our condolences to the friends and family of Melissa Coates.
