Kristal Marshall (born November 10, 1983 in Los Angeles, California) is an African-American model, beauty queen, and retired professional wrestler and WWE Diva. She is best known for her time in World Wrestling Entertainment on its Smackdown! brand as Kristal (Marshall) and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) as Kristal Lashley. She also gained fame in the game show world for her brief stints as a Barker's Beauty on The Price is Right and a Briefcase Model on the NBC game show Deal or No Deal.
Prior to her working for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Kristal first gained fame as a competitor in the 2004 Miss California pageant. From there, she moved on to modeling in the game show arena. She first ran a ten-episode stint as a Barker's Beauty on The Price is Right in March 2005 and later that December, she was one of the 26 Briefcase Models on the new NBC game show Deal or No Deal during its Premiere Week only (December 19-23, 2005) where she stood beside Briefcase #5.
After her stints as a model on The Price is Right and Deal or No Deal, Marshall went on to the field she would become most recognized for. She first entered WWE as a contestant in the 2005 Raw Diva Search, in which she eventually finished in fourth place and despite not winning the Diva Search contract, Kristal was signed to a development deal soon after the contest finished and sent to Deep South Wrestling, WWE newest "farm territory" at that time. In December 2005, she joined the SmackDown! roster as a backstage correspondent, interviewing the brand's superstars during the shows.
Her first actual feud on the brand came against the heel run of Jillian Hall. Marshall defeated Hall in debut match—a "Divas Uncovered" match—on the March 10, 2006 SmackDown! Kristal was defeated by Jillian Hall but was later confronted by Michelle McCool. When Diva Search winner Ashley Massaro joined the SmackDown! brand, Marshall was turned heel and put into an angle where she was jealous of Massaro's Diva Search win. She aligned herself with Michelle McCool as the two got into a feud with Massaro and then-babyface, Jillian Hall, leading to a Fatal Four-Way Bra and Panties match at The Great American Bash, during which Marshall was legitimately injured, even though she did not miss any time.
In September, the next years Diva Search winner, then-babyface, Layla El, arrived on the brand, and Marshall was put into a feud with her. This one, Marshall aligned herself with Mike "The Miz" Mizanin against Layla and the Boogeyman.
Kristal has some championships and accomplishments under her belt: Fitness Universe Ms. Bikini America (Medium Class; 2008), NPC Arnold Amateur Championships 2nd Place (Short Class; 2009) and NPC USA Bodybuilding & Figure Championships 1st Place (Class C & Overall; 2009)
On October 18, 2009, at Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's Bound for Glory Marshall, dubbed as Kristal Lashley, debuted as a member of the crowd cheering on her kayfabe husband Bobby Lashley during his match with Samoa Joe. She then started an angle with Scott Steiner where Steiner kept harassing her in the crowd during his and Lashley's matches.
On the November 5 edition of TNA Impact! Kristal accompanied Lashley to the ring but was sent backstage by the referee where Steiner would try to kidnap her but would get stopped by Lashley. Making her national TNA in-ring debut on the December 12 edition of Impact! teaming with Lashley in a losing effort against Steiner and Awesome Kong in a mixed tag team match. On the January 4, 2010, Monday night edition of Impact! Bobby and Kristal Lashley requested for their kayfabe immediate release from TNA Wrestling, turning heel in the process. Though this storyline did not last as Bobby Lashley was released from TNA in February to focus more on his MMA career.
Outside the WWE ring, Kristal has done other television appearances relating to wrestling as well as other media outlets. She appeared in an episode of Hulk Hogan's Hogan Knows Best as well as a 2008 episode of Project Runway alongside fellow wrestlers Maria, Candice Michelle, Torrie Wilson, Layla, and Michelle McCool.
In June 2007, Marshall posed for her first magazine cover, the September issue of African Americans on Wheels and she has also appeared in music videos for rappers 50 Cent and Ma$e and has done commercials for The Best Damn Sports Show Period.
Kristal previously dated Bobby Lashley and together they have a son named Myles (born in July 2008). They went their separate ways in April 2010 as Kristal confirmed their split via Twitter.
Today, Kristal and her son currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia.
Cases[]
- Case 5 - Season 1 (Premiere Week)
Kristal on "The Price is Right"[]
Kristal on "Deal or No Deal"[]
