Cheerleader Melissa
| Cheerleader Melissa | |
|---|---|
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Anderson in August 2014
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| Birth name | Melissa Anderson |
| Born |
August 17, 1982 Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Residence | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Website | Website |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) |
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| Billed height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Billed weight | 142 lb (64 kg; 10.1 st) |
| Billed from | |
| Trained by |
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| Debut | August 17, 1999 |
Melissa Anderson (born August 17, 1982) is an American professional wrestler, better known by her ring name Cheerleader Melissa. She is best known for her work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where she worked as Alissa Flash and Raisha Saeed. She is currently performing on the independent circuit for promotions such as Pro Wrestling Revolution and Shimmer Women Athletes, where she is a former two-time Shimmer Champion. In 2013, Anderson was ranked #1 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated's annual Top 50 Females list.
Anderson's father wrestled professionally in the early 1980s. Growing up she became a fan of her father's work and also showed her own flair for sports, particularly soccer, as well as joining Palmdale High School's athletics and amateur wrestling team as one of only four girls. While only 15, she had already become involved in the wrestling business, traveling to San Bernardino frequently to train in and work for the wrestling school of Billy Anderson, her father's former tag team partner, as well as involving herself in the running of things and before long she made her debut front of stage. Despite touring so young, Anderson still studied and gained her high school diploma largely through the help of e-mailing teachers; she also credits the internet for helping her become famous while only wrestling in front of small crowds.
While training at Billy Anderson's school, she met the Ballard Brothers (Shannon and Shane) who were using the gimmick of hockey players, similar to the Hanson Brothers from the film Slap Shot. They were looking for a valet and due to their sporting gimmick, Anderson took on the role of a heel and the gimmick of a cheerleader. They toured the West Coast, mostly appearing with All Pro Wrestling (APW) where she would interfere in matches, often using high-flying moves. As Cheerleader Melissa she also received training from Christopher Daniels for a short period of time before moving on to APW where she trained under the tutelage of Robert Thompson and "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson.
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