Lillian Ellison began her career in the early 1950s as a wrestler for promoter Billy Wolfe in Columbus, Ohio before taking on the name that would make her famous, "Slave Girl" Moolah. Moolah became the manager for the "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers on camera and married wrestling promoter Buddy Lee off camera. Together Moolah and Lee opened up a wrestling school and before too long, Moolah won her first title in Baltimore Maryland. With Mildred Burke newly retired, the Fabulous Moolah took charge as the dominant wrestling women's champion, though some dispute whether she was recognized as the NWA Women's World Champion. 

    The Fabulous Moolah would go on to trade the gold with Betty Boucher, Yukiko Tomoe, Tomoe Hamamatsu, Sue Green, and Evelyn Stevens throughout the late 1960s and 1970s and was, without question, the top women's star in the business. The Fabulous Moolah became an excellent backstage politician, actually coming to own the World Women's Championship belt and doing much of the booking herself. She largely worked with Vince McMahon Sr in the North but in 1983, Vince McMahon's son, Vince Jr, took the WWF national, signed the Fabulous Moolah to an exclusive deal and purchased the World Women's Title belt and Moolah's booking rights. The belt was renamed the World Wrestling Federation Women's World Title and Moolah continued as the dominant heel champion, despite the allegations that she had "sold out". 

    Moolah lost the WWF World Women's Title to the popular Wendy Richter in July of 1984 in Madison Square Garden as the Rock-n-Wrestling Connection hit its stride. She would remain a top heel performer but began to edge out of active competition, instead managing Leilani Kai to defeat Richter in a match at the War to Settle The Score in February of 1985. This set the stage for the epic match at the first Wrestlemania where Richter, with pop star Cyndi Lauper in her corner, defeated Kai, with Moolah in her corner, to regain the gold. It wouldn't be long before Moolah was once again the centre of attention as she took part in the ORIGINAL screwjob in the WWF. She came to the ring dressed as the Spider Lady and defeated Wendy Richter, who had thought she was going to win the match, after a contract dispute between Richter and Vince McMahon. Perhaps most interesting about the match was that the Fabulous Moolah was, by that point, more than 60 years old! Moolah kept defending the gold, defeating Velvet McIntyre at Wrestlemania II, but lost it to McIntyre as part of the WWF's tour of Australia that summer. The Fabulous Moolah, of course, regained the gold again! 

    Moolah returned to her roots, becoming a manager AND the Queen of the WWF in one fell swoop, managing WWF newcomer King Harley Race alongside Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. Moolah accompanied Race to the ring for his Wrestlemania III match against the Junk Yard Dog and kept on wrestling. Moolah became a fan favourite, surprising many, and dropped the title to her star pupil, "Sensational" Sherri Martel in August of 1987, effectively ending her own regular career in the process. Moolah did continue to briefly feud with Martel, climaxing in a 5 against 5 Survivor Series bout at the inaugural Survivor Series supercard which was won by the Jumping Bomb Angels. Moolah left the WWF spotlight within years of collecting social security cheques. 

    The Fabulous Moolah began working the independents, including wrestling bouts in Japan and continuing to train young women for the business. She made a special appearance during Wrestlemania X as the WWF reinstated the, by then, dormant division around Madusa Miceli. One year later, Moolah was welcomed as the first female inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame and gave a very touching and humble acceptance speech. The Fabulous Moolah remained on the independent circuit until 1999 when she and long-time friend Mae Young popped up on WWF broadcasting to interfere in Jeff Jarrett's Title defense against Chyna, literally getting into the ring to attack Jarrett! In the very same broadcast, Moolah also attacked the WWF Women's Champion Ivory, setting up a historic bout between the two at No Mercy where Moolah shocked the world by winning the WWF World Women's Championship at the age of 76! She didn't hold the title long, though. Moolah kept on wrestling for the WWF, though, teaming with Mae Young, Tori and Debra to defeat Ivory, Terri, Jacqueline and Luna in the 1999 Survivor Series. Moolah reprised her Wrestlemania managerial role for Wrestlemania 2000, managing Terri in her defeat of the Kat, who was managed by Mae Young for the match. 

    Moolah released her autobiography in 2002, showing up on RAW to take a serious bump at the hands of Three Minute Warning. Moolah and Mae Young had previously made guest appearances for the WWF with both taking bumps from the Dudley Boys and others, proving themselves to be quite hardcore! Moolah and Mae Young kept on showing up and Moolah almost ended up having to wrestle Brock Lesnar on a 2002 broadcast of Smackdown, before being saved by the Big Show. Moolah was also inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003 and to celebrate, she RETURNED TO THE RING at the age of 80 to meet and defeat Victoria on WWE RAW! At the age of 81, Moolah returned AGAIN to team with Mae Young to defeat Torrie Wilson and Sawn Marie in a special "School Girl Match" on Smackdown! There is NO DOUBT this Hall of Famer will be in the ring again, too! The Fabulous Moolah then went on to shoot a documentary with friend Mae Young about the 1950s era of women's wrestling in a film called "Lipstick and Dynamite" in 2004, appearing on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno to promote the film. 

    Throughout her career, Moolah proved that wrestling was not merely a man's domain. While she became a beloved fan favourite in her old age, she was a rugged, brutal heel in her youth. She would brutalize her opponents with slams and fists only to fluff her hair back up as only a true Lady could. Moolah was the quintessential female heel and her mere activity in the sport no doubt allowed for other legends like Sherri Martel, Madusa Miceli and Wendi Richter to stand up and succeed. Moolah's legacy will not be comedic sketches with long-time friend Mae Young. It will be of a ruthless wrestling superstar who broke the gender barrier, proving herself as a shrewd business woman and backstage politician, and set out a whole new standard no doubt impacting not just her era, but several generations to come.

    Sadly, "The Fabulous Moolah" Lillian Elison passed away on November 2nd, 2007 at the age of 84 after complications after a shoulder surgery. She reportedly opted for this surgery after so many years because she wanted to wait until her career in the ring had finished. Stephanie McMahon gave the eulogy at the Fabulous Moolah's funeral and there was not a dry eye in the house. Rest in peace, Fabulous Moolah, you will be missed.