Chyna, 'dominant female wrestler of WWE', found dead at 45

Former World Wrestling Entertainment champion Chyna, one of the most famous women ever to take part in the sport, has been found dead at the age of 45.

The wrestler, whose real name is Joan Laurer, was found at her apartment in Redondo Beach, California, on Wednesday evening.

She was described as a "true icon, a real life superhero" in a statement posted on her official Twitter account.

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WWE referred to the former wrestler as "the most dominant female competitor of all time".

"Storming onto the wrestling scene in 1997, Chyna quickly earned the nickname 'Ninth Wonder Of The World'," reports the Daily Mail. She was the first woman to win the WWE Championship and compete in the Royal Rumble and King of the Ring contests.

"Among her many accolades, she boasted victories over leading male wrestlers such as Chris Jericho and Eddie Guerrero," adds the Mail.

Chyna was originally part of the D-Generation X group alongside her then boyfriend, fellow wrestler Triple H.

She quit WWE in 2001 and after a brief spell in Japan went on to star in several porn films. She also appeared in Playboy magazine and on several reality TV shows. She made a shortlived return to wrestling with the TNA network in 2011.

Her body was discovered by a friend who had been trying to get hold of her on the phone for several days. Police said there were "no indications or signs that the death was a result of foul play".

However, US gossip website TMZ claims "officials are investigating as a possible overdose... Chyna struggled with addiction for years – and appeared on [TV show] Celebrity Rehab back in 2008."