Jessica Kresa didn't fit the mold. Not even close. When the "Diva" era was in full swing during the early 2000s, most women in wrestling were being pushed for their fitness-model looks and swimsuit-ready physiques. Then came ODB. She walked out with a flask, a "trailer park chic" attitude, and a level of grit that made her one of the most believable brawlers in the business.
It’s actually 2026 now, and it’s wild to think she’s still hitting the independent scene for what she’s calling her "final run." Twenty-five years in the ring is no joke. Most people remember her for the loud-mouthed, whiskey-swigging character in TNA, but there’s a lot more to the woman behind the "One Dirty Bitch" moniker than just the gimmick.
The Athlete Behind the Flask
Before she was ODB, Jessica was a hockey player. She was the captain of the first girls' team at her high school in Minnesota and played at St. Cloud State University. That's where that toughness comes from. You can't fake the kind of balance and core strength she has in the ring; that’s pure athlete.
Honestly, her start in the business was pretty rough. She tried out for the first season of WWE’s Tough Enough back in 2001. She didn't make the final cut, but she didn't just go home and quit. She went back to Minnesota, trained under the legendary Eddie Sharkey—the guy who helped train Jesse Ventura and The Road Warriors—and started wrestling men on the indies.
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By the time she landed in TNA (now Total Nonstop Action again) in 2007, she was a finished product. She wasn't just a "character." She was a four-time Knockouts Champion who could go 15 minutes with Awesome Kong or Gail Kim and make it look like a legitimate fight.
That Bizarre Eric Young Wedding
You can't talk about ODB without mentioning her "marriage" to Eric Young. Pro wrestling is famous for terrible wedding segments, but this one was just... different. It was 2012, and they were the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions. Yes, a man and a woman held the women’s tag titles.
They held those belts for 478 days. That is still a record. They eventually got stripped of the titles because, well, Eric Young isn't a woman, but the chemistry they had was gold. It was comedic, it was trashy, and the fans absolutely loved it because it felt authentic to their weird characters.
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The 2019 Fire and the Food Truck
A lot of fans lost track of her after she left the national spotlight, but her life took a pretty dramatic turn in 2019. She had poured her life savings into a food truck called "ODB's Meat & Greet." It was her retirement plan. Then, in September of that year, the whole thing burned to the ground.
She lost everything. No insurance payout was going to cover the actual cost of rebuilding that dream. But here’s the thing about Kresa: she’s basically a human tank. The wrestling community rallied. Impact Wrestling held benefits, fans donated, and she eventually got back on her feet. She’s even said in interviews with people like Chris Van Vliet that the fire was almost a blessing because it showed her how much people actually cared about her.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often dismiss ODB as just a "comedy act." That’s a mistake. If you go back and watch her matches from the peak of the Knockouts division, her psychology was top-tier. She knew how to sell, she knew how to work a crowd without saying a single word, and her signature "Bam" (that fireman's carry cutter) was always crisp.
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She wasn't trying to be a "Diva." She was trying to be a wrestler. In an era where women were often fighting for five-minute segments, ODB was out there proving that a woman who didn't look like a Barbie doll could be the most over person on the roster.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Workers
If you're a fan of the "Golden Era" of the Knockouts or just getting into her work now, here is how to appreciate the legacy:
- Watch the 2008-2010 TNA Runs: This is where she was at her peak. Look for her matches against Gail Kim and Awesome Kong. The contrast in styles is a masterclass in wrestling booking.
- Check out her Autobiography: She released a book called Jessie Kresa is One Dirty Bitch. It’s a raw look at the independent scene and the reality of being a female wrestler before the "Women’s Revolution" became a marketing slogan.
- Support the Final Run: She’s officially booking her final independent dates for 2026 to celebrate 25 years. If she’s at a local show near you, go see her. There aren't many performers left from that era who can still work a crowd like she does.
- The Food Truck is Real: If you see "ODB's Meat & Greet" at a festival or a wrestling event, the food is actually good. She’s a legitimate cook who takes it as seriously as her matches.
ODB proved that being yourself is the most sustainable gimmick in the world. She didn't change for the cameras, and that’s why, 25 years later, the fans are still chanting her name.