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Former Staff

The Asian Sensation: Lena Yada

Lena Yada was the 2002 Ms. Venus Swimwear International pageant’s first runner-up and is also a previous Miss Hawaiian Tropic Japan. Beginning in 2004, Lena Yada posed for Bench Warmer International Trading Cards. Yada appeared in more trading card sets in 2006, 2008, and 2009. She has visited red carpet events as a Bench Warmer model to promote the cards.

Yada advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2007 World Title of Tandem Surfing, where she finished eighth. In March 2008, her duo was placed 14th in the 2008 World Triathlon Tour. Yada was a marketing model for Sprite when they updated their logo, appearing in ads, internet advertising, and in movie theaters. Yada was also a campaign model for Sheiki Jeans (whose previous campaign models included Jenna Jameson) and Western Star for two years in a row. Yada’s most recent endeavor was directing the music video for Disturbed’s “The Animal.”

Yada originally auditioned for WWE in 2005 as part of the WWE Diva Search and made it to the Top 30. She auditioned again in 2007 and advanced to the final eight, finishing third overall. She was eliminated as the sixth participant on Raw’s October 22, 2007 episode. Her debut as a backstage interviewer for Matt Striker and Big Daddy V on WWE TV was on January 4, 2008.

Lena entered the annual Cyber Sunday Halloween Costume Contest. She wore a Ninja costume. Yada made her television debut in November 2008, on the 800th edition of Raw, in a 16-Diva tag team match after then-WWE Women’s Champion Beth Phoenix pinned Mae Young, however, she was never tagged in. She was released from her WWE contract on November 10, 2008, less than a week after making her in-ring debut.

On 25 September 2011, Yada married David Draiman, the lead singer of the band Disturbed and Device. After 29 hours of labor, the couple had their first child, a boy named Samuel Bear Isamu Draiman.

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