Nora used to wrestle under the name "Starla Saxton" in the independent promotions several years before. Starla Saxton's pro wrestling debut, was in Thomasville, NC in September of 1997 (although technically, she began her career a few months earlier down in Florida as a rulebreaker named "Sabotage,") She had two very good matches, first against Riptide and then against Robbie Rage. Starla just completely won over the crowd with her talent and her cheery disposition.

On August 8, 1997, Starla Saxton won the WPWF Women's World TItle. She is still considered the champ to this very day, even thougth she now works for WCW.

Starla Saxton got her start in wrestling in the indies, and then moved on to the WCW, starting a short feud with Malia Hosaka in the end of 1998. She left the WCW and went on to the WWF.

Starla had a brief stint in WWF in which she wrestled Jackie for the WWF women's title. Needless to say Jackie won.