Wrestling is something of a scripted sport, that is no secret, but what you might not know is that some of these romantic relationships became reality. While we are all aware that the storyline behind the sport is majority a show or a “soap opera” written, directed and produced by wrestling management, some of the love interests created in the storylines, actually ended up proceeding offscreen as well. Here are a few standout couples that dated, married, and even broke up in real life.
Wrestling For Love Romances Of The Sport That Continued Offscreen As Well
Stephanie McMahon & Triple H
Certainly one of the main storylines for wrestling, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, had to be a fan favorite couple. From the part of drugging her and marrying her in a drive-through chapel in Las Vegas in 1999 to actually starting to date in real life in 2000. They proceeded to get married three years later in 2003. This kind of royal union was bound to be, with one of the most dedicated and historical wrestlers, Triple H, getting with the heiress to the entire WWE empire.
Stephanie McMahon And Triple H
Nikki Bella & John Cena
Two protagonists of the Wrestle Mania storyline, and definitely a powerhouse couple with their striking looks and all, John Cena and Nikki Bella did not proceed to get married like many of their co-stars. However, the two were together for six years, before breaking up which was inevitably shoved into the spotlight. The engagement was at least done in a typical wrestling fashion – He proposed to her during WrestleMania 33, knee, ring, and all after they won their tag team match.
Nikki Bella And John Cena
Brie Bella & Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan is definitely an iconic character liked by many. Despite his on-screen relationship with AJ Lee, he is actually married to Brie Bella. The bombshell and her husband married in a wrestling co-star studded ceremony in 2014. The marriage was aired on “Total Divas”, in which Bella also stars. This seems to be a case of “The Beauty and the Beast,” with Bryan being a large and ferocious bear of a man and Bella being so prim and proper.
Brie Bella And Daniel Bryan
AJ Lee & CM Punk
AJ Lee has had many main storylines in WWE and whether hated or loved by fans, her and her now-husband, CM Punk, were iconic characters in and around 2010. In 2014 AJ and CM, by now a power couple, very much in the spotlight all the time, married and have since retired from the wrestling world. CM Punk is dedicated to the Straight Edge lifestyle, which is all about abstaining from substances completely. This means that he will always be a sober and straightforward partner.
AJ Lee And CM Punk
Brock Lesnar & Sable
What do you take when you cross a 90’s playgirl and a 00’s WWE star that both made waves and landmarks in their times? Well, chemistry in the shape of Brock Lesnar and his Mrs Sable of course! The power couple never made on-screen romantic waves, however, they did marry in 2006 and reproduced, bringing two boys into the world. Lesnar is one of martial arts in general’s most powerful and capable warriors, branching off into the mixed martial arts championship, UFC.
Brock Lesnar And Sable
Booker T & Sharmell
While many of our topics started on-screen and ended up dating or marrying in real life, our next couple had it reversed – almost as if predicted that the would date in the story. The self-proclaimed King Booker, Booker T and his queen, Sharmell, had actually been romantically involved since 2000, married in 2005, and only thereafter in 2006, Booker won King Of The Ring, during their storyline. We say that it was meant to be from the start!
Booker T And Sharmell
Miss Elizabeth & Randy Savage
Another one of the most iconic moments in WWE history was the marriage of Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth. The couple’s chemistry worked amazingly back in the ’80s, where their storyline peaked. In 1991, during SummerSlam, they got married for real. This is an incredible throwback that we could not leave out, and their relationship’s drama was a fantastic inspiration for later storylines in the WWE universe. Long live Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth!
Miss Elizabeth And Randy Savage
Andrade & Charlotte Flair
Charlotte Flair certainly has a “type”… Wrestlers of course. The former wife of Bram, former TNA star in the early 10’s, is rumored to be engaged to upcoming wrestler, Andrade. Rumors to be confirmed, but confirmed dating since early 2019. We hope that these two continue with their happy relationship, as they are such a perfect fit. We hope that Flair honors her father with her sterling performances and that Andrade never hurts her feelings.
Andrade And Charlotte Flair
Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins
Rocking another title of a powerhouse couple, we have Becky Lynch, who hails from Ireland and Seth Rollins, who hails from Iowa. The biggest couple in the industry currently, have been dating since early 2019, where they announced their engagement in August. This celeb status type of romance makes our only hope and dream of such romantic luck! This couple is a champion union and they are very happy with one another. Their marriage may come in a troubled time in the world.
Becky Lynch And Seth Rollins
Brandi Rhodes & Cody Rhodes
Is it about status or power? Or what is it? This hot couple has been married since 2013. Chief Brand Officer of All Elite Wrestling, Bandi Rhodes and Executive Vice President of said company, Cody Rhodes, is the definition of the elite star status. They used to both work for TNA and Ring Honor, before venturing out on their own. We thank the powers that be that they did and continue to do so.
Brandi Rhodes And Cody Rhodes
Diamond Dallas Page & Kimberly
Making it big in the ’90s, Diamond Dallas Page, worked for WCW – WWE’s nemesis. He and Kimberly were married, while she was his ringside valet, he donned the name “Diamond Doll” from his wife and gofer. His character portrayed the true definition of a chauvinistic pig, as week after week he mistreated his wife. The two went on to divorce in 2015. Well, it seems like diamonds are not forever.
Diamond Dallas Page And Kimberly
Michelle McCool & Undertaker
Probably one of the famous wrestlers of the ’90s, the Undertaker has been married to his wife, who became big in the industry in the ‘00s, since 2010. This was a match made in heaven. The two have a daughter, which is quite an interesting contrast, bearing in mind, his onscreen character is actually not even real – he’s an annoying man resurrected from the dead. We hope that their romance is never laid to rest, however.
Michelle McCool And Undertaker
Debra & Steve Austin
Steve Austin is arguably one of the best wrestlers the industry has ever seen, but love him or hate, him and his wife, Debra, reigned the scene in the late ’90s. They were married from 1998 to 2003. Their marriage came to a screaming stoppage when Steve had physically assaulted his wife on countless occasions. Allegedly due to mood swings as a result of steroid usage. This is a sad reality for many victims of wrestlers’ abuses.
Debra And Steve Austin
Tyson Kidd & Natalya
Another couple paired as wrestling royalty is Tyson Kidd and Natalya. The two began dating in 2003 and were also married in 2003. For a quick wedding, it tends to be going quite strong – some things are just meant to be. Their wedding was premiered on “Total Divas”. Suffering an injury in 2015, Tyson has since retired from the sport per se, however, still works for WWE behind the scenes.
Tyson Kidd And Natalya
Maryse & The Miz
French Canadian superstar, Maryse, and her husband since 2014, hailing from Ohio, The Miz, are a powerhouse couple born for television. They were two of the most notorious villains in the wrestling world for almost ten years. Their personalities just bounce off each other, exuding confidence and television appearance. They even have a reality TV show of their own, called Miz and Mrs. Adorable. They have two daughters and a beautiful life ahead.
Maryse And The Miz
Lana & Rusev
Rusev, “The Bulgarian Brute”, inherits his nickname in a less than obvious way – he is from Bulgaria. He married his Femme Fatale bride in 2016, who hails from Florida, Lana – another wedding which aired on the reality show “Total Divas”. The couple held two weddings – one in the USA and the other in Bulgaria. Talk about compromise. The world of wrestling brings the most unlikely people together.
Lana And Rusev
Edge & Lita
Lita and Edge oozed sexuality with their perfectly matched physical chemistry – onscreen and offscreen, this was the case. It is no wonder Edge was in fact married when the two sparked up an affair. Naughty naughty. Nevermind keeping it in the family – keep it in the industry – Edge went on to date another wrestler and Lita dated CM Punk briefly. The storyline, their chemistry, cheating and breakup were used to follow with more storylines, causing a feud between interested parties.
Edge And Lita
Edge & Beth Phoenix
Despite Edge’s scandals, it seems he has finally found “the one” – and the lucky girl is Beth Pheonix. The couple got married in 2016 and she gave birth to two daughters thereafter. It appears they would rather post pictures of their children than themselves on social media. The couple even has their own place in the WWE Hall Of Fame. Edge is clearly something of a lady’s man, and his name is rather ironic.
Edge And Beth Phoenix
Jon Moxley & Renee Young
Another bomb couple, Jon Moxley and Renee Young, feature on two opposing companies – AEW and WWE, where he featured as Dean Ambrose. Renee was a commentator on WWE. The two had a secret society shotgun wedding at one o’clock in the morning, at home. They married after three years of dating. It must have been a rather awkward situation for Renee being a commentator and having her husband portraying a villain on the show!
Jon Moxley And Renee Young
Maria Kanellis & Mike Kanellis
Maria and Mike Kanellis portray a typical modern-day approach to female empowerment, with their niche being that she wears the pants in their relationship, constantly criticising him on screen and making a spectacle of him. He even took her surname when they got married. Did someone say whipped? However, just to set the record straight, in real life, she took his name – Bennett. At least they are consistent and passionate about their roles and jobs. In real life the couple has two children and actually appear to enjoy each other’s company, judging by their Instagram pages.
Maria Kanellis And Mike Kanellis
JoJo & Bray Wyatt
Although JoJo and Bray Wyatt might seem like all is peachy with their picture-perfect life – marriage and son born in 2019 and all, Bray’s ex-wife cast controversy when she claimed that Bray and JoJo were dating while they were still together! Drama much? Despite the drama, all seems to be ok now for the two costars. You can bet that this baby is going to be in safe hands!
JoJo And Bray Wyatt
Alexa Bliss & Buddy Murphy
This couple appeared to be the next best thing – costars, status, and all that comes with it – even raising a pig together. Cute! However, Alexa Bliss and Buddy Murphy decided to break off their engagement in 2019, proving that most times, all good things have to come to an end. However, when the going was good, they were not very shy living in the public eye and social media, as you will see their happy moments together projected in photos.
Alexa Bliss And Buddy Murphy
Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae
When stepping onto the scene of WWE, the writers didn’t even have to create a bizarre storyline, and Johnny Gargano and Candice Lee didn’t even need to put on much of a show. They were naturals, as they were already dating, prior to her signing her contract in 2017. The two are married today. We hope that their marriage is as strong as their chokeholds and that their relationship stays as interesting as their storyline.
Johnny Gargano And Candice LeRae
Matt Hardy & Lita
Matt Hardy was part of the dynamic duo – “The Hardy Boyz”, which he worked rather closely with his half-brother (in real life), Jeff. This was in the beginning stages of WWE. Regardless, enough of that though, he found himself very much in love with co-star Lita. The two were making plans to head down the aisle. It didn’t end up that way, but rather in a disastrous and sensational breakup!
Matt Hardy And Lita
Bianca Belair & Montez Ford
Bianca Belair has been making waves since her debut on WWE. She went on to defeat the majority of her opponents, earning her a place at Women’s Battle Royal at Wrestlemania! She went on to marry Montez Ford in 2018, who was part of WWE Raw! Blair had become champion of NXT. We are really happy that the WWE has brought a greater diversity and inclusivity to its storylines, bravo!
Bianca Belair And Montez Ford
Zack Ryder & Chelsea Green
The couple of WWE hadn’t really accumulated as much credit and recognition as they should have, but regardless, it was a win for both of them, Zack Ryder and Chelsea Green were dating in real life. Although Zack had been part of WWE since the ’00s, he only but recently won his belt, making it all worthwhile, likewise with Chelsea. The pair married in 2019. We hope that they continue to treat other well.
Zack Ryder And Chelsea Green
Triple H & Chyna
Triple H and Chyna were another sought after couple in the ’90s, evening letting their issues expand into the ring at times, where they fought numerous times. In the 00’s the couple separating, leaving Triple H, free to date Stephanie McMahon. We are really happy that Triple H found true love, as he is one of the hardest-working and most dedicated wrestlers with a lot of heart. As for Chyna, we hope that she is happy too!
Triple H And Chyna
Sarah Logan & Erik Rowe
Sarah Logan has also proved herself in the industry, starting with WWE in 2014 and moving onto NXT in 2016. She and Erik Rowe started dating in 2018 got married. As you can see, these two are a rather quirky pair, with a rare investment in the historical practices of medieval lords and ladies. They love to participate in what is called historical reconstruction, where people roleplay as medieval characters and fight as knights of yore.
Sarah Logan And Erik Rowe
Aleister Black & Zelina Vega
Despite her on-screen romance and association with Andrade in the WWE storyline, Zelina Vega actually married Aleister Black back in 2018. The real-life couple has become icons in the industry, more lately than ever. They have an incredible place in WWE as one of the most impactfully-written pair of characters and we cannot wait to see how their storylines continue. As you can see, these two also have incredible fashion senses, and are bringing WWE into the modern era with their cool and powerful stations.
Aleister Black And Zelina Vega
Ricochet & Kacy Catanzaro
Kacy Catanzaro joined the industry for WWE in 2017 and later moved to NXT. Ricochet joined in 2018. The two have been unstoppable sensations, even though they only started dating after joining NXT. When Ricochet decided to take on Brock Lesnar, it was clear that this was a case of David versus Goliath. Unlike the Biblical epic, Goliath won this one, and very easily, as Ricochet only lasted seconds against the titan.
Ricochet And Kacy Catanzaro
Mia Yim & Keith Lee
One thing we have noticed after a lot of research and paying attention to detail is that storylines and schedules would need to be shuffled around, due to dating co stars starting to date in real life and later breaking up. Mia Yim and Keither Lee appear to not be portraying such a cliche, as they seem to be living their best lives dating and working together successfully on NXT.
Mia Yim And Keith Lee
Tyler Breeze & Audrey Marie
What a way for hopefuls longing to find romance – maybe join the wrestling industry, as there doesn’t seem to be anything against dating your co-stars! Another couple that met while training was Tyler Breeze and Audrey Marie. Although she was released from WWE, the two ended up marrying regardless, in 2016. This was a beautiful seaside affair where everyone was overjoyed to see the two finally tie the knot.
Tyler Breeze And Audrey Marie
Bobby Lashley & Kristal Marshall
Before Bobby Lashley married Lana on Monday Night Raw, he was dating Kristal Marshall offscreen. The couple dated when Bobby joined WWE in 2007. Shortly after that, the pair left WWE and started working on TNA. They were engaged for two years, but that came to a rather abrupt ending. It seemed like the two just could not smoothen out their differences, and did not have the same chemistry in real life that they did on-screen.
Bobby Lashley And Kristal Marshall
Charlie Haas & Jackie Gayda
Although they are now living the American dream in Texas, after marrying in 2005, followed by having four children, Jackie Gada and Charlie Haas have quite the romantic story. The couple met on Smackdown, where Jackie ended up managing Charlie and his then tag team partner, Rico. Jackie is an incredible manager and is going to take her clients into the WWE Hall of Fame, we are certain. Keep your eyes on these wrestlers!
Charlie Haas And Jackie Gayda
Cody Rhodes & Layla El
Cody Rhodes, another man who appears to like keeping it within the wrestling family… He had previously dated another wrestler, before dating Layla El. They were together for almost two years, ending their relationship in 2011. There are incredible relationships in WWE that were crafted by its screenwriters that turned out to be fantastic in real life, but this was sadly not one of them. Chemistry cannot be forced in some cases.
Cody Rhodes And Layla El
Kelly Kelly & Test
Age is only a number. This was in fact the case with Kelly Kelly and Test. He was 11 years older than her but that proved them to be unstoppable. Well, that is up until they became unstoppable three years later in 2009. The couple decided to break it off. Not long after that Kelly was left traumatized when Test passed away. Test was one of the most beloved wrestlers of our time and we mourn his passing to this day.
Kelly Kelly And Test
Alicia Fox & Wade Barrett
While most people who know Alicia Fox will know that she appears to be very vocal about her opinions, feelings and struggles. Well needless to say, without even asking for the scoop between her and former lover, WWE star, Wade Barret, we got it. Apparently he wasn’t emotional enough and didn’t understand her, erm ok. Regardless the former couple is still friends. As you can see from the picture below, the former couple’s body language is not electric.
Alicia Fox And Wade Barrett
AJ Lee & Jay Lethal
Rewind a few years, before AJ Lee’s marriage to CM Punk, oops, only to discover she had also dated Jay Lethal. The pair became romantically involved when Jay used to be her trainer. They stayed together a few years, before splitting up. You have to take a special kind of relationship approach when you are dating a colleague, and that is especially true in the WWE world, where things are quite complex.
AJ Lee And Jay Lethal
Zack Ryder & Tenille Dashwood (Emma)
A heartbreaking split up for fans was that of Zack Ryder and Tenille Dashwood. The pair were together since 2005, and eleven years after dating split up in 2016. Again we say all good things come to an end. While fans have yet to recover from the heartbreaking split, we are sure that their future relationships will more than make up for this loss. It is amazing how invested we all become in these affairs!
Zack Ryder And Tenille Dashwood
CM Punk & Lita
CM Punk is another wrestler who loves doing his rounds within the industry. When he dated Lita in 2009, it appeared to be a match made in heaven. However in 2010, broke up and reconciled in 2011, finally calling it quits in 2013. CM Punk is a strange and complicated character with a lot of emotional baggage. His partners need to be careful with his feelings, as he is a troubled character of note.
CM Punk And Lita
Corey Graves & Carmella
Although Corey Graves and Carmella have not been written into any WWE storylines as yet, we reckon there would be a lot to explore with this duo given the chance! They really are missing out on a fantastically tender relationship that could bring a tenderer side to the macho sport and its extended universe. Regardless, we are sure that their time to shine is on its way! Stay tuned, wrestling fans.
Corey Graves And Carmella
Dolph Ziggler & Nikki Bella
Another romance blasted into the spotlight thanks to Total Divas was that of Dolph Ziggler and Nikki Bella. They met off-screen and even worked together, but regardless of what their connections, they were very open when it came to discussing their relationship. Nikki Bella does not seem very impressed with Dolph Ziggler in this situation, and we wonder what he did wrong! We would love to know more about their personal lives.
Dolph Ziggler And Nikki Bella
Chyna & X-Pac
Chyna and fellow legend wrestler of the ’90s, X-Pac, got together a while after their days in the WWE industry. Regardless of not cracking a romantic storyline with the company, the two entered a romantic journey in the early ’00s, even getting engaged, before splitting in 2005. Unfortunately, Chyna passed away in 2016. X-Pac had nothing but good to say about her. What a gentleman. We love that Chyna found happiness!
Chyna And X Pac
Naomi & Jimmy Uso
Another marriage blown into the spotlight thanks to Total Divas, was that of Naomi and Jimmy Uso. They had been dating since 2010, before marrying in 2014. WWE has incorporated their marriage into numerous storylines, which they admit is a challenge at times to keep their real-life spark alive, as they spend lots of time working on their storylines. This type of dedication to the romantic craft is bound to pay off.
Naomi And Jimmy Uso