10 Women Who Were Models Before WWE
Once upon a time, to make it as a woman in WWE, a majority of women had to have a modeling background. That was the common denominator in the locker room and most of the time, it showed in the ring. Clearly, wrestling wasn’t the ladies’ forte, and while some faltered and failed, others had stuck it out and tried their best.
In the past too, former models such as Candice Michelle and Kelly Kelly improved over time. Taryn Terrell and Brooke Adams are great examples of models turned wrestlers who excelled in TNA’s Knockout’s Division. All these ladies had something in common with Hall of Famer Trish Stratus – They worked to get better and it showed.
It was common to see that state of the Women’s/Divas Division from 1999 to within the last few years. It was no secret that many of those women were hired for eye candy. While there were standouts, it was plain to see that many of those former models who walked through WWE sought the company out to broaden their own horizons. That was the black cloud that sat over the Women’s/Divas Division through much of the 2000’s. The 2004 Divas Search comes to mind when Carmella DeCesare was exposed on live TV. We’re seeing the same thing today with Eva Marie. Fans feel between Total Divas and her push despite her efforts to train and get better, they want no part of the fiery redhead.
But even today the current women superstars’ past careers elude to the fact that the model formula still works – but this time, they are really putting in the effort to make a stronger Women’s Division. They may not have come from the Independent scene, but a majority of them were fans first and that is a huge plus considering the pattern of eras before that preceded them. This brings me to the fact that, in this blog, we are covering this generation of WWE Superstars.
With this new generation of women, they exemplify what Stratus has done. And that means there is a time and a place for the model part of being a WWE Superstar. When it comes to the ring, it’s all business. We are in an entirely different Women’s Division in WWE in 2016. While WWE has focused on actual female talent with prior wrestling experience, they still hire women with a predominant modeling background. While some women on the list are no longer with the company, you just may be surprised who lands in this top ten.