6 current WWE Superstars whose long marriages ended in divorce
Over the years, WWE has seen marriages both long and short. However, time is not always a measure of happiness.
Some unions seem destined to stand the test of time. For example, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon tied the knot in 2003 and remain WWE's premier power couple to this day. Meanwhile, Natalya and Tyson Kidd are coming up on nine years in a marriage that looks as strong as ever.
Nevertheless, a few other current WWE Superstars' marriages have ended in divorce after nearly a decade. It isn't all doom and gloom, though, as most of these wrestlers have since remarried and are now living happily with their current spouses.
Here are six WWE Superstars whose long marriages ended in divorce.
#6. WWE Hall of Famer JBL
John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL) has been married twice. In 1994, the Hall of Famer tied the knot for the first time to Cindy Womack. The couple's marriage lasted for nearly nine years. However, they officially divorced in 2003.
Two years after his long marriage ended, the 55-year-old tied the knot for the second time. He is currently married to Meredith Whitney. The WWE Hall of Famer's current wife is one of Wall Street’s highest-profile women.
In an interview with The New York Times, JBL disclosed that his second wife entered his life when he badly needed somebody:
"Meredith came along at a time in my life when I really needed somebody badly. She took a country boy like me and kind of refined me. I know what fork to use now at the dinner table, and I drink my beer from a glass," he said.
Although he has retired from in-ring competition, JBL is still a WWE ambassador and a pre-show panelist. He recently appeared on the WrestleMania 38 pre-show panel.
#5. WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix
Nearly three years before she signed with Vince McMahon's company, Beth Phoenix tied the knot for the first time with Joey Knight. The Glamazon's first husband was also a professional wrestler and has made a few cameo appearances in WWE.
Phoenix and Knight's marriage lasted for a little less than a decade. The couple then divorced in 2010. Nearly a year after her long marriage ended, Phoenix met and fell in love with Edge.
In his WWE 24 documentary, The Rated R Superstar disclosed that they connected on Edge Appreciation Day:
"So, Beth and I started dating after we connected here [Scotiabank Arena in Toronto] on the day of Edge Appreciation. It was so crazy. We were cordial to each other, but we didn’t know each other. That day, we started talking. 'I had no idea that you trained at the same gym as me by the same people. And, that you wrestled at the same dive bars just seven years after me,'" he said. (H/T: SPORTZWIKI)
Edge and Phoenix dated for nearly five years before tying the knot in 2016. They now have two daughters together.
Although The Glamazon has retired from in-ring action and recently stepped away from the NXT commentary table, she is still a WWE ambassador. The 41-year-old recently made a brief return to the squared circle when she teamed up with her husband to defeat The Miz and Maryse at the Royal Rumble premium live event.
#4. WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler
In 1971, Jerry Lawler married his first wife, Kay. However, their marriage ended seven years later. Four years after his divorce, the WWE Hall of Famer tied the knot for the second time.
Lawler's marriage to his second wife, Paula, was his longest. It lasted for nine years before the couple divorced in 1991. In his book "It's Good to be the King-- Sometimes", the WWE Hall of Famer spoke about his relationship with his second wife, disclosing that they remained friends after their divorce:
"Paula was a different story. She and I had a very passionate relationship for many years. I just think that time took its toll on us. That and the fact that I guess I'm just a pretty lousy husband. When that passion starts to wane, somehow my eye starts to wander. Paula was disappointed and sad, but we've stayed friends over the years. She is a great person and maybe more beautiful today that when I first met her (...) Now she is married to a really nice guy named Larry," he wrote.
In 2000, Lawler married his third wife, Stacy Carter (AKA The Kat). However, the couple divorced three years later.
Like JBL, Lawler is currently a pre-show analyst in WWE. The 72-year-old reportedly signed a new deal with Vince McMahon's company a few months ago.
#3. WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker
Like Jerry Lawler, The Undertaker has been married three times. The Deadman tied the knot with his first wife, Jodi Lynn, in 1989. The couple remained together for 10 years, during which time they had their son, Gunner. However, their long marriage officially ended in divorce in 1999.
Nearly a year after his first divorce, The Undertaker married his second wife, Sara Frank. Their marriage ended seven years later. In 2010, The Deadman married his third and current wife, former Women's Champion Michelle McCool.
During his The Last Ride documentary, The Undertaker opened up about what attracted him to his current wife:
"I was attracted to her desire to be better and her work ethic. It was not the blue eyes, blonde hair, kicking body. I never seen a girl throw a football like that," he said.
The couple have been married for nearly 11 years now and have a daughter together.
Although The Undertaker has retired from in-ring competition after defeating AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36, he reportedly signed a 15-year contract with WWE in 2019. The Deadman recently entered the Hall of Fame and is currently one of the company's ambassadors.
#2. Corey Graves
In 2009, Corey Graves tied the knot with his first wife, Amy Schneider. The couple remained married for nearly 11 years, during which time they had three children together. However, they officially divorced in 2020.
While going through his divorce proceedings, Graves started dating Carmella in 2019. This resulted in some fans accusing Carmella of being a homewrecker. Graves' ex-wife also blamed the former Women's Tag Team Champion for her divorce.
On an episode of Total Divas, Carmella denied all these accusations, stating that she knows in her heart that she did not break up a family:
"I didn’t do anything wrong. I know in my heart I didn't break up a family. I would never do something like that. I just don't like that now the entire world thinks I did this horrible thing," she told Sonya Deville.
Carmella and Graves dated for a few years before announcing their engagement last October. Earlier this month, the couple tied the knot.
Graves retired from in-ring competition in 2014 due to injury. He is currently a color commentator on Monday Night RAW.
#1. RAW Tag Team Champion Riddle
Unlike all the other entries on this list, Riddle has been married only once. In 2011, he married Lisa Rennie. The couple remained together for over a decade, during which time they had three children. However, the RAW Tag Team Champion and his wife separated in late 2021 before finalizing their divorce a month ago.
In a recent Instagram post, Riddle's ex-wife revealed the news of their divorce, stating that she and the couple's three kids are enjoying their new adventure.
"It's been exactly one month since the judge signed the paperwork and our divorce was finalized. The kids and I are enjoying our new adventure, and are grateful for everyone that's been by our side through all of this," she wrote.
Riddle is currently active on Monday Night RAW. He and his RK-Bro partner Randy Orton now hold the RAW Tag Team Titles. Next Sunday, RK-Bro will team up with Drew McIntyre to face The Bloodline at WrestleMania Backlash.