Whatever happened to former WWE Superstar Layla?

Layla has since started a new career outside of the wrestling business

Layla, who celebrates her 45th birthday today, has been absent from WWE for more than seven years. She is one of the very few women to have declined the opportunity to return to the company.

Layla is a former Women's and Divas Champion who made her debut through the annual Diva Search. After beating out the likes of Maryse and Rosa Mendes, Layla was announced as the winner of the competition and given a contract with the company.

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Layla was then able to make a name for herself as a member of Extreme Expose in ECW, before being taken seriously on the main roster and being pushed in the Women's Division. A partnership with Michelle McCool led to the two women unifying the Women's Championships. Layla then defeated McCool in a Loser Leaves WWE match at Extreme Rules in 2011.

After working as Fandango's dance partner for several months and being used sparingly in the Women's Division, Layla announced her retirement from the company in July 2015, just months after undergoing surgery.

Happy Birthday to you Chelle!! Wishing you a special day love you 💕 @McCoolMichelleL #flawless twitter.com/WWE/status/148…

Layla announced her engagement to fellow WWE Superstar Ricky Ortiz the day before she retired and the couple then married a few months later in December 2015.

Layla has since begun a career as a real estate agent after obtaining her license. While speaking to Ring The Belle earlier this year, she made it clear that she doesn't want to return to the ring.

“I just feel that I had a very fruitful, long career. And I attained everything I possibly could have attained in WWE, and I was given every opportunity. That door’s closed, and I’m okay with that. And I feel just happy that I was able to have that. I look at my past, and I’m like, ‘Wow I did all that stuff,’ and that was just how I’d like to keep it," [H/T: Ewrestlingnews.]

The Women's Evolution would have been the perfect place for Layla to return to the company, but the former star is adamant that she is happy and content with the career that she enjoyed as a pro wrestler.