7 current WWE stars who are in a relationship with released talent
The year 2022 has seen several WWE superstars get into new relationships or take their current ones to the next level. Fans recently learned about NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose’s engagement with her long-time boyfriend.
Similarly, Sonya Deville and Gunther also updated their respective relationship statuses during the year. Meanwhile, Carmella tied the knot with Corey Graves earlier this year.
Several couples in the company have also been separated over the past few years due to releases. Fans have also seen some current stars get into relationships with former superstars in recent years.
Check out the seven current WWE stars who are currently in a relationship with released talent.
#7. Nikki A.S.H. is married to former superstar Killian Dain
In 2016, Nikki A.S.H. joined WWE. Ever since, she has gone through a few character changes and won some big matches. Her biggest victory came in the form of winning the RAW Women’s Championship on an episode of RAW after Money in the Bank 2021.
During her time in NXT, she was part of a faction known as Sanity. The stable included Killian Dain, and the two began dating soon after. In January 2019, Nikki and Killian got married, much to the delight of the WWE Universe.
Dain was a regular feature on the NXT brand but failed to win any championships during his time in the company. In June 2021, he was among a list of superstars who were released as part of the COVID-19 budget cuts.
Dain has competed in a couple of promotions ever since his release. However, he is yet to make a major impact on the wrestling industry.
#6. Queen Zelina is married to former AEW star Malakai Black
Queen Zelina has been making waves since changing her character in WWE. She came into the company and worked as a manager for Andrade for several years before becoming a full-time in-ring performer.
Zelina has won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship once with Carmella. However, she is currently out with an injury but will likely return to try and get back to the top of the company soon.
During her time in NXT, Zelina met Aleister Black. The two fell in love and got married in 2018. Ever since, the two have seen many ups and downs in their careers. However, they have stayed together through thick and thin to march ahead as two of the best in the business.
Black was once a top star in NXT. His stock dropped after he made it to the main roster and was part of many rivalries that never took off. He was released from his WWE contract in June 2021. The Dutch Destroyer has worked under the ring name Malakai Black in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). It’ll be interesting to see whether he returns to WWE for another run soon or not.
#5. WWE referee Aja Smith is engaged to Leon Ruff
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#FutureMrsRuffin @LEONRUFF_
Love of my life 💓💞💕💕 I can’t wait!!! twitter.com/RefAjaWWE/stat…
WWE referee Aja Smith made history at WrestleMania 38. She became the first black female referee to officiate a match at the Showcase of the Immortals. It was a big moment for her, and the rest of the company as she continued to impress the wrestling industry.
Behind the scenes, Smith is in a relationship with former WWE Superstar Leon Ruff. The two have been in a relationship for some time and got engaged on November 30, 2020. Soon after Ruff asked her the big question, she took to social media to announce the engagement.
Leon Ruff is a former NXT Superstar who competed for nearly two years. In 2020, he shocked fans by pinning Johnny Gargano to win the NXT North American Championship. However, he was only used for some time to build the rivalry between Gargano and Damian Priest. He was released by the company in August 2021.
#4. Rhea Ripley is dating AEW star Buddy Matthews
Judgment Day has been making its presence felt every single week on RAW. The four-member faction is made up of Finn Balor, Damien Priest, Dominik Mysterio, and Rhea Ripley. The former RAW Women’s Champion has been wrestling less in the ring but has been making a huge impact outside of it.
Ripley has been one of the best female wrestlers in WWE for some time now. After her dominant run in NXT, the 25-year-old has won some big matches on the main roster. She is currently in a relationship with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Buddy Mathews.
Mathews worked with WWE for several years under the ring name Buddy Murphy. He was released from his contract on June 2, 2021.
He was a cornerstone of the 205 Live brand and had some good storylines on the main roster with Seth Rollins and the Mysterio family. Interestingly, Buddy had a love angle storyline with Rey Mysterio's daughter, Aalyah Mysterio, at one point during his time in WWE.
#3. Madcap Moss is dating Impact Wrestling’s Tenille Dashwood
Madcap Moss has seen his stock rise in the company recently. His alliance with Happy Corbin made him a popular star, and he has been getting some big matches ever since. What many fans may not know is that he has been with the company for nearly eight years now.
Moss is seen as a tough guy on-screen. He has the potential to win a title in the company and prove himself to be a top star.
In August 2022, Madcap Moss revealed that he was dating Australian professional wrestler Tenille Dashwood. The current Impact Wrestling star competed under the ring name Emma for WWE from 2011 to 2017. She was released from her contract in October 2017.
Both the stars are currently climbing the ladder in their respective promotions. It would be great to see them hold the gold of both companies together at some point.
#2. Mandy Rose is engaged to former NXT Superstar Tino Sabbatelli
NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose has created a few records since returning to the third brand of the company. She has held the title for a long time and is looking to leave a mark on NXT before moving back to the main roster.
Rose’s relationship status has been rather clear since 2018. In April of that year, she revealed that she was dating Tino Sabbatelli. In September 2022, the couple announced that they had gotten engaged.
Sabbatelli hasn’t been as successful in the wrestling industry as his better half. He joined WWE in 2014 and had a decent run before being released in April 2020. Sabbatelli went on to debut for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) but only competed in a single match.
WWE re-signed him in October 2020, but he failed to do anything noticeable. He was once again released from the promotion in June 2021.
#1. Former SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair is married to Andrade El Idolo
Charlotte Flair has been away from the ring for some time now. The Queen has enjoyed a much lighter schedule in recent years but has stayed on top of her game every time she has made a return.
The former SmackDown Women’s Champion will be looking to make a comeback soon and will aim for the company’s gold again. In February 2019, it was reported that she was dating then-WWE Superstar Andrade.
The couple got engaged on January 1, 2020, and got married in May 2022 in Andrade’s home country. El Idolo joined WWE in 2015 and became a big name in NXT. He held the NXT Championship for some time and won the United States Championship on one occasion.
In March 2021, he requested his release from the company, which was granted by the company a few days later. He is currently performing for Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide and All Elite Wrestling (AEW).