“What do you say, ladies, you made history once again.” Stephanie McMahon said that the women of the WWE roster turned the “Women’s Revolution” into the “Women’s Evolution" and turned the “Divas Division” into the “Women’s Division.” In that statement, the WWE was saying "goodbye" to the old way of representing the female wrestlers of WWE and moving on to treating women’s wrestling in a positive and respectful light, the way it should have been treated years ago. As WWE moves away from these Divas, many former WWE Divas have moved on themselves.
While some of these former "Divas" remain in WWE today, many of the female WWE alumni have left professional wrestling altogether. Many of them have found new careers, returned to the career of modeling that had helped draw them to WWE, while others remain ambassadors of WWE and continue to strongly support the company. With in-ring competition no longer a strain on their bodies, these female Superstars, current and former, can now focus on getting married and starting families. Still, despite many of these female Superstars having recently became parents, some of these athletes have also made returns to the ring after taking their leave. Fans have seen these returns, whether it’s a surprise entrance in the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble or a surprise return to another wrestling promotion. This article is about 15 of these female Superstars who recently became moms and how they look today.
15 Maryse
After years of modeling and winning Miss Hawaiian Tropic Canada in 2003, Maryse Ouellet was found by WWE officials as part of the WWE Diva Search. Maryse didn’t win the search, but she joined the SmackDown brand in 2008 and won the Divas Championship before the year’s end. Maryse would win the title a second time before bouncing around as a manager for Ted DiBiase Jr. Sylvain Grenier, Ryan O’Reilly (aka Konnor) and the tag team of Deuce ‘n’ Domino.
Maryse would be released from WWE in 2010, but during her hiatus, she married her longtime boyfriend, The Miz in 2014. Maryse would eventually return to the company in 2016 to manage her husband, and soon after her return, “The Most Must See Couple” began feuding with John Cena and Nikki Bella ahead of WrestleMania 33. Maryse continued to support The Miz and his “Miztourage” faction before the couple announced her pregnancy.
Maryse took time off from WWE for maternity leave, and on March 27, 2018, Maryse gave birth to a girl, Monroe Sky.
A lot of the pregnancy “drama” is featured on Total Divas and surely more baby talk will be featured in the upcoming Total Divas spinoff, Miz & Mrs. which features the power couple's life leading up to Monroe Sky’s birth.
14 Maria Kanellis
Like Maryse, Maria started as a model who frequently participated in beauty pageants and entered herself into the WWE Diva Search competition in 2004. Maria didn’t win, but WWE signed her and sent her to WWE’s developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling. Maria was eventually brought up to the Raw roster with a ditzy backstage interviewer gimmick. By 2005, Maria was involved in matches but was often used as a jobber. She continued to wrestle sporadically and was used in several relationship angles with Santino Marella and later Dolph Ziggler on SmackDown. Maria remained a memorable fan favorite in WWE, despite never winning a single title, but she was eventually released in 2010. However, her release from WWE actually helped her character and career.
Maria changed up her gimmick, continued her wrestling career in Ring of Honor with her real life boyfriend, Mike Bennett and became the “First Lady of ROH.” The couple took their “power of love” to Impact Wrestling and New Japan, before Maria returned to WWE and brought her “madly in love” persona with her in 2017. In addition, Maria also brought her madly in love now-husband, Mike "Kanellis," who took her last name. However, after only a couple months after their debut, Maria announced she was pregnant, and the power of love was put on hold. In April of 2018, Mike and Maria Kanellis welcomed their daughter, Fredrica “Freddie” Moon Bennett into the world but Maria remains on maternity leave at the moment However, with the birth of her daughter complete, “The First Lady of SmackDown Live” can now return.
13 Sara Lee
Sara Lee is not as well-known as other WWE superstars. She was one of 13 Tough Enough contestants in the show’s sixth season in 2015. Lee had the good fortune of being one of two winners of the contest and was assigned to the NXT developmental brand. She had her WWE in-ring debut in 2016, but the curse of Tough Enough winners unfortunately continued with her. While Tough Enough contestants Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, and Velveteen Dream are still employed and doing quite well on their respective brands, Sara Lee was unfortunately released from WWE later in 2016. Despite her WWE release, she remained in a relationship with WWE superstar Wesley Blake and is continuing her professional wrestling pursuits, currently training at Team Vision Dojo.
While 2015-2016 might be the highlight of her professional wrestling career thus far, 2017 brought Sara Lee and Wesley Blake the birth of their daughter, Piper. The release and pregnancy led to rumors that Lee was released due to the pregnancy, but WWE officials felt that Lee was not progressing in the ring as much as they had hoped, making the near simultaneous pregnancy and release a mere coincidence. Almost seven months later, after the birth of their daughter, Sara Lee and Wesley Blake got married, and Blake remains in the company today.
12 Rosa Mendes
In keeping with the theme, Rosa Mendes was yet another woman who got her start as a WWE Diva Search contestant. Mendes was eliminated from the competition but was retained by WWE and moved to the Raw roster as a huge supporter of Beth Phoenix in 2008. Amazingly, Rosa lasted in the WWE for over ten years, and yet, received zero championships or had any real memorable feuds during her tenure. Rosa started as Phoenix’s “intern” and tagged with "The Glamazon" before being paired with Carlito out of the blue and managing him while disassociating herself from Phoenix. After two more years of pointless feuds and an alliance with Zack Ryder, Rosa went on to manage The Colons, Epico and Primo, before managing Fandango for a brief time, all the while continuing to find herself in forgettable matches.
In August of 2015, with Mendes still in WWE somehow, Rosa announced that she and her then boyfriend, now husband, musician and clothing company owner Bobby Schubenski, were expecting.
Rosa was a WWE.com correspondent for SmackDown but went on maternity leave and gave birth to Jordan Elizabeth in February of 2016.
Rosa would announce her retirement from WWE in 2017 but has since come out of retirement and returned to the ring for MCW Pro Wrestling.
11 Christy Hemme
The fiery redhead, Christy Hemme was the winner of the very first WWE Diva Search. Before the search had ever even started, Christy moved to L.A. to pursue a career in modeling. She accumulated an impressive resume, appearing in music videos and in magazines such as Maxim, Playboy, Rolling Stone, and Stuff. Her modeling resume and sparkplug personality made her a favorite of the inaugural Diva Search, and Hemme would win the competition in 2004. However, the win was bittersweet.
Christy would become a WWE Diva and feud with the legendary Trish Stratus, culminating in a match at WrestleMania. However, not even Trish could carry Hemme, and the match was so horrible, Christy felt she had to apologize to Vince McMahon for it. By the end of 2005, Christy was gone from WWE, but she continued her career in TNA.
In 2006, Christy Hemme debuted in TNA where she wrestled until her retirement in December of 2009. Despite her retirement from in-ring competition, Christy found a new role in the company as backstage interviewer and ring announcer. Christy remained with TNA until April 2016 but found a new role as parent, although she never imagined she would become a mom of five.
In 2015, Christy and her husband Charley Patterson had their first born, a daughter named Charlie Rose. In September of 2017, Christy announced she was pregnant again, only this time with quadruplets. In October Christy announced the names of the babies: Hemme Lee, Jagger James, Quinn Eugene, and Sunni Sue and the quadruplets were born on January 6, 2018, the same exact day as their big sister, Charlie.
10 Reby Sky
Although she is currently the matriarch of House Hardy, Reby Sky wasn’t always so well-known, despite having spent years in the wrestling business and as a model. Reby started her modeling career, posing for GQ, Esquire Magazine, Supermodels Unlimited, and STUFF and even appeared in Playboy being voted Cyber Girl of the week in July 2010 and later Cyber Girl of the Month in November of the same year. In March of 2011, Reby made her wrestling debut under the name “Rebecca Sky” for Lucha Libre USA. Reby eventually went to Shine Wrestling before landing on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2014.
Even in TNA where she gained the most mainstream attention at the time, Reby Sky still had yet to reach her peak popularity. She married her boyfriend Matt Hardy in 2013, and when Matt became “Broken,”Reby became the character “Queen Rebecca” and House Hardy was built.
Together, Matt and “Queen Rebecca” have two children “King” Maxel and “Lord” Wolfgang Xander who were born on June 23, 2015 and June 8, 2017 respectively.
Along with Reby’s real life father who goes by “Senor Benjamin,” King Maxel was used hilariously in Broken Matt Hardy’s bizarre new persona and promos. The popularity of "Broken Matt" led to The Hardy Boyz’s return to WWE as well as the debut of the “Woken” Matt character (an imitation of the Broken Matt character) on Raw in November of 2017. Queen Rebecca has only made a brief appearance in WWE thus far, but a more prominent debut down the road would be “wonderful!”
9 Brie Bella
“You can look but you can’t touch” was their motto when The Bella Twins first entered the WWE. Like most “Divas” at that time, The Bella Twins started as participants for the WWE Diva Search but failed to make the cut. However, their notoriety in acting, modeling and other promotional work carried them into the WWE anyway and Brie and Nikki Bella began training in the WWE’s developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling. Both twins used “Twin Magic” to aid themselves to victory, and both Brie and Nikki would find themselves both capturing the WWE Divas Title. The rest is history for The Bellas as they would continue wrestling while filming for Total Divas and their spinoff, Total Bellas. While both Bellas have seen major success, Nikki achieved just a little more than Brie, winning one more Divas Title reign and appearing on Dancing With the Stars. However, Brie has one title Nikki doesn’t have and that’s “mom.”
Brie Bella began dating Daniel Bryan and the couple got married in April 2014. Brie then went from “Brie Mode” to full “Mom Mode,” as Bryan and Brie welcomed a girl, Birdie Joe, into the world on May 9, 2017. Both Bellas have since reappeared in WWE for the inaugural Women’s Royal Rumble, with Brie not missing a beat.
8 Trish Stratus
Like many of the Divas from the WWE Diva Search, Trish Stratus didn’t have a long resume in professional wrestling. Trish started her career as a fitness model and modeled for numerous magazine covers, much like other, often criticized, “Divas” from the Diva Search have done. However, Trish was an avid fan of professional wrestling and to her luck, she caught eye of WWE though her cover shoots and was signed to WWE in March of 2000. Despite lacking a long wrestling resume, Trish Stratus learned the business very quickly and not only found huge success in WWE but changed the game for women’s wrestling in WWE. Despite extensive efforts to find “the next Trish Stratus” through Diva Searches, it's safe to say there will never be another Trish Stratus.
Stratus retired from WWE in 2007, after winning her seventh and record setting WWE Women’s Championship. Still, Trish continued to provide WWE with 100% Stratusfaction appearing in sporadic matches, such as her match at WrestleMania XXVII and other guest appearances on Raw. She was even a trainer on WWE’s Tough Enough and was entered into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013. However, Trish’s greatest accomplishment was becoming a mom with her high school sweetheart, boyfriend of 14 years and husband, Ron Fisico. Trish’s son, named Maximus Stratus, was born on 2013 and on January 14, 2017, she gave birth to a daughter named Madison-Patricia.
7 Brooke Tessmacher
WWE’s affinity for models with no prior wrestling experience continues with the hiring of Brooke Tessmacher. Brooke, of course, did have a wide variety of experience in modeling and competed in bikini pageants such as Miss Hawaiian Tropic, Miss Swimsuit USA and Miss Hooters, having been a Hooter’s girl for the franchise. Brooke tried out for WWE’s Diva Search, and, despite failing to make the cut, received a developmental contract.
After spending time in WWE’s developmental territory, Deep South Wrestling, Brooke was promoted to the ECW brand in January of 2007. Unfortunately, Brooke’s time in WWE was short, and she was released in the same year. Brooke returned to fitness modeling before joining TNA in 2010. In TNA, Brooke found moderate success, winning their TNA Knockouts Title three times before departing from the company at the end of 2015.
Her departure was in part due to her pregnancy which she announced shortly after leaving TNA.
In 2016, Brooke and her fiancé, Weston Wayne Piper, welcomed their first child, Jace, in September of 2016. Roughly four months after her son’s birth, Brooke returned to TNA in 2017, but has since been released from her contract with the company and hasn’t worked for them since June of 2017.
6 Brittany Beede
Although Brittany Beede had previously worked as a model, she was not a part of the WWE Diva Search. Instead, her first taste of professional wrestling was in 2009 where she valeted Kevin Nash at the TNA pay per view, Final Resolution. For whatever reason, this was Beede only TNA appearance, and she signed with the company Wrestlicious. When WWE saw pictures of Beede for Wrestlicious, WWE offered Beede a contract, and she backed out of the promotion immediately. She joined the WWE's developmental department, FCW, as "Jamie Keyes"and first debuted in development as a ring announcer. She then signed on for the third season of NXT under the training of The Bella Twins, but was eliminated and released from WWE in 2010.
NXT was her last taste of professional wrestling, however, she has since moved on from sports entertainment to nursing. Beede returned to school to earn her master's degree and has given birth to her son, Rhett on August 22, 2017. After her son's birth, Brittany Beede wasted no time working off the baby weight. Her professional wrestling and nursing careers have given her a new insight on health and fitness, and Brittany Beede is now focused on a healthy lifestyle more than ever.
5 Eve Torres
“She looks good to me” and why wouldn’t she? She was a member of the USC Fly Girls dance squad and starting modeling and dancing full time after college. Eve entered herself into the 2007 WWE Diva Search and, not only was she one of the eight finalists, she actually won the contest. Eve was immediately sent to OVW and was brought up to SmackDown in 2008. Eve was traded to Raw where she would eventually defeat Maryse for the WWE Divas Title, a championship she would win a total of three times.
Eve would abruptly depart from WWE in December of 2012, but, like The Bella Twins today, remained a strong ambassador for WWE. In fact, Eve asked for her release to focus on her role as instructor and spokeswoman for the Gracie Women Empowered Self-defense program (of which she is the first female instructor for the academy). She also wanted to focus on her wedding to Rener Gracie, head instructor and co-founder of Gracie University, and to whom Eve married in 2014.
Today, Eve remains an ambassador to WWE and continues as instructor for the Gracie Academy.
Eve and Rener had their first child, Raeven Gracie, in 2015 and in March of 2018, Eve announced she is pregnant with their second child. We're sure she'll still look phenomenal after the birth of her second child.
4 Stacy Keibler
Cheerleader, model, dancer, actress, and add professional wrestler to Stacy Keibler’s resume that is as long as her trademark legs. Keibler was cheerleader for the Baltimore Ravens at the age of 18 and went on to become a WCW Nitro Girl at the same time. After the Nitro Girls disbanded, Stacy debuted her “Miss Hancock” gimmick which earned her immense fan support. Along with Torrie Wilson, Stacy came over to WWE after WCW was bought and became “The Legs of WWE.” Her popularity in wrestling earned her modeling opportunities for Maxim, FHM, Stuff, and Sports Illustrated as well as acting gigs. While “The (former) Duchess of Dudleyville” will always go down as the Diva who “got legs,” she's also got a lovely family as well.
While she did have a wedding (and a real-life relationship) to David Flair of all people in WCW, Stacy Keibler was in a public relationship with actor George Clooney in real life as well. The couple ended their relationship in 2013, and since then, Stacy married longtime friend, now husband, Jared Pobre after a year of dating. On August 20, 2014, the couple welcomed a baby girl, Ava Grace, and the couple is expecting another child which was recently confirmed by Us Weekly.
3 Candice Michelle
WWE almost found their diamond in the rough with former Go Daddy girl, Candice Michelle. Candice was very close to becoming the next Trish Stratus with her popularity among the fans and her improved in-ring skills. Candice would even become WWE Women’s Champion in 2007 and earn The Most Improved Wrestler of the Year that same year. Unfortunately, injuries hindered the success of Candice Michelle after falling of the turnbuckle and legitimately cracking her clavicle in a match against Beth Phoenix. After taking time off to heal, Candice would re-injure herself, shattering the same clavicle during another match. To her credit, Candice finished the match but would be out of action for the next four months. WWE management soured on Candice, and she would be released from WWE in 2009.
Candice Michelle married Los Angeles chiropractor, Ken Gee Ehrlich, and the couple remained married throughout Candice’s WWE career. After WWE, with her in-ring career seemingly over, Candice and Ehrlich gave birth to their first daughter, AkiAnne Rose, born May 23, 2010, their second daughter Ryumi Grace, born October 20, 2012 and once again gave birth to their third daughter Aloha Von Ehrlich, born July 17, 2015. After the birth of her third daughter, Candice returned to the ring in 2017, for Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore promotion where she had her retirement match against Victoria in a winning effort.
2 Beth Phoenix
One half of the “Divas of Doom,” Beth Phoenix dominated the WWE since her arrival to the main roster as “The Glamazon” in July 9, 2007. Phoenix had been wrestling in WWE’s developmental system for roughly three years prior and reached the main roster in 2006, until a legitimate broken mandible took her off Raw for a year. Since her return to Raw, Beth Phoenix had done nothing but dominate the Divas Division, capture accolades and break records. Phoenix won the WWE Women’s Title three times, became a Divas Champion, was one of three women to enter into the Royal Rumble, making her the only person to enter a men’s and women’s Royal Rumble, not to mention she’s in the WWE Hall of Fame and the youngest ever to be inaugurated into its ranks.
While Beth Phoenix definitely had a Hall of Fame career, her personal life is just as noteworthy.
After a previous marriage and divorce, Beth Phoenix entered a relationship with Edge, and in December of 2013, the couple would announce the birth of their daughter, Lyric Rose. In May of 2016, Edge and Phoenix would once again welcome a daughter, Ruby Ever on May 13, 2016 and as of October of 2016, Beth Phoenix can add “mom” and “wife” to her list of accomplishments, after marrying "The Rated R Superstar."
1 Taryn Terrell
Taryn Terrell received her WWE start after trying out for the 2007 WWE Diva Search, which Eve Torres won, and making it to the final eight. Despite not winning, WWE signed Taryn to a developmental contract anyway and was known in WWE as “Tiffany.” She was assigned to the ECW Brand and worked her way to SmackDown, but most of her time in WWE was completely uneventful. She did, however, enter a relationship with Drew McIntyre and the two were married in May 2010. However, a real-life incident involving Drew and Taryn occurred, and Taryn would be released that November. After only a year of marriage, the couple would divorce as well.
In 2012, Taryn would join TNA Wrestling and have the match of her life against Gail Kim at the TNA pay per view Slammiversary. The match was given rave reviews and considered the match of the night by many critics. This critically acclaimed match by WWE’s rival company involving two of their former Divas may have been a wake-up call to the poor state of the WWE Divas Division back then. Rumors circulated that WWE was mildly embarrassed as their Divas Division wasn’t getting the recognition for having the best wrestling. Taryn turned her life around professionally and personally, entering a relationship with stuntman Joseph Dryden and bringing a daughter, Emerson, into the world in March of 2014. The couple were married in 2015 and in December of 2016, Taryn and Joe had their second child, a boy named Rhett.