10 Famous WWE Love Stories That Didn’t Survive The Wrestling Business

Heart Attacks

WWE Heartbreak
WWE

Read it and weep, if romance drama is your thing - Nikki Bella and John Cena have separated after several extremely public years together, in extremely public fashion, just a year removed from their extremely public engagement.

This should act as a disclaimer as to why their private lives are worthy of some public concern. The duo have played the fame game to such a degree in recent years that many were even cynical about the legitimacy of the break-up. Few life events act as well as drivers towards 'reality' vehicles upon which they spawned than relationships hitting the skids. Cena and Bella might be able to turn heartbreaking dating strife into a record-breaking rating life for 'Total Bellas' or whatever other film and television vehicles they attempt to move towards over the next few years.

Assuming for a second though that instead of all that, a real relationship has sadly gone by the wayside, 'Big Match John' and the longest reigning WWE Divas Champion won't have been to suffer defeat at the hands of love's toughest opponent.

The wrestling industry has proven an almost impossible place to foster a successful relationship, with Nikki and John just the latest victims of a winning streak far superior than any ever held by The Undertaker, Goldberg or Asuka. A trail of battered souls and broken hearts remain piled high behind them...

10. Stone Cold Steve Austin & Debra

WWE Heartbreak
WWE Network

Brought together on screen in the oft-forgotten lousy build to one of the greatest main events in industry history, Stone Cold Steve Austin's relationship with Debra wasn't a useful addition to his persona until he turned heel in the match itself.

Made The Rock's manager by a sh*t-stirring Vince McMahon before being binned off ahead the show itself, the former Women's Champion's return to television as a wife as incredulous with 'The Rattlesnake's change in attitude wasn't all that convincing...because she wasn't.

Retrospective reports from those at the time suggest her mere involvement on television was down to Austin's own pull in the organisation. Debra getting "her TV time" was a gift to him, rather than her. Discussing the breakdown of their marriage years later, she noted that the ground down WWE Champion had become extremely jealous and possessive, regularly resorting to violent outbursts that foreshadowed the violence that followed around the time of their separation.

Neither were new to the struggle, either. Debra had split from husband Steve McMichael during their work together in WCW around the same time Austin was parting ways with former valet Jeanie 'Lady Blossom' Clark.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett