7 Wrestlers Who Became Too Big For WWE

While it's true that The Rock and Steve Austin emerged as the true superstars of wrestling's most popular era, Sable wasn't far behind them. In 1998, the former valet started competing in the ring, and the beloved babyface soon became a bona fide sex symbol.

Sable's popularity skyrocketed and in 1999 she was featured on the cover of Playboy magazine, an issue that would become one of the most-purchased in the publication's history. It served as proof that pro wrestling was red-hot, and also that the stars of the sport wielded considerable power.

Sable's success reportedly went to her head, and her poor attitude meant she was despised by her peers. After a heel turn, she was stripped of the WWE Women's Championship, and in June of 1999 she quit the company. She would go on to sue WWE for sexual harassment and unsafe working conditions, seeking $110 million in damages. The parties settled out of court.

Despite no longer possessing the "Sable" name, the star appeared in Playboy again later in 1999, becoming the first woman to grace the magazine's cover twice in the same year. She also began picking up acting roles. In 2003, Sable re-signed with WWE, a major victory for a star who had gotten a legal settlement from the company that once hated her.