WWE's Kelly Kelly: How It Started Vs How It Ended

Kelly Kelly's WWE debut was a product of its time. Or a time, anyway.

Much of the world and popular culture was beyond the need for the toxically-titled "athletic 10s" by 2006, but Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis made it the only criteria for hiring women as the likes of Molly Holly, Jazz, Trish Stratus, Victoria and Lita were being gradually phased out.

By the middle of 2006, Christy Hemme and Ashley Massaro had won the first two $250,000 Diva Searches, with Layla El well on her way to scoring the next contract. But the actual result was becoming increasingly redundant anyway. The roster was rapidly populated with runners up or those the company would have rather seen progressed by the public, and WWE's rainy day rolodexes were suddenly loaded with new contacts should they require further talent influxes in years to come. A 19-year-old Kelly was discovered by Laurinaitis via one of the modelling agencies he was suddenly well connected to, and offered a developmental contract despite a lack of any wrestling training whatsoever.

This era was in many ways the company's most successful developmental programme - a very specific style was required, the recruitment methods brought a large quantity of contenders, and those in charge of the decisions got exactly who and what they wanted.

But on the newest Diva specifically would the audience agree?

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