5 WWE Superstars who married Tough Enough contestants

Over the past few years, some WWE Superstars have tied the knot with Tough Enough contestants.

Tough Enough was a reality television show where contestants underwent pro wrestling training and competed for a WWE contract. Vince McMahon's company has produced six seasons of the show, with the last airing in 2015.

Several Tough Enough contestants have found success in WWE in the past few years, like John Morrison and Mandy Rose. Few have also found love in the WWE locker room and married other WWE Superstars. Although some of these stars are no longer married, others are still going strong.

Here are five WWE Superstars who married Tough Enough contestants.

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#5. WWE NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa - Jessie Ward

Several years before meeting Tommaso Ciampa, Jessie Ward participated in the second season of Tough Enough in 2002. Nonetheless, she had to leave the competition in the seventh week after being diagnosed with a heart condition.

Despite not winning Tough Enough, WWE hired Ward for backstage roles. She spent a few years in WWE before leaving the company to go back to college.

Meanwhile, Ciampa made a few appearances in WWE in 2005 and 2006 before signing a developmental contract in February 2007. However, his first run with the company ended shortly after. WWE released Ciampa from his contract nearly six months after signing him.

After his WWE departure, Ciampa spent several years competing in different promotions, including TNA. The 36-year-old then returned to WWE in 2015.

Although Ciampa and Ward worked in WWE at different times in their lives, they met outside the company. In an interview with Lilian Garcia, the NXT Champion disclosed that the former Tough Enough contestant had already left the wrestling business when they first met.

"She wasn't involved in the business. She did Tough Enough as a contestant. The next season she became a producer on Tough Enough and then that lended her a gig in WWE for three years as a backstage producer. Then she got out of the business. By the time we met, she was out of the business," he said.

NXT Superstar Samoa Joe was the one who introduced the couple to each other. They dated for a while before announcing their engagement in November 2012. A year later, Ciampa and Ward tied the knot. They now have a daughter together.

#4. WWE Superstar Brian Kendrick - Taylor Matheny

Brian Kendrick signed his first developmental contract with WWE in February 2000. Nonetheless, the company released him in 2001. That same year, Taylor Matheny participated in the first season of Tough Enough.

She finished the competition in second place. However, Matheny did not get a WWE contract. She then started competing on the independent circuit, where she met Kendrick.

In an interview with The Steve Austin Show: Unleashed, Kendrick disclosed how he first met Matheny.

"She did the first Tough Enough. Met on the indie show in Alaska and she was a b*tch and she knows she was. She's just rude when I was trying to be nice cuz I tried to be nice. Met her in Japan. She was living in the dojo. Came to one of the shows. Samoa Joe and I were there. Her and this other lady Melissa were out there. Their boss took us out to dinner," he said.

At dinner, Matheny criticized Kendrick for not drinking. He started drinking and the two hit it off shortly after.

"Next thing you know we are in love. And we grew up in Washington State 40 minutes from each other. So it was meant to be," he added.

Kendrick and Matheny dated for a few years before tying the knot in 2008. While the former Tough Enough contestant retired from pro wrestling in 2003, her husband continued to perform inside the squared circle for several years. He had a few more WWE runs, during which he won two tag team titles and the Cruiserweight Championship once.

Kendrick's last WWE run started in 2017. However, he retired from in-ring action to become a coach and backstage producer earlier this year.

In the past few weeks, the former Cruiserweight Champion entered a feud with Harland on NXT 2.0 after the latter threw him down the stairs. Kendrick recently resigned from his coaching position to make his in-ring return against Harland next Tuesday.

#3. Former WWE Superstar Wesley Blake - Sara Lee

Wesley Blake joined WWE in June 2013 and made his NXT debut in January 2014. Nearly a year later, his future wife Sara Lee participated in the sixth season of Tough Enough.

In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Blake disclosed how he first met the woman who later became his spouse.

"We met at the Performance Center. When Tough Enough was coming out I used to go to a friend’s apartment and we used to watch it. I will never forget when they announced the 11 Tough Enough people. When Sarah came across the screen, I said to the guys, 'I don’t know what it is, but I think she is the most beautiful woman I have ever laid my eyes on.' It was crazy, this was before the show was even a thing. Just by fate, she ends up winning it," he said.

Sara Lee went on to win the sixth season of Tough Enough, alongside Josh Bredl, to earn a $250,000 one-year WWE contract. She then joined Blake in NXT.

"We started talking at the NXT Combine. We were doing some weight room testing. We did the rower and I did so much where I threw up. I was in the weight room, head over a trash can as the girls were about to start, great first impression [laughs]. She was so sweet that later on that night she messaged me on Twitter saying 'Hey I hope you feel better.' And from there it just took off," Blake added.

Lee spent only one year in WWE, during which she competed in only a few matches at some NXT live events. In September 2016, WWE released her from her contract. Less than a year later, she welcomed her first child with Blake. The couple then tied the knot in December 2017. Two years later, they had their second child.

Lee has not competed since 2016. Meanwhile, her husband continued to work in WWE until earlier this year. Last April, WWE released the former NXT Tag Team Champion from his contract. Three months later, Blake and his wife welcomed their third child.

#2. Former WWE Superstar Charlie Haas - Jackie Gayda

Charlie Haas competed on the independent circuit for nearly four years before joining WWE in 2000. He then made his main roster debut in December 2002. Earlier that same year, his future wife, Jackie Gayda, participated in the second season of Tough Enough. She won the competition, alongside Linda Miles, to earn a WWE contract.

Haas was competing on SmackDown in early 2004 when Gayda moved to the blue brand from RAW in the WWE Draft Lottery in March that same year. In an interview with WWE.com, the 2002 Tough Enough winner disclosed that she was in shambles until she met Haas.

"After the trade, I was in shambles. I had all these friends from RAW and now I was going to a new show. I had just broken up with a longtime boyfriend. It was like I woke up a different person. But then I was able to meet Charlie and I was able to get to know him and travel the world together, I wouldn't give any of that back. God does things for certain reasons," she said.

The couple got engaged in September 2004. WWE used their engagement to create a love triangle storyline, in which Gayda and Dawn Marie fought over Haas.

Although the former WWE Tag Team Champion and his fiancée split on-screen as part of the storyline, the couple married in real-life in 2005. Three days after Haas and Gayda returned from their honeymoon, WWE released both superstars from their contracts.

The couple's marriage lasted for nearly 15 years. However, they got divorced last year. In an interview with Hannibal in December 2020, the former WWE Tag Team Champion stated that the divorce was tough for him and the couple's four kids.

#1. WWE Superstar Maryse - The Miz

The Miz kicked off his WWE career nearly 17 years ago when he participated in the fourth season of Tough Enough. Although he failed to win the competition and finished second, WWE offered him a contract.

The Awesome One spent two years in developmental before making his main roster debut in 2006. That same year, he hosted the Diva Search competition, in which Maryse was a contestant.

"Maryse and I met in 2006 when I was hosting a WWE Diva search and she was a contestant. She was picked, but we didn't start dating then. About a year later we started talking after one of the RAW events. I was like, 'Man if only I could get a girl like this. One of these days I will get a girl like this and I will be so happy.' And I did!" The former Tough Enough contestant told Cosmopolitan.

The former WWE Champion and the former Divas Champion dated for several years before tying the knot in February 2014. They now have two daughters.

Miz and Maryse are very open about their relationship. They even have their own reality show, Miz and Mrs. The couple are now active on Monday Night RAW.