Wrestling Relationship Gaps That Are Pretty Uncomfortable

Hollywood frequently celebrates relationships with uncomfortable age gaps. Mick Jagger and Melanie Hamrick are a couple with over 40 years between them, and Sir Patrick Stewart is 39 years older than wife Sunny Ozell. As the leading provider of the world's sports entertainment, why would we think professional wrestlers would behave any differently? From older stars like Jerry Lawler to younger grapplers like John Cena, it seems age doesn't factor into the choice to start a relationship for many wrestlers.

"Uncomfortable" is a rough range to assume when talking about matters of the heart — after all, these are all adults, many on their second or third marriage, and as Aaliyah once told us, "Age ain't nothin' but a number." So while a gap of even five years may seem uncomfortable to a younger fan, it isn't all that big a deal to folks who have been alive over 40 years, and love can be blind in respect to age. Perspective can be funny that way. Also, let's not forget the charisma these folks have — you don't work the mic for years without developing a little game. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the wider age gaps in wrestling relationships.

Sable was still married to Marc Mero when she met her Next Big Thing, Brock Lesnar. Mero told the story of how he found out about the two while on "The Steve Austin Show." Sable had returned to WWE after both she and Mero left and sued WWE. She was accepted back into the company and Mero was left to take care of his daughter and household while Sable was on the road. However, after a while, Sable's goodnight phone calls happened less and less. After one missed call, Mero left a scathing voicemail for her. He quickly regretted it and, wanting to delete the message, so he "called back her number and punched in her code. It says, 'you have two unheard messages.' And okay, I have to listen to the first one to get to mine and it was another wrestler talking about them two ... I remember thinking, 'when I find out who this guy is, I'm going to kick the living tar out of this man!' And then, I found out it was Brock Lesnar!"

Mero has since forgiven the couple, and Lesnar and Sable have been happily married since 2006. With 9 years and 11 months between them, the Beast and one of the most controversial WWE divas of all time share one of the smaller gaps on our list. They do hold the honor of being the only relationship where the woman is the older of the pair, and that's something!

The most electrifying man in sports entertainment has moved on from WWE to become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, regularly breaking records with his films' box office numbers. Even though "Black Adam" failed to blow audiences away, Dwayne Johnson is still considered to be one of the top leading men in cinema. However, just because Rocky is busy making movies and TV doesn't necessarily mean he hasn't been busy in his love life as well.

Johnson met his current wife, Lauren Hashian, while he was working on the film "The Game Plan" in 2006. Johnson's first marriage didn't work out, but he remains friends and business partners with ex-wife Dany Garcia. Despite a 12 year difference in age, Dwayne and Lauren have enjoyed their lives together, welcoming two daughters into their lives before eventually tying the knot in August of 2019. As he said to People, "I was so fortunate to have fallen in love once. To fall in love again? That's a hard thing to do twice in the position I'm in. I'm one lucky son of a b***h." While The Rock hasn't definitively put his wrestling career behind him, it looks like Dwayne Johnson has successfully done so with his romantic singles career.

While the 16 time WWE champion always looks great in the wrestling ring, even after 20 years and nearly a year off, his personal life seems a little less smooth. His first marriage ended in divorce back in 2012, and even though the initial filings implied Cena may have been cheating, the couple settled amicably. After a somewhat uncomfortable proposal to Nikki Bella at WrestleMania 33, John Cena and Nikki Bella eventually grew apart, partially due to Cena's reluctance to have children, and their relationship ended after six years. Fortunately, both Cena and Bella have since married new partners, and have found happiness.

Cena met Shay Shariatzadeh while filming "Playing With Fire" in Vancouver, where Shay works as an engineer. As he told Entertainment Tonight, "What's truly special about this one is that, no matter what projects I'm involved with in the future, this one will always have a special meaning because I got to film a special project and meet someone special." The couple has 13 years between them, but they seem to have had no trouble navigating that gap. They married in a private ceremony in 2020 due to the pandemic, and had a separate ceremony in 2022 with friends and family.

The Undertaker is known for a lot of things — chokeslams, Tombstone piledrivers, that one time in 1998 when he threw Mankind off Hell in a Cell and he plummeted 16 feet through an announcer's table. He's reinvented himself in spite of being one of the most unique and instantly recognizable characters in all of wrestling. The biographical series "The Last Ride" seems to have really solidified the end of The Undertaker while also giving fans a look at the man behind the corpse he has portrayed for over thirty years. 

In bringing some humanity back to Calaway, it's nice to know that he's had a partner who is familiar with the business. Michelle McCool is a fellow WWE superstar and has been Undertaker's wife since 2010. Undertaker's relationship with McCool was one that the couple had to keep under wraps at the outset, although she told Lilian Garcia on the "Chasing Glory" podcast that "He kind of courted me for a while and people started noticing." Their 15 year age gap feels minimized by the fact that the two shared the same unique profession, and even trained together before McCool's Royal Rumble appearance in 2022.

Kurt Angle is a WWE Hall of Famer and one of the best pure wrestlers to ever enter the squared circle. His run as part of the "SmackDown Six" resulted in some of the best wrestling WWE has ever produced, and the man was talked about with reverence and respect no matter where he was performing. He's had an amazing life and career, starting with the well-known tale of his Olympic medal win while nursing a "broken freakin' neck," as he lovingly puts it.

Angle is married to Giovanna Yannotti, a woman 17 years younger than him. They met while on the set of Angle's film "End Game" in 2009, where Giovanna was an extra. While she was instantly attracted to him, she claims in an interview with Vince Russo (h/t Spock & Christine) was unaware of his wrestling background. She had minor roles in a few other films, and has also done modeling work. However, between Angle's two children from his previous marriage as well as the couple's own kids, she's putting most of her time these days into being a mom. She's very active on social media where she ardently supports Kurt and her kids, and also hosts "The Wives of Wrestling Podcast" with Kim Orton, the wife of WWE superstar Randy Orton.

Sheamus has been enjoying a career renaissance as of late. He's been in banger after banger after banger, even taking part in a match of the year candidate with Gunther at 2022's Clash at the Castle event. He's also heading up The Brawling Brutes with Butch and Ridge Holland, who have joined him in several memorable battles with Gunther's Imperium faction. While he's had numerous accolades and championships throughout his 20-plus year career, it seems like he's been especially motivated to perform lately even though he's getting up there in years.

Sheamus and Isabella Revilla got engaged in July of 2021, while the two were vacationing in Sheamus' native Ireland. The 44 year old Sheamus married Isabella in October of 2022 in a lavish New York City celebration full of men in kilts and several of Sheamus' wrestling pals. Isabella is a doctor, a twin, and a fan of both soccer and the WWE, and the two dated for four years before deciding to tie the knot. As the most recent addition to this list, Revilla is 18 years Sheamus' junior, but the newlyweds are clearly very happy together. Revilla has been very open about sharing the bliss that the couple and their many, many dogs share on social media.

The story behind Diamond Dallas Page and his wife, Payge McMahon, getting "surprise married" in a Tennessee hotel is fantastic. Described in a press release, DDP rented out a hotel and created an invitation for McMahon to a friend's Christmas party. He then invited over a hundred friends to attend the wedding, proposed at the party, and then revealed the wedding was all ready to go! Page invited several of his wrestling buddies to the event, including Rob Van Dam, Marc Mero, nZo, and Big Bill Morrissey.

The couple, who have an 18-year age gap between them, dated a couple years before this clever marriage ambush. Payge is a fascinating person, an avid adventurer who credits her practice of yoga with helping her survive a broken back — twice! DDP, of course, is an avid yoga practitioner himself, having developed his own DDP Yoga system and using it to help several former wrestlers get their lives, and their bodies, in better shape. Despite their age difference, it looks like Diamond Dallas Page and Payge Page (yes, she's Payge Page now) have enough in common to make their relationship last.

Arguably the face of ECW, Rob Van Dam was a mainstay on professional wrestling television for years. His unorthodox wrestling style and unique airbrushed singlets were 90s mainstays, and whether he was battling Jerry Lynn in a Philadelphia bingo hall or taking part in one of many memorable Money in the Bank matches in WWE, RVD was always grabbing the spotlight. The WWE Hall of Famer is still active today, and had a match against fellow ECW alum Rhino as recently as December of 2022.

Katie Forbes is also a pro wrestler with over a half decade's worth of experience, although she's probably best known for her time as RVD's valet in Impact Wrestling. She met Rob at a wrestling convention in 2016, and the two got married in Las Vegas back in 2021, with former WWE Diva Candice Michelle performing the ceremony. Even with 20 years between them, Rob and Katie have a lot of fun together, as evidenced whenever the two appear together for interviews. And with RVD recently launching his own cannabis brand, it appears the pair are living their best lives together.

Bret Hart is as beloved a man as you'll find in professional wrestling. Our current wave of superstars grew up idolizing him, and they show that love with in-ring tributes, pink and black gear, and storylines that play off some of his greatest hits. Sadly, he's endured more than his fair share of tragedy as well, with the loss of his brother in the ring and a concussion that forced his retirement.

Hart was divorced twice before he met Stephanie Washington, and the two married in 2010. Stephanie stood by Bret's side after he was diagnosed with (and beat) prostate cancer in 2016, and the couple also dealt with a skin cancer scare in 2020. While Stephanie is significantly younger than Bret — 24 years younger — she said in the A&E "Biography" episode on Bret Hart that "if anything, I like to joke that I feel like sometimes I'm the 63 year old and he's the 38 year old because he's so young at heart and I'm an old soul." After watching the two together in that interview, it's hard to say that their age gap is terribly "uncomfortable." The two are obviously in love and enjoying Bret's retirement and their time together, and sometimes it's nice to just acknowledge that rather than judge it.

The undisputed poster child for uncomfortable age gaps in wrestling relationships is Jerry "The King" Lawler. Lawler's WWE announcing career is basically an HR handbook in what not to say to women in the workplace, although Molly Holly has since said during a Highspots Superstore signing that she liked Lawler and accepted that "he had a job to do ... to entertain the demographic that was watching the show." Lawler has had a number of failed marriages with shockingly young women. For example, his three year marriage to his third wife, Stacy Carter, was notable for both the 20-year age difference between her and Lawler, but also because WWE firing Carter (she was The Kat or Miss Kitty in WWE) led to Lawler walking out on the company just prior to WrestleMania X-7.

Lawler is currently in a relationship with Lauryn McBride, a woman 39 years his junior. They made headlines in 2016 when both he and McBride were both arrested in relation to a domestic violence charge, although those charges were later dropped. He also had a scare with Lauryn in 2018, when he revealed that he'd had a stroke after getting intimate with her only two weeks before that year's WrestleMania. If there's a reasonable argument against their massive age difference, maybe that's it.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

Matt and Reby (Rebecca) Hardy (also known as Reby Sky) are one of the most unique couples in wrestling, from Matt establishing the "Broken Universe" in TNA Wrestling, which spilled over for a short stint in WWE that involved "Queen" Rebecca and their four children, to Reby's massive TikTok following. The pair have been married for 11 years and are also 11 years apart in age. Reby's professional wrestling journey began in 2011 in Lucha Libre USA and she trained alongside her future husband when she joined Shine Wrestling in 2012. Their romance began and they teamed together across the independent circuit before the pair were signed to TNA Wrestling. She's often posted to her social media accounts about how she was a fan of her husband in WWE while growing up in Queens in New York City and has even poked fun at their age gap.

Reby's social media posts have made headlines in the past, including times when she and her husband have seemingly been on the outs, but these days, she's focusing on making content for her 2.4 million TikTok followers. Their children, Maxel, Wolfgang, Bartholomew, and only daughter "Gothic Baby" Ever often appear on Reby's TikTok and in Matt's social media videos.

While Matt is back working with TNA and is currently a tag team champion alongside his brother, Reby's last match was on "Impact" when she and her husband defeated The System in July 2024. Prior to that one-off match, her final singles match was a DQ victory over Rosemary in August 2016.

Sasha Banks, known to AEW fans as  Mercedes Mone, is a single woman, but she was previously married to WWE costume designer and gear-maker Sarath Ton, and the pair were eight years apart in age. Back in March 2017, Banks told Lilian Garcia on her "Making Their Way to the Ring" podcast that she kept her 2016 marriage quiet because fans were "crazy" and her marriage was none of their business. She noted to Garcia that her then-husband wanted to be public and he was fine with it, so he would be happy to her admitting it in the interview. Banks and Ton met back when she was training to be a pro wrestler in Boston. Ton made gear for Banks when they were in a relationship and has continued to make gear for those in WWE.

It was revealed back in August 2024 that the now-Mone had filed for divorce from her husband. She said on her YouTube channel that she and Ton had separated back in December 2020, which they also kept a secret. Mone said she was happy to finally be signing the divorce papers and was "ready to be free," but was scared of judgment. The former Banks said she kept their separation quiet for fear Vince McMahon might pull the plug before her WrestleMania 37 main event with Bianca Belair.

She noted back in August that she and Ton have a great relationship. She called him an "amazing, incredible guy" and said she was thankful for her, as he changed and "saved" her life.

Hulk Hogan was married to his first wife, Linda Hogan, from 1983 to 2009, when she filed for divorce after it was revealed Hogan allegedly cheated on her with a friend of their daughter's. Linda and Hulk only had six years between them in age, but Hogan's second and third wives are substantially younger than him. 

Hogan met Jennifer McDaniel, a Hollywood make-up artist, following his divorce from his first wife and they tied the knot in December 2010. Hulk was 21 years older than McDaniel and their marriage didn't last, despite surviving Hulk's sex tape scandal and subsequent Gawker lawsuit. Strangely, Hogan failed to publicize the fact the pair got divorced before introducing his third wife, back when they were dating, to the public. Hogan posted a video of himself and Sky Daily meeting Bret Michaels after a concert and in the video, Hogan introduced Daily as "his girl," leaving fans questioning in the comments. Hogan officially announced on X he was divorced from his second wife.

Hogan and Daily announced their engagement in July 2023 and got married that September. Daily is 45 years younger than the "Immortal One." While she appears in Hogan's posts on social media, the former yoga instructor seems to be a more private person.

Former Riott Squad member Sarah Logan, also known as Valhalla, and The War Raiders' Erik also have a gap in their ages, with eight years separating the couple. The pair married back in December 2018 in a Viking-themed affair. Their wedding honored Norse culture and guests in attendance, including Logan's then-teammates Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott, dressed in costume rather than traditional wedding garb. The pair have two children, Raymond Cash Rowe, who was born in February 2021, and Ezekiel Joseph Rowe, born in November 2024. 

Logan was last seen in a WWE ring in an Elimination Chamber Last Chance Battle Royal that was won by Raquel Rodriguez in February 2024. Her last singles match came on January 22, 2024, in a losing effort to Ivy Nile. Erik returned to WWE alongside his partner Ivar, after the pair were both seriously injured, as The War Raiders at the end of 2024. They became WWE Tag Team Champions on "WWE Raw" in December after defeating the Judgment Day.

Nick Aldis and Mickie James have been married since 2015 after they tied the knot on New Year's Eve to end the year. James is the older one in the relationship and is seven years older than her husband. The pair also have a son together, Donovan Patrick Aldis, who was born in September 2014. 

Back in December 2023, the current "WWE LFG: Legends & Future Greats" coach gushed about her husband's journey to WWE on an episode of "Gabby AF." James said that she watched her husband move his entire life to the United States to come over as Brutus Magnus in Impact Wrestling, where she met him in 2010. She said that's where their love story began and since then, she's watched him work hard, but be turned down for many things, including WWE, initially.

In August 2023, Aldis was hired as a part-time WWE producer while working on the independent scene. Shortly after he assumed the role, he was promoted to on-screen general manager of "WWE SmackDown." While he's not competing in the ring at the moment, he called it the "biggest opportunity" he's ever had.

Ric Flair and his most recent partner, Wendy Barlow, are 19 years apart, but the pair separated in September 2024 after Barlow stayed by Flair's side through his serious medical issues in 2017. The pair have known each other since their days in WCW. Flair, who has been married four times, and Barlow were together for 13 years before their separation. They previously split back in January 2022 and revealed to "PEOPLE" magazine at the time they were never legally married, despite holding a ceremony in September 2018.

Flair announced their split on X (formerly Twitter) and said that they enjoyed "13 great years" and experienced their ups and downs. He said they decided to part ways respectfully and he would never be able to thank her enough for staying by his side during his health crisis. In the summer of 2017, Flair was hospitalized for over a month after an intestinal blockage requiring part of his bowel to be removed as well as having a pacemaker inserted to help his heart. His heavy drinking was reportedly a cause of his health issues at the time, but Flair said in October of that year he was doing much better.