Santino Marella met with his career in the WWE in a pretty unusual way. He was chosen from his seat as a fan in the audience by Vince McMahon, to fight Umaga. Marella ended up doing pretty well and was on the map ever since. But in 2014, Marella got out of the ring and focused his efforts elsewhere in the health and wellness industry.
These days, Marella works at the gym that he opened in Canada. His gym is unique in the sense that he created it with the intention of training fellow athletes. If you don’t find him at home at The Battle Arts Academy, you may see him on Sportsnet 360, appearing on shows like Behind the Lights.
Steve Austin Takes Action
Steve Austin is another former wrestler that decided to immerse himself in the world of acting when his time in the ring was up. Austin didn’t so much retire from the WWE as completely walk away from it. In 2002, he started missing shows, claiming that he was extremely tired. Finally, he missed one too many and his character was removed from the roster.
These days, Austin can be seen working alongside major actors, like Adam Sandler, in movies such as The Longest Yard and Grown Ups 2. He has even starred in a couple of his own movies, like 2009’s Damage, and The Stranger from the following year.
Kaitlyn’s Clothes Shop
“Kaitlyn,” whose real name is actually Celeste, began her career as a fitness model, hitting the scene when she was 19. Soon after, she was signed by the WWE and began her new career, developing her in-ring persona. Kaitlyn ended up becoming a Diva’s Champion, once in 2012 and again the following year.
In 2014, Kaitlyn cut ties with the WWE and retired for a few years, before returning for few matches in 2018. The same year she left the company, she started up one of her own when she launched her clothing store, Celestial Bodiez. The year after the opening, she and her ex-husband also launched their own smoothie bar. Unfortunately, the pair split, which caused some ripples in their business ventures.
Rosa Mendes: Entrepreneur
In 2006, Mendes found herself in the top eight of the WWE Diva Search. She was ultimately eliminated from the competition but found herself signed to a developmental contract with the company, anyways. She went on to take over the scene for an incredible decade of in-ring excitement but announced her departure (due to pregnancy,) in 2016.
In 2018, Mendes made public that she would be returning to the ring to partner up with Adam Rose to take on Joe Keys and Gia Scott. She’s also launched her very own health and wellness blog, where she shares her tips and tricks. The website allows her to spend time with her daughter, Jordan Elizabeth.
Alex Riley Jr. Glows
Alex Riley Jr. is a former wrestler who never really found his footing within the WWE. In fact, word on the street is that no one within the company liked working with him. But despite this, if it’s even true, he still stayed with it for about eight years. Even so, his fanbase was never particularly large. In 2012, he lost fourteen consecutive matches and announced an upcoming major surgery, retiring from full-time wrestling for good.
After his knee surgery, Riley made some appearances as a commentator, on shows like Main Event and Superstars. He also transitioned into acting for major shows like the successful Netflix original, G.L.O.W (the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, as it so happens.) But if you’re looking for his name among the others in the line of credits, look for the one he was given at birth: Kevin Kiley Jr.