Forgotten Wrestling Couples

 

It's February which means love is in the air. Stores are filled with heart shaped candies and ballons, teddy bears are in abundance. And several husbands and boyfriends shaking their head at this "holiday" running their pockets. Besides all that, with Valentine's Day approaching I started thinking pro wrestling couples. 

We have favorites that were or are legitimately  married such as legendary couples like Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth, Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, Bryan Danielson and Brie Bella. Modern day power couples like Bianca Belair and Montez, Brandi and Cody, Miz and Maryse, Edge and Beth Phoenix, Trinity and Jimmy, Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins, and Britt Baker and Adam Cole among many many others in the industry.  

Fictional couples that were favorites like Eddie Guerrero and Chyna, Stacy Keibler and Randy Orton, and Stephanie McMahon and Test along with several others throughout the course of the business. Which leads me down the road of those fictional couples in wrestling that you simply don't remember being an "couple". Whether the storyline sucked, they just didn't click, or through the power of time you don't remember. Here are 10 wrestling couples you forgot About

10. Madusa and Evan Karagais 

In the fall of 1999 when Vince Russo joined WCW, he implemented his "Crash TV" style of wrestling. He decided to pair a young cruiserweight named Evan Karagais with female wrestling legend Madusa.

I'm assuming he took inspiration from American Pie which was a mega hit that year. With the whole Stiflers mom/milf phenomenon. Pairing an older thirty something Madusa with an early twenties Evan. The two had a cougar/cub (not sure if those type of relationships were called that at the time.) thing going on. 

Unfortunately their story reached its zenith with the two battling over the cruiserweight championship. Then later a jealousy angle with Evan flirting with Nitro Girl Spice. During the entire time no one cared and the couple went off into nowhere land of fans minds.

9. Kelly Kelly and  Drew McIntyre 

This storyline actually had a lot of potential but it was very short lived and went nowhere fast. Coming off his "chosen one" run, Drew McIntyre was in limbo in early 2011. He started trying to pursue Kelly Kelly, hoping to convince her despite his demeanor and temperament. He actually was a very nice guy.

She didn't buy into it, and never really gave him a chance. They never really were "romantic" in the story although Drew spent weeks looking for a chance. Since it was so short lived its easy to forget but was a missed opportunity.

8. Layla and Fandango 

Fandango is a very talented wrestler in-ring and when it comes to giving his all to what is thrown his way, he also oozes charisma. He became an WWE sensation after Wrestlemania 29 in 2013 with fans singing and dancing to his theme music. He was shortly paired with Summer Rae as his "love" and dance partner.

In 2014 shortly after Wrestlemania 30, Summer Rae disappeared. Only for Fandango to replace her with Layla El of Laycool. I honestly thought the two worked as a unit, but their love was short term as Summer Rae returned a few weeks later. They bickered over Fandango before both turned on him. Making the Fandango/Layla El relationship a distant memory for many.

7. Ted Dibiase Jr. & Maryse

After Legacy broke up as unit, Randy Orton went to do Randy Orton things. Cody started finding his rhythm first as Dashing Cody and then the masked disfigured Cody (which is underrated by the way.) And Ted Dibiase Jr. just floundered along.

The bright idea was established to make him the million dollar man 2.0 and give him a "girlfriend" in Maryse. They proclaimed themselves The Million Dollar Couple and it just didn't work. They both seemed awkward with one another and Ted severely lacked charisma. The unit didn't last past the summer of 2010 I believe, which is why it's so easily forgotten.

6. Santino & Tamina

Working on this list I realized that in the realm of WWE storylines, Santino was either a player or he got around depending on how one views it. He participated in quite a few romance based storylines with Maria, Beth Phoenix, Emma, and Tamina.

The two played off the opposites attract trope. Santino with his over the top facial and body expressions, while Tamina was always very stoic. She accompanied him to the ring, but their relationship was just there on TV. It ended during the draft in 2011 when Tamina was drafted to Smackdown and he stayed on Raw. Just like that their relationship washed away.

5. Carlito and Torrie Wilson

Carlito then known as Carlito Carribean Cool debuted in the fall of 2004 for WWE. He quickly rose up the card as one of Smackdowns top heels. Arrogant, smug, a trash talking coward everything you want in a heel.

Couple years later WWE tries to switch up his act and make him a ladies man, first with Trish Stratus which didn't last long due to her retiring. Then with Torrie Wilson, and that was a blink and you'll miss it connection.

They had no real storylines together, he didn't accomplish anything with her by his side. They honestly were just there as a unit, which is why many people moved on from remembering they were once an item.

4. Rey Mysterio & Tygress

This couple was during the dark days of WCW, not far from the companies impending doom. An unmasked Rey Mysterio was a member of The Filthy Animals (honestly one of my favorite WCW groups). Vince Russo disbanded commercial break dance entertainment group The Nitro Girls and decided to pair Tygress up with Rey.

Now in my opinion there wasn't anything necessarily wrong with the pairing. They just didn't amount to anything as a on screen couple. Tygress didn't really contribute to his act, and other than sassy movements ringside. She didn't do much, many people also don't remember unmasked Rey Mysterio. Which makes this couple easy to forget.

3. Lana and Lashley

This pairing wasn't that long ago honestly, starting in the fall of 2019. Problem was, it was so bad many people likely choose to forget it happened. The pairing of Lashley and Lana first to get back at Rusev made no sense. The two eventually got "married" in the WWE world.

The storyline just didn't work. It didn't do anything for anyone involved. Thank goodness in May 2020 someone decided to break them up, so we as fans could experience the greatness that was The Hurt Business.

2. Brooke Hogan and Bully Ray

What a good time in TNA/Impact when Hulk  Hogan was still trying to be the center of attention somehow. Anyway during the Aces & Eights storyline in 2012, it was revealed that Bully Ray who was secretly a member at the time was dating Hulk Hogan's daughter Brooke but they were keeping a low profile. Brooke was made quasi famous from the VH1 reality series Hogan Knows Best. 

The two "dated" for a few months on TV before Bully Ray popped the question. In January 2013, the two had their ceremony only to be interrupted by Taz revealing himself as the leader of Aces & Eights destroying the whole wedding.

The two were another awkward couple and their story didn't really fit in the overall narrative of Aces & Eights. Also this was around the time fans started really giving up on TNA and that's why this relationship is often forgotten.

1. Daniel Bryan and Gail Kim

This was a weird time in Daniel Bryan's and Gail Kim's WWE and pro wrestling career. It was the early 2010's, the PG era for WWE. It was both Daniel and Gail's second stint with the company. Before the Yes movement and WWE realizing just have him be the pro wrestling machine he is.

They decided to make him essentially a "geek" lover boy. He started "dating" Gail Kim who began accompanying him to ringside, and rarely wrestled. The story was leading to Daniel leaving Gail for one of the Bellas. Gail however did everyone a favor by eliminating herself from a meaningless match and leaving the WWE. Thus ending the story and the couple in the WWE universe mind.