Tag: Layla

Former Layla reveals why she dated Cody Rhodes: ‘He was going to be a star’

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

Former WWE diva Layla has opened up and revealed why she dated Cody Rhodes during their time together at the wrestling promotion.

During a recent interview with Sportshadow, Layla said that she started dating Rhodes because she knew he was going to be a star.

“Absolutely 100%, I saw that. I started dating Cody [Rhodes] because I knew he was going to be a star, and he had a lot of dreams, and everything that he told me he was going to do, he’s done it. So congratulations to him because for someone who can tell you their dreams and they’re going to make it happen and they do make it happen, congratulations,” she said. “Of course, I saw it because I wouldn’t have dated him or been with him if I didn’t see everything that people are seeing now.”

However, despite the expectations from Rhodes, he was not always seen as a star or a top name during his first run in WWE. However, it was his development in the indies, AEW run, and WWE comeback in 2022 that actually elevated him to the main-event scene and effectively made him the face of the promotion.

After Rhodes and Layla split up, the 40-year-old began a relationship with Brandi Rhodes, whom he later married and now has two kids with.

Layla reacts to Michelle McCool WWE HOF induction: ‘Truly so happy for you’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Laya is excited to see her friend Michelle McCool join the WWE Hall of Fame.

On Friday, WWE confirmed that McCool will be inducted into their Hall of Fame during WrestleMania 41 week in Las Vegas. The first two inductees confirmed for this year’s class are Paul “Triple H” Levesque and McCool.

The announcement of McCool’s induction was made on ESPN’s Get Up this morning with Levesque surprising her with the news. During her WWE career, McCool had multiple reigns as Women’s Champion and Divas Champion. She’s best remembered for her team with Layla, which included a period of time where they were co-champions together.

“What wonderful news today! No one is more deserving of this recognition and accomplishment,” Layla posted on social media this afternoon. “I’m truly so happy for you, Chelle! Everyone, please show your love to Michelle—she’s incredible and so dear to me. #WellDeserved #Proud”

McCool responded: “Love you so much!!!!”

After taking a break from the public eye, Layla said in December 2024 that she’s now open to a WWE return and would like to have LayCool reunite for an appearance or short run.

Michelle McCool hopes LayCool will be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame as duo

Posted on by Joseph Currier

If she has the honor of going into the WWE Hall of Fame one day, Michelle McCool hopes she’ll be inducted alongside her friend Layla.

McCool told Chris Van Vliet on a new episode of Insight that, if she goes into the Hall of Fame, she would prefer it to be as LayCool instead of as an individual. She feels like LayCool is what really put her career on the map.

“I don’t know. I get that question all the time. It would be an honor. I don’t know — not my call, don’t even know whose call it is. But, I have no idea,” McCool said about a potential induction. “I hope LayCool would go in. It would be an honor to go in as Michelle McCool, obviously. But — think about it — LayCool is what put Michelle McCool really on the map. And I’ll never take that for granted, but [Layla] just disassociated from wrestling for quite some time. And I’ve respected that, but I’d give anything to have a LayCool reunion at a [Royal] Rumble.”

Though it did not happen at the Royal Rumble this year, a LayCool reunion looks more possible than ever with Layla now open to returning to WWE for an appearance or brief run.

McCool said she still keeps in touch with Layla every once in a while. They might not talk every day or even every month, but nothing has changed in their friendship.

Aside from a few sporadic appearances, McCool has been retired from the ring since 2011. The 2023 women’s Royal Rumble was her most recent match. At 45 years old, McCool feels like she could still physically handle being in the ring “at least for a very short amount of time.”

McCool held the WWE Women’s Championship and Divas Championship during her career, including a period of time where she was co-champions with Layla.

Since 2010, McCool and The Undertaker have been married. McCool told Van Vliet that their daughter always brings up the subject of McCool going into the WWE Hall of Fame.

“Well, I appreciate it,” McCool responded when Van Vliet said he believes there’s an easy case to be made for her being inducted. “My daughter asks me all the time. I’m like, ‘Will you hush? I don’t know. I don’t know. Don’t rub it in. I don’t know.'”

The 2025 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony is now only a couple of months away. The only inductee that’s been confirmed for this year’s class so far is Paul “Triple H” Levesque.

Layla open to WWE return, would love to have LayCool reunion

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Though she was previously against the idea, Layla El is now open to a pro wrestling return.

The 47-year-old Layla has not wrestled since 2015, but she recently told the No Name Wrestling Podcast that she would love to come back to WWE and finish off her career. After taking a break from the public eye following her retirement, Layla is now back on social media. If possible, she would like to return to WWE as part of a reunion with her LayCool partner Michelle McCool.

The No Name Wrestling Podcast asked Layla about potentially returning to WWE for an appearance or going after the Women’s Tag Team titles with McCool.

“Yeah, now there is [a chance],” the former Women’s Champion and Divas Champion responded. “Before, absolutely 100 percent no. I was not open to anything, I wanted a break, I wanted to get away. But now, absolutely. Before I get, like, too old and I can’t come back and do anything. Yeah, one more time.

“I would honestly come back to do a LayCool reunion. If that is possible and if that’s something that could happen, why not? Why not? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And — we did, we had a lot of fans when we were together. LayCool was a stable for a while. Like, we were together for two and a half years, I think. So, yeah, I would love to. I would love to reunite with my best friend, I really would. Just one more time. I sure would.”

Layla said she loves Chelsea Green & Piper Niven and would like to have a small run working with them. She also praised Tiffany Stratton as a future star.

McCool stepped away from the ring in 2011 but has made a few Royal Rumble cameos in recent years.

In 2006, Layla received a WWE contract as the winner of that year’s Diva Search. She was a dancer for the NBA’s Miami Heat before entering pro wrestling.

Layla was scheduled to appear at WrestleCade in Winston-Salem, North Carolina this past weekend but had to miss the convention due to family commitments that she needed to be present for.

August 23, 2006 Observer Newsletter: WWE Mexico tour, Diva Search

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The all-time attendance record for Mexico, set by Antonio Pena’s AAA promotion on April 30, 1993, for the original TripleMania, headlined by Konnan vs. Cien Caras in a loser must retire match and co-headlined by Perro Aguayo vs. Mascara Ano 2000 in a hair vs. mask match, is safe for the time being as WWE is downsizing its September tour.

Marco Andere, the head of Showtime Mexico, and WWE promoter in the country, has moved his 9/20 show from the Plaza de Toros in Mexico City, the site where the original TripleMania drew a turnaway crowd of 48,000 fans (although now commonly called 62,000 in history), to the 20,000-seat El Palacio de los Deportes after the card was released and the company did nothing special for the show. The line-up will be the usual house show line-up Raw is doing, with John Cena vs. Edge in a street fight, HHH & Shawn Michaels & Ric Flair vs. Spirit Squad, Randy Orton vs. Kane, Johnny Nitro vs. Carlito for the IC title, Highlanders vs. Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch, Mickie James vs. Torrie Wilson for the women’s title, Harry Smith vs. Umaga and Val Venis vs. Oleg (the former Oleg Prudius). 

Subscribers can read this issue here.