5 Wrestling couples who work for different promotions

Professional wrestling is a weird profession to make a living out of. While WWE gives a measure of financial safety to its wrestlers, it comes at the price of a demanding schedule. Even for promotions with lighter schedules, the life of a professional wrestler comes with its own quirks that a person from outside the industry can hardly understand.

This has given rise to a lot of workplace romances springing up among wrestlers within the same company. While it comes with its own challenges, having a partner working for a different wrestling promotion than one's own can be even more arduous.

We have recently seen both WWE and AEW taking potshots at the Adam Cole - Britt Baker relationship on their respective shows. While the NXT Champion's relationship with one of AEW's most pushed female wrestlers was a piece of news that the wrestling world latched on to, they aren't the only cross-promotional couple in the business today.

This list takes a look at 5 wrestling couples that are working for different companies:

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5. Cedric Alexander (WWE) & Big Swole (AEW)

Cedric Alexander is married to AEW's Big Swole

AEW recently did a feature on their female competitor Big Swole, highlighting how she overcame a life-threating inflammatory bowel disease to successfully earn an AEW contract and, more importantly, become a mother. Swole's story is an inspiring one and not many wrestling fans know that she is married to WWE superstar Cedric Alexander.

While Alexander is a former WWE Cruiserweight Champion and currently competes on RAW, Swole has also made some appearances in the company. Under the ring name Aerial Monroe, she appeared on RAW in 2016, losing a squash match to Nia Jax. She was also a participant in the 2018 Mae Young Classic, losing in the first round.

AEW has teased that Swole might be set for a big push in the upcoming months with AEW Women's Champion Riho looking for more challengers for her title. Alexander's condition in WWE seems a bit different, with the small push he had received on RAW seemingly over.

4. Will Ospreay (NJPW) & Bea Priestly (AEW)

Will Ospreay and Bea Priestly have been an item for over 2 years

Will Ospreay is the current NJPW Junior Heavyweight Champion and has been turning heads for many years now with his amazing move-set. Set to take on Hiromu Takahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 14, Ospreay has been consistently ranked among the best wrestlers on the planet for the past few years.

The 26-year-old has been in a relationship with fellow wrestler Bea Priestly for more than two years. Wrestling fans would know Priestly from her appearances in All Elite Wrestling, where she was in a feud with Dr. Britt Baker. She has not been featured in a prominent spot in the promotion, with her last appearance seeing Brandi Rhodes cut off a chunk of her hair.

However, she has an inspiring backstory - she was diagnosed with a brain tumor when she was just 14 years old. She underwent surgery at 18 and is currently cancer-free. Ospreay and Priestly had revealed earlier this year that they would be making Japanese wrestling their priority, which might be the reason for AEW refusing to push her as they should.

3. Darby Allin (AEW) & Priscilla Kelly (MLW)

Priscilla Kelly has a contract with MLW, whereas her husband Darby Allin (right) wrestles for AEW

Priscilla Kelly is a relative unknown to casual wrestling fans. However, she has made appearances in both WWE and AEW during the last two years. She was a Mae Young Classic participant in 2018 and was part of the Casino Battle Royal at AEW All Out.

Known for her gothic and sexual persona, Kelly has been compared to WWE's Paige due to the similarity in their appearances. She has participated in intergender matches and has gained controversy for some spots, which has resulted in critics describing her as the 'female Joey Ryan'. She recently has signed a contract with Major League Wrestling (MLW).

Kelly is married to fellow Evolve alumnus Darby Allin, one of the breakout stars in AEW. Allin rose to prominence with a time-limit draw against Cody at AEW Fyter Fest. He has since been in an AEW World title match against Chris Jericho and also took on Jon Moxley before starting an alliance with Cody on Dynamite.

Both Darby and Priscilla have wrestling personas and backgrounds that are unique and it is highly likely that AEW would use it to their advantage if she indeed makes it to the promotion in the future.

2. Shawn Spears (AEW) & Peyton Royce (WWE)

Spears and Royce married earlier this year

Shawn Spears has had a sort of career resurgence since leaving WWE, with him being placed in a featured spot on the AEW roster. Spears' time in WWE was disappointing to a large extent - especially on the main roster, where he was last used as the lackey to R-Truth.

The company never capitalized on the huge reaction that the former Tye Dillinger drew when he entered the Royal Rumble at No. 10 and Spears was right to ask for his release. AEW paired Spears with Tully Blanchard and the duo has become a solid but unspectacular mid-card act.

If nothing else, that chair shot to Cody at Fyter Fest saw him accomplish more in one night in the promotion than during his multi-year stint with the WWE - which surprisingly started in the developmental territories in 2006, with even some appearances on the ECW main roster in 2008.

Spears tied the knot with current WWE wrestler Peyton Royce this year in August. Royce is one-half of the IIconics and has actually been more successful in WWE than him over the years, famously winning the Women's tag team titles at Wrestlemania this year with Billie Kay.

1. John Morrison (WWE) & Taya Valkyrie (Impact)

John Morrison tied the knot with Taya Valkyrie on 1 June 2018

While he hasn't made an appearance in the WWE after both sides announced that a contract was signed, John Morrison is widely expected to make his return to the company at the Royal Rumble. Morrison was a highly decorated superstar during his initial run with the company, winning the ECW, Intercontinental, and Tag team titles as well as being a co-winner of the Tough Enough competition.

After leaving the company in 2011, he traveled all over the world, winning world titles in AAA, Lucha Underground, and Impact Wrestling - arguably becoming an even bigger star since his departure.

Morrison's wife Taya Valkyrie has been equally prolific, making her name in the Mexican independent scene after WWE released her from a developmental contract in 2011. She has wrestled alongside her husband in Mexico as well as in Impact Wrestling. She is currently in her record 350 + day reign as the Impact Knockouts Champion while also holding the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship.

Alongside Tessa Blanchard, Valkyrie might be the most popular female wrestler outside the WWE/AEW umbrella and she might soon make it to the WWE to be reunited with Morrison.