Michelle McCool is the second member of the 2025 WWE Hall of Fame class, joining headliner Triple H.

McCool also joins her husband, The Undertaker, who was inducted in 2022.

The Florida native started her career in 2004 when she competed in the WWE Divas Search.

While Christy Hemme won the competition, McCool was impressive enough to earn a WWE contract.

TEACHER’S PETS

Since McCool is a former teacher, she debuted in that role in 2006 as the manager of KC James & Idol Stevens, the Teacher’s Pets. Stevens was later known as Damien Sandow.

In 2008, McCool returned from an injury as “The All-American Diva.”  She made history by defeating Natalya in a tournament final to become the first WWE Divas champion.

McCool captured the WWE women’s title from Melina in 2009, becoming the first woman to capture both championships.

She lost the championship to Mickie James at Royal Rumble 2010 but regained it one month later.

THE LAY-COOL ERA

McCool formed a friendship with Layla, and after McCool lost the championship to Beth Phoenix, they won the title together by defeating Phoenix in a handicap match.

This led to the comical splitting of the Women’s title, with McCool and Layla each walking around with a title belt that looked like it had been sawed in half.

McCool unified the Women’s and Divas titles by defeating Melina at Night of Champions 2010. McCool and Layla lost the belt to Natalya despite having a two-on-one advantage.

LayCool started to lose their cool and feuded with each other, and McCool retired after losing to Layla at Extreme Rules 2011.

READY TO RUMBLE

McCool has emerged for several brief appearances. She competed in the first Women’s Royal Rumble in 2018 and came back for more in 2022 and 2023.

She also wrestled in a battle royale on the first (and only) all-women’s pay-per-view, WWE Evolution in 2018.

McCool’s versatility and athleticism made her a bridge between the “bra-and-panties match” Divas era and the current landscape, in which women’s wrestling is parallel to the men’s action at the WWE’s largest events.