Former WWE star Layla El recently opened up about the emotional toll of stepping away from the squared circle, revealing how heartbreaking it was to leave behind a career that had defined her for nearly a decade. Speaking candidly on Busted Open Radio, the former Divas and Women's Champion reflected on how walking away from professional wrestling was one of the hardest decisions of her life.

Layla joined WWE in 2006 after emerging victorious in the Diva Search, quickly rising through the ranks to become one of the most recognizable faces in the women's division. Alongside Michelle McCool, she became one half of the iconic duo “LayCool,” and during her run, she captured both of the top women’s titles of the era.

Despite her accomplishments and popularity, Layla admitted that retiring in 2015 was an incredibly painful experience.

“Oh, it was horrible. Because wrestling, I had been doing it for nine years... it became my identity, it definitely became something like, that's what I do, that's who I am, 'cause it engulfs your life so much,” Layla said. “I had a really, really hard time coming to that decision, but I needed to be done. I was getting older, they were bringing in all these new girls, and my time was just up. And I was like, ok am I gonna just sit here and have people looking at me, like, oh when is she gonna quit, or she's such a sad case, look at her, she's still here. I did not want that to be my story.”