Money in the Bank’s broadcast on pay-per-view and the WWE Network kicked off with a tribute to Massaro.

Ashley died aged just 39 in a suspected suicide at her home in New York. 

She was best known for being the winner of the 2005 Diva Search – a on-air competition to find a new female wrestler. 

The star ended up going head-to-head against Melina for the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 23.

She was also a cover star of Playboy in 2007, before leaving WWE in 2008.

WWE also shared the tribute to Massaro on their Twitter account – which was liked more than 3,000 times in less than 15 minutes.

One fan wrote “still so sad about this RIP Ashley” and another added “rest easy beautiful”. 

Dozens of others replied with messages of RIP in tribute to the popular diva. 

Ashley returned to professional wrestling on the independent scene briefly in 2017. 

She also had a career as a model and TV star away from the firm, appearing on Survivor. 

Elsewhere on the card, WWE’s annual Money in the Bank ladder match sees men and women compete for the coveted briefcase.

Suspended above the ring, the briefcase contains a contract for a title match of the wrestler’s choice at any time or place.

It was instituted in 2005 with the first match at WrestleMania 21, and is credited as being the brainchild of WWE legend Chris Jericho.

Edge was the inaugural winner, successfully cashing it in 280 days later to win his first WWE Championship from John Cena.

Money in the Bank’s winners is a who’s who of WWE greats including names like Rob Van Dam, Randy Orton, Kane and Daniel Bryan. 

CM Punk is the only man to have won the Money in the Bank match twice, but Edge managed to hold the briefcase twice after winning it from Mr Kennedy. 

WWE turned the popular match type into a pay-per-view event in 2010, with both a SmackDown and Raw contract up for grabs – going back to a single case format in 2014. 

And in 2017, WWE introduced the Women’s Money in the Bank – which has been won by Carmella and Alexa Bliss. 

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