Carmella Announces Retirement from WWE
Former WWE Superstar Carmella said on her podcast that she is retired from professional wrestling, citing her role as a mother. She had an active WWE career from 2013 to 2023, winning the SmackDown Women's Championship and the first women's Money in the Bank ladder match. She stepped away in 2023 due to pregnancy and has since focused on family and other projects.
Carmella, born Leah Van Dale, entered WWE in 2013 and competed for a decade before stepping away in 2023 during her first pregnancy. Her career highlights include the SmackDown Women’s Championship, a tag team title reign, and winning the inaugural women’s Money in the Bank ladder match in 2017. After her contract reportedly expired in 2025, she gave birth to her second child in October 2025. She now hosts the podcast *Hot Mom S--t* with her husband, WWE commentator Corey Graves, and says motherhood leaves no room for wrestling.
Her use of air quotes around “retired” suggests she isn’t ruling out a future appearance, but her current focus remains family and outside projects. The announcement follows a nearly two-year absence from WWE programming, making her exit from active competition a quiet end to a notable run.
Carmella’s retirement could signal a broader shift in how female wrestlers balance career and family, as WWE has increasingly supported maternity leaves and part-time schedules. Her decision may influence younger performers weighing similar choices, while fans lose a recognizable personality from the women’s division’s growth era. The impact is mostly personal to her and her audience, though it could prompt WWE to revisit how it honors retiring talent.