Carmella Provides Major Update on In-Ring Future

Carmella (real name Leah Van Dale) hasn't had a match in over three years, and she recently provided an update on the status of her already successful wrestling career.

She made her WWE debut back in 2014, and moved up to the main roster two years later. After becoming the inaugural Miss Money in the Bank, Carmella successfully cashed in her contract and became the SmackDown Women's Champion.

After dropping the title to Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam 2018, Mella would move on to form a popular alliance with R-Truth before she was repackaged with a new character in 2020. She later won the Women's Tag Team Championship with Queen Zelina.

Carmella missed a significant amount of time from the ring due to birth of her children, and she subsequently dealt with a bad case of drop foot. She has not wrestled since March 2023, and she left WWE when her contract expired in February 2025.

On a new episode of her podcast, Carmella shared an update while discussing what she has been up to recently.

Carmella confirms that she has retired from wrestling

Speaking on her podcast, Hot Mom Shit, Carmella and guest Laura Clery discussed various topics. Carmella commented on her relationship with her husband, WWE broadcaster Corey Graves, and she stated that she was retired.

“We worked together," Carmella said. "So we met through work. We worked together all the time. I related a little bit to your book, when you were saying our dates were half romance, half business planning. We did that. Luckily, I’m retired now, so it’s definitely a little bit different. But yeah, we met at work."

Carmella then reiterated that she had retired, as she noted that she had children and she was focused on being a mother.

“I was a professional wrestler, so it’s like, I can’t wrestle anymore," she said. "I’m a mom, I have kids. So I’m retired."

She later clarified on her X account that she's felt retired since she first became pregnant in 2023, but teased that she could always come back at some point down the road.

If this is the end of the line for her in-ring career, Carmella leaves behind a noteworthy legacy. In addition to the WWE Women's Championship and Women's Tag Titles, she won the 24/7 Championship, the aforementioned Women's Money in the Bank match, the Mixed Match Challenge, and the WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal.

Carmella also had a memorable run as the manager for Enzo and Big Cass in NXT, and she had an alliance with R-Truth during her time on the main roster. During her heel run, she was one of the top stars in SmackDown's women's division, as she feuded with Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair.

She seems content with the end of her wrestling career, and she gave fans many memorable moments. The Takedown on SI wishes her well in her retirement.

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