Carmella Addresses In-Ring Retirement, Leaves Door Open For Return
Former WWE Superstar Carmalla has claimed she’s retired from pro-wrestling.
Leah Van Dale, formerly known as Carmella, has been absent from in-ring action since March 2023 after stepping away due to her pregnancy. She subsequently left WWE when her contract expired in February 2025 and has yet to return to the ring elsewhere.
It now appears that we may have seen the last of her inside the squared circle, as Carmella described herself as retired from professional wrestling while speaking on the Hot Mom Shit podcast.
“I’m retired now… I was a professional wrestler. I can’t wrestle anymore. I’m a Mom. I had kids. So that’s kind of like, I’m retired.”
-Carmella
However, Carmella has since taken to X to clarify that she has effectively been retired since stepping away in 2023, while leaving the door open to a potential return in the future.
“lol idk where this is all coming from. I’ve been retired since I got pregnant with Dimitri. Doesn’t mean I can’t come out of retirement though….👀”
-Carmella
Beginning in 2013, when she signed with WWE and joined NXT, Carmella enjoyed a swift rise to prominence, initially as a manager for Enzo and Cass before embarking on her own singles run.
In 2016, Carmella was drafted to WWE’s main roster, making her WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania 33, where she challenged for the SmackDown Women’s Championship, before becoming a regular fixture in the growing women’s division.
It was in 2017 that Carmella broke out further as an emerging star. Despite assistance from James Ellsworth, she became the first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank winner, earning herself a guaranteed opportunity at the championship of her choosing
Carmella held the briefcase for 287 days, which remains the longest Money in the Bank reign to date, making it a staple of her character’s presentation before she cashed in to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship in 2018.
Injuries later in her career led to extended absences before she took a hiatus due to her aforementioned pregnancy and eventually departed WWE. Whether she will return to the ring remains to be seen.
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As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on Carmella’s future and the possibility of an in-ring return as soon as we hear more.
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