Returning to WWE on September 26, Candice LeRae defeated the then-Nikki A.S.H in what was her first spot of in-ring competition for over a year. ‘The Poison Pixie’ had been on maternity leave, giving birth to her first son the previous February. LeRae had actually left WWE during this time, her contract having expired.
Now back with the sports entertainment giant, Candice LeRae is the latest in a long line of WWE Superstar mothers, following in the footsteps of Becky Lynch, The Bella Twins, and Trish Stratus, among others. That Becky fell pregnant while a full-time WWE Superstar, though, inspired Candice LeRae to ultimately return to the ring.
Speaking on the Ringside Podcast, Candice explained how Becky Lynch’s blockbuster SummerSlam 2021 comeback made her realise that there was potential to grow as a WWE Superstar and be a mother at the same time:
“The women who have done this before me gave me the little bit of courage to comeback. I didn’t know if this was something that was going to be possible. Becky Lynch kind of set a bar really high for us moms coming back because she came back better than ever. Her doing that had me stop and go, ‘Wow, this is really possible. It’s doable and possible. She did it and look at her.’ She came back better than ever.
‘We can do this.’ It’s really awesome. Timing is everything and the timing has been absolutely perfect.”
Candice LeRae Is One Of Several WWE Returns
Returning to WWE after the expiration of her contract, Candice LeRae marked the latest in a long line of WWE comebacks. Karrion Kross, Braun Strowman, Hit Row, and her own husband Johnny Gargano had all returned in the space of a couple of months prior to Candice hitting the WWE main roster stage for the first time.
It’s been noted that WWE has been working to bolster its women’s division, in particular. Although SmackDown has seen the return of Emma and B-FAB, as well as Zelina Vega coming back from hiatus, Monday Night Raw has benefitted the most from this. Alongside Candice have been Dakota Kai and IYO SKY, with Mia Yim the latest comeback on the red brand’s November 7 broadcast.