Former WWE star Carmella has gone into detail about her time with the company and her sudden departure.
On February 21st it was reported that the former WWE Women’s Champion was no longer with the company as her contract had expired. Many were surprised by the news as Carmella did not return to TV after going on maternity leave in 2023. The reason for the extended absence was that the former Women’s Champion was dealing with drop foot, a complication from childbirth.
After promising that she would go into more detail about her shock exit, Carmella made an appearance on the Barely Famous podcast to provide more information. Ahead of the show’s release on March 7th, a trailer was released which saw the former WWE star say that she was “ghosted” by the company and felt like she was being punished for having a baby.
The full interview has now been released with the former WWE star now providing more context on the clips that went viral online a few days prior.
Carmella Tells All About Time In WWE
During her appearance on Barely Famous, Carmella addressed the big points from the past couple of years in WWE. When discussing being under contract while pregnant, the former Women’s Champion stated that she offered to still appear on camera at that time and acknowledged that every woman who has had a child has had a different postpartum journey:
“A handful of women have gotten pregnant while under contract and basically, they freeze your contract while you’re pregnant. They pay you, which is so incredible. They don’t have to pay you while you’re pregnant, and they paid me, and they’ve paid every woman who has been pregnant before under contract. I’m so grateful for that.
I will say, I did offer to work when I was pregnant. ‘Please, I know I can’t wrestle, but let me go on the road. Let me do interviews. I’ll do kick-off shows. I’ll do panels. Let me contribute.’ I didn’t want them to think I was cool sitting at home, getting paid, and not working. They were like, ‘No, stay at home, it’s fine.’ I did, I stayed at home, and they were really cool about it.
Usually, what’s happened in the past with women who have been pregnant under contract is they have their baby, they recover, and every postpartum journey is so different. I don’t want to speak on anyone else’s recovery. Mine was obviously a lot more difficult because of the nerve damage with my foot. I let them know the day I had my son, ‘This is what happened, this is what’s going on,'”
When discussing how she found out about her contract expiration, Carmella noted that while her contract was paused after she gave birth, it was reinstated 7 weeks later without her knowledge. Carmella the says that without any prior warning she received the call that her contract was close to expiration and would not be renewed:
“When I had the nerve damage, [my doctor] was like, ‘It’ll just resolve in like four to six weeks and you’ll be fine.’ Now, months and months are going by and it’s not getting better. I’m getting all these tests, seeing specialists, and I’ve been in touch with WWE the entire way, telling them what was going on and everything like that. Fast forward until a few weeks ago and I got a call saying my contract was up in 10 days.
Basically, what happened was, usually when you’re injured, your contract is on a pause. They take however long the contract is paused, whether it’s during pregnancy, postpartum, or just a regular injury you get in the ring, your contract is paused for a certain amount of time. Then, when you go back to work, however long it was paused for, they tack on to the end of the contract. That’s the impression that I was under.
Come to find out, the way it worked out, my contract was paused for seven weeks after I had my son and then reinstated. I didn’t know. Nobody told me that I only had seven weeks off after my son and that they were going to reinstate it. I basically had a year left on my contract when I got pregnant. When it was reinstated, January 1, 2024, they just picked that date and that’s the date that it got reinstated, January to the following February, which is where we’re at now, it’s expired, and that’s that.”
Carmella reiterated that every woman’s postpartum journey is different with some being away from the ring for five months while others have been away for over a year. Expecting the time away to be added on to her existing deal, the former WWE star added that she was “shocked” that her deal was reinstated after just 7 weeks. Carmella also added that WWE were aware of the nerve damage to her foot.
Noting that she was a big personality while in WWE, Carmella also made the pitch to be the manager of a tag team as she wanted to still contribute despite not being able to wrestle. Carmella noted that while she did receive clearance to travel but not wrestle, there was a sudden radio silence, which was alluded to with her “ghosted” comments in the trailer:
“Ghosted. Completely ghosted. It hurts because I feel I’ve always been a company girl and I’ve done whatever they needed me to do. I represent the company in a professional way and do what is asked of me. I’ve never gone off script or done anything like, ‘Shoot, maybe I shouldn’t have done that.’ I do everything that is asked of me and it feels like a shitty way to end a 12 year career with the company.
“Is it because I’m a woman? Is it because I had a baby? It is because I had a baby, point blank. They weren’t giving me any answers on the phone either. ‘Why? What’s happening?’ They were like, ‘This is just what we’re going with right now.’ I don’t even think they said that, it was just, ‘I’ll put you in touch with legal.’ Legal? I just want to know why this is happening. This doesn’t feel right.”
The former WWE star also brought up that the likes of Big E and Corey Graves were given onscreen opportunities when their in-ring careers came to an end but questioned why she was not offered that opportunity:
“Why wasn’t I afforded those same opportunities? That’s what I keep asking myself because I feel like I have a lot to offer. I have a fanbase, I represent the company well, why wasn’t I given an opportunity somewhere else when I’ve shown interest and shown that I wanted to contribute in any way that I could. They didn’t give the opportunity.
Is it because I’m a woman? I don’t want to keep saying these things but it is 2025 and we still have a long way to go with equality. I think the women there are extremely underpaid compared to the men. That’s just a fact. Everyone there knows it. The women working there know it. They maybe can’t say it because they’re working there. Let me say it.
I’m going to say it and speak up for them because it’s important. There is some work to do, I feel like. I could have done backstage interviews. Just let me contribute. When you’re paying somebody and they’re not able to do their job, let’s find something else. If there was some communication, ‘We know you’re injured and you can’t wrestle right now, why don’t you come back in a few months or when you feel better. Let’s revisit the conversation.’
I wasn’t even given a conversation. Just, ‘We’re not renewing your contract.’ You have 12 days to figure out how to make money and support my family? I was so shocked that I didn’t even really know what was happening. I was so confused by all of it.”
When asked about the possibility of going back to WWE, Carmella responded that she does not believe she is wanted there right now but does not think the door is completely closed:
“Why would you want to be somewhere that doesn’t want you? It’s like you’re in a relationship and someone is trying to break up with you. ‘No, don’t leave me. I promise.’ No, you’re not wanted in that relationship. It’s not for me and I truly feel that door is closed.
I’m not saying forever. It’s not like Carmella may never make another appearance. I think that would be great to eventually put my Jordans back on a moonwalk back out there and be in front of the fans. I think someday, it will, but right now, it’s just not for me. This is the universe’s way of telling me there is something else for you. I’m excited for that.
“I’m not sitting here trying to disparage WWE, but I want to be real honest because it’s 2025 and we still have a long way to go for women and moms and pregnancy and health and all of it. I feel like this conversation needs to be had because, I had a baby and now I’m not working, and that sucks.
That’s just the reality of the situation. I feel like I’m being punished because I had a baby. I wouldn’t change a damn thing. I’m obsessed with my son and this is my life. I would do it a million times over again, but it’s just the reality of the situation.”
When asked about potential improvements that could be made, Carmella stated that she wanted to see more support offered to mums, highlighting that being a pro wrestler is not the same as an office job:
“Moving forward, as moms, I would like more support backstage for these moms. Even if I were to go back, I would have had to leave my son at home with my mom and travel for two days and then come back home. Something put in place where women are able to bring their kids to work and have them be in a safe space and not have to worry about putting them in a hotel with a nanny. This isn’t a normal job. This isn’t like bringing your baby to a desk every day at work. You have to travel all over the world. Some more support for the moms backstage.”
H/t to Fightful.