Carmella recently opened up about her departure from WWE during a conversation with Kail Lowry on the “Barely Famous” show.
The WWE superstar disclosed that her contract with the company was not renewed without her knowledge even though she was dealing with nerve damage in her foot. The contract came to an end last month following a prolonged absence due to health-related issues tied to her pregnancy. She talked about her pregnancy journey, the difficulties she faced due to nerve damage, and how she discovered that her contract would not continue.
Below are some interesting points from the podcast:
Discussing her pregnancy, Carmella said: “Under contract, a number of women have gotten pregnant and essentially, your contract gets paused during pregnancy. I was paid during this period, a gesture I will always be grateful for, I had even offered to work during this time. And though I could not wrestle, I was ready to do interviews, kick-off shows and even be a part of panels. But they told me to stay home, and they were incredible in the way they handled it.”
Talking about the conclusion of her WWE contract, she relayed: “Despite my doctor’s assurances that the nerve damage would resolve in some weeks, months passed with no improvement. I was in constant touch with WWE, informing them about my condition. Suddenly, a few weeks ago, I found out that my contract would be up in 10 days.”
Regarding whether WWE knew about her nerve damage, she revealed that they did and it was puzzling that her contract was not extended due to this medical condition. Expressing her feelings about the departure, she confessed: “It was very painful. They were aware of my health situation and I was doing everything possible to recover.”
Discussing her relationship with WWE, Carmella revealed that she felt overlooked. She had offered to remain part of the company in a non-wrestling capacity during her recovery, even suggesting a role as a manager for a tag team. However, after getting an initial positive response and medical clearance for travel, she did not hear from anyone further.
Carmella went on to express her disappointment about being let go and questioned if her being a woman and a new mother played a role in WWE’s decision. Expressing her hurt over the matter, she stated that she feels like she is being punished for choosing to start a family.
Talking about her ex-coleague Corey Graves remaining with WWE, she stated: “It hurts to see that he still has his job, while I lost mine. We both had a baby, it just doesn’t seem fair.”
Regarding whether she might return to the WWE, she stated: “Why would I want to be somewhere I’m not wanted? For now, the door seems closed, but the future is open. This appears to be the universe’s way of directing me towards something else and I’m eager to discover what that may be.”
On improvements needed in WWE, Carmella suggested better communication and more support for mothers. She stressed the need for understanding and support for women athletes who want to start families without risking their careers.
When asked about whether she was worried about speaking up, she replied: “Absolutely not. Speaking up in a situation like this is very important. This needs to be discussed because I feel like I’m not the only one and it is likely to happen again. It’s highly important for women to champion and support each other in such situations.”