Carmella has offered another clarification on her professional wrestling future, using a new social media video to further distance herself from the retirement comments that quickly drew attention following a recent podcast appearance.

The former WWE Superstar and Women’s Champion, real name Leah Van Dale, posted a clip featuring the words “Retired? Allegedly…” Her accompanying caption was concise but pointed: “Hope this clears up any confusion…”

The post arrives after Carmella initially described herself as retired while discussing her life as a mother during an appearance on the Hot Mom S**t Podcast with Laura Clery. Those comments were widely interpreted as a definitive statement that her in-ring career was over. Carmella subsequently countered that interpretation on social media, saying that she is not retired and that her foot has healed.

Her latest video does not announce a WWE return, identify a future opponent, or establish a date for another match. It does, however, make clear that Carmella does not want her previous podcast comments treated as a firm declaration that she has left wrestling behind for good.

For more background on this topic, read Adriana Rizzo Reflects on WWE Release, Injuries and Next Chapter.

A Second Public Walk-Back

The uncertainty began when Carmella spoke about the changes in her life and routines since stepping away from the ring. In the conversation, she said, “Luckily, I don’t — I’m retired now, so it’s definitely a little bit different.”

When Clery responded that she loved that Carmella was “retired,” Carmella expanded on the point by connecting it to motherhood and the physical reality of wrestling.

“I mean, it’s — I was a professional wrestler, so it’s like I can’t wrestle anymore. I’m not — I’m a mom. I have kids. So, that’s kind of like I’m retired.”

That phrasing understandably led to questions about whether Carmella was announcing a permanent retirement. For a wrestler who has been absent from WWE competition for a significant period, the statement appeared to many listeners to provide a final answer about her status.

Carmella soon addressed the reaction herself. In a previous social media response, she wrote, “You guys…. My foot is healed. And I’m in the best shape of my life….. definitely not retired 🤑”

The new “Retired? Allegedly…” video reinforces that response. The word “allegedly” adds a playful tone, but the overall message is consistent with her earlier clarification: retirement is not how Carmella currently defines her status.

No Match Announcement Yet

While the clarification is significant, it should not be read as confirmation of an imminent return to WWE television or live events. Carmella has not announced that she has been medically cleared for a match, stated that she has signed up for a particular show, or named a timetable for competing again.

There is an important distinction between saying she is not retired and confirming that a return is scheduled. Her posts establish the former, while the latter remains unknown.

That distinction matters because the initial discussion was centered on the personal changes that have come with becoming a mother, rather than a formal wrestling-related announcement. Carmella’s comments suggested she was speaking broadly about no longer being actively involved in the same full-time in-ring lifestyle. Her follow-up messages, however, indicate that she does not view that period away from the ring as the end of her career.

For now, the clearest reading of Carmella’s public remarks is that she remains open to wrestling again, even though no next step has been announced.

Carmella’s Last WWE Matches

Carmella’s most recent televised WWE match took place in February 2023, when she faced Bianca Belair on Monday Night Raw. Her last known match overall came at a WWE live event in March 2023.

Those dates underline just how long it has been since Carmella last competed. The absence has naturally made any comments about retirement particularly notable, especially given the demands associated with returning to the ring after an extended stretch away from active competition.

During her WWE career, Carmella established herself as one of the promotion’s most recognizable women’s division personalities. A former Women’s Champion, she worked across WWE programming and became known for a character presentation that blended confidence, comedic timing, and opportunistic in-ring strategy.

That history ensures that any potential comeback would generate interest, regardless of whether it occurred on television, at a live event, or through another WWE platform. Still, Carmella’s latest message is a clarification of intent rather than a return angle. There is no indication yet of how, where, or when she could resume competing.

Why the Wording Matters

Retirement has a specific weight in professional wrestling. Performers may use the term casually when discussing a break from regular competition, but fans often understand it as a permanent decision unless it is qualified. Carmella’s podcast wording was direct enough to trigger that reaction, particularly when she said she “can’t wrestle anymore.”

Her later posts have changed the picture. By saying her foot is healed and that she is in the best shape of her life, Carmella presented a notably different impression from the one created by the podcast discussion. The “definitely not retired” wording was already a strong correction. The new video appears designed to make that correction impossible to miss.

At the same time, Carmella has not explained every detail behind the difference between the two sets of remarks. She has not stated whether she was speaking figuratively on the podcast, whether her thinking changed afterward, or whether she simply felt her original comments were misunderstood in context. The public record currently consists of both the retirement language and her later denials that she is retired.

That leaves room for fans to continue speculating, but it does not support treating the podcast comments as a confirmed conclusion to her wrestling career.

What Comes Next for Carmella

Carmella’s video resolves the central question raised by her recent comments: she is saying she is not officially retired. It does not resolve the practical questions surrounding a possible return.

  • There is no announced WWE match for Carmella.
  • There is no confirmed return date for WWE television.
  • There is no public statement detailing her next in-ring plans.
  • There is no indication that she has selected an opponent or brand for a potential comeback.

What is clear is that Carmella has now addressed the retirement discussion more than once. After describing herself as retired in the context of motherhood and life away from wrestling, she posted that her foot is healed and that she is “definitely not retired.” The new “Retired? Allegedly…” post continues that same message in an even more direct, if tongue-in-cheek, fashion.

Until Carmella provides a concrete update about wrestling again, her future remains open rather than scheduled. But based on her own latest statements, fans should not consider her career officially finished.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.