Corey Graves Says the World Hasn’t Seen the Last of Carmella in Professional Wrestling

Corey Graves has offered a teasing update on his partner Leah Van Dale — better known to wrestling fans as Carmella — suggesting her professional wrestling story is far from over despite her extended absence from the ring. Speaking with Bill Apter, Graves addressed Van Dale’s status directly and left the door open for an eventual return.

“She’s fantastic, she’s fabulous. She’s taking motherhood very seriously, she’s killing it. I don’t think we’ve heard the last of her in this realm. We got some time. She’s got her hands full now though. We’re raising the new Road Warriors basically,” Graves said with a laugh. The couple welcomed their second child in October 2025, adding to an already full household.

Carmella Spent 12 Years With WWE and Recently Teased a Return on Social Media

Van Dale spent 12 years with WWE before her contract was not renewed in 2025. Her last match with the company came in early 2023 following the birth of her and Graves’ first child. Her impressive WWE accolades include the SmackDown Women’s Championship, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship, four reigns as 24/7 Champion, the first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank briefcase in 2017, the Mixed Match Challenge Season 2 title alongside R-Truth, and the 2019 WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal. Van Dale recently posted on social media teasing a potential in-ring return, saying she “didn’t retire” and may have to “come back and show these b***hes how it’s really done” after spotting her Code of Silence submission being used on AEW Collision.