For a while, Carmella was one of the top villains in the WWE, with her Princess of Staten Island persona perfectly rubbing the crowd the wrong way.
Carmella took a much-deserved hiatus on March 13, 2023, in order to go on maternity leave. On Nov. 8, she gave birth to her and WWE announcer Corey Graves’ son.
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However, her leave has gone on much longer than expected. And according to a recent social media post, it could go on even longer.
Recently, Carmella shared a photo on her Instagram story revealing that she was getting an MRI for a foot injury.
“Back at it,” Carmella said, per JP David of Sportskeeda. “Trying to get some answers for this foot.”
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 24: WWE’S world champion AJ Styles and Smackdown women’s champion Carmella speak at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 24, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 24: WWE’S world champion AJ Styles and Smackdown women’s champion Carmella speak at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 24, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. Robert Prezioso/Getty Images
Carmella had previously spoken on “The Nikki & Brie Show” about recovering from a condition called foot drop, which is “a general term for difficulty lifting the front part of the foot,” per Mayo Clinic.
Carmella went into more detail on Nikki and Brie Bella’s podcast:
“Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with, what is called drop foot,” Carmella explained. “I have an injury from labor and delivery and pushing the baby out. I have herniated discs in my back, which push on this nerve that is connected to my right foot.”
“The top of my foot, it’s hard to lift. I’m literally limping around everywhere. It’s gotten better, but I’ve been wrestling for 11 years, and other than some concussions, knock on wood, never had any injuries. Now, I have a major injury from delivering my son.”
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Carmella first worked as a cheerleader for the New England Patriots for three seasons and then as a Laker Girl from 2010-2011 before signing a contract with WWE in 2013.
Carmella made her television debut with WWE NXT on Sept. 4, 2014, before making her in-ring debut on Oct. 16. She was teamed up with Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady (now Big Bill in AEW).
Despite never winning a title, Carmella was moved up to SmackDown in 2016, soon starting a feud with the Bella Twins and teaming with James Ellsworth.
Carmella controversially won the first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank match on June 18, 2017, after Ellsworth climbed the ladder and threw the briefcase down to her.
She was stripped of the Money in the Bank Briefcase two days later, but won it back on June 27, once again with the help of Ellsworth.
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Carmella held onto the briefcase for a record-breaking 287 days before cashing in on Charlotte Flair for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship. She held onto the title for 131 days.
Carmella has also won the WWE 24/7 Championship four times, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship once with Zelina Vega, and the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal in 2019.
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