Carmella wasn’t invited back to WWE for one simple reason, according to veteran Bill Apter (Exclusive)

Former WWE star Carmella has made headlines recently after openly criticizing how WWE handled her departure. The former SmackDown Women’s Champion claimed that the company simply ghosted her, allowing her contract to expire without communication. However, wrestling veteran Bill Apter believes Carmella’s decision to be so vocal about her exit may hurt her chances of ever returning to WWE.

Bill Apter Says WWE Had No Plans for Carmella

During an episode of Sportskeeda Wrestling’s The Wrestling Time Machine, host Mac Davis and wrestling journalist Bill Apter discussed Carmella’s WWE exit. Apter argued that WWE is a business, and if they didn’t bring her back, it was simply because they had no creative plans for her.

Apter warned that publicly criticizing WWE could backfire on Carmella, making it even less likely that the company would rehire her in the future.

“I think WWE is a company. If the company doesn’t have a plan for you right now, you can take it personally if you want to. But they probably have nothing for her at this point, and to say something bad about the company may make them say, ‘Well, we don’t want her back.'” (From 05:57 to 06:24)

Essentially, Apter believes that Carmella’s outspokenness might have closed the door on a potential return.

Carmella’s Attempt to Return as a Manager Was Ignored

While Carmella was not active in the ring, she still wanted to contribute to WWE in some capacity. On the Barely Famous podcast, she revealed that she pitched an idea to return as a manager but never heard back from the company.

Carmella explained that she had nerve damage and was not medically cleared to wrestle, but she wanted to use her mic skills to elevate another team.

“The kicker is, I offered to go back to work last summer. I was maybe eight months postpartum and I reached out to the head of everything and I was like — I wasn’t sure he knew I had nerve damage, but I laid everything out for him and I was like, ‘I can’t wrestle, but I’d love to contribute any way that I can. Here is my pitch.’ I had an idea of working with this tag team and being a manager. Carmella is a huge personality and I love talking on the microphone, so let me help another team out.” [H/T: Fightful]

However, despite her willingness to return, WWE allegedly never responded, leaving her in the dark until her contract expired in July 2024.

Was WWE Right to Let Carmella Go?

While Carmella had a strong WWE career, winning titles and proving herself as one of the most charismatic female superstars, WWE’s decision to move on might have been purely business.

• She had nerve damage and was not medically cleared to wrestle.
• WWE’s focus at the time was on newer talents in the women’s division.
• They may not have had a storyline that fit her return.

That said, completely ghosting a long-time performer like Carmella raises questions about WWE’s handling of talent departures.

Could Carmella Return to WWE in the Future?

While Bill Apter believes Carmella hurt her chances by speaking out, anything is possible in WWE. If creative finds a storyline that fits, or if Carmella’s public comments spark enough fan support, WWE might reconsider.

For now, though, it seems The Princess of Staten Island’s WWE chapter has officially closed—at least for the foreseeable future.

SOURCE

FAQs