Why was Carmella uncertain of WWE return? Former Women's Champion addresses impact of heartbreaking incident during hiatus

Carmella returned to WWE RAW last month following a nearly six-month hiatus. She last competed in a triple threat match at a house show against Bianca Belair and Asuka in August last year. During the bout, The EST accidentally bumped heads with Mella while attempting a move, thus resulting in a head injury.

Some speculated this to be the cause of her upcoming absence from WWE. However, a few months later, in September 2022, Carmella took to social media to share a heartbreaking update on her pregnancy loss.

In her announcement, the 35-year-old spoke about her medical condition and the overall impact of the tragedy on her and her family. Mella cited the support she got from her husband, Corey Graves, and highlighted the cruciality of being vocal and spreading about ectopic pregnancy.

During a recent episode of the WWE After the Bell podcast, Carmella and Corey Graves disclosed the impact of the incident on their well-being during that period. Additionally, Mella also discussed the uncertainty about her wrestling future and return, claiming she was unsure about what her journey would be like:

"I just wasn't sure what that journey back to the ring would look like. Would I even be able to get my body back to where I needed to be? I wasn't quite sure what it would look like to get back to WWE. Are people going to remember me? Are people going to want to see me back? What does that journey look like? And now looking back, I wouldn't have changed a thing. It really helped me take the time I needed to mentally and physically to get back to peak physical and in-ring condition," said Carmella. [H/T People]

In the week following her return this year, Carmella won the qualifying match to compete in the Elimination Chamber match.

At the premium live event, the former SmackDown Women's Champion was unable to win as she was eliminated by Asuka, who went on to win the battle.

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Carmella brought back her old gimmick after her WWE RAW return

Carmella made her televised NXT debut in 2014, where she portrayed the role of a hairdresser during a segment with William Morrissey (fka Big Cass) and Enzo Amore. Soon after, she formed an alliance with the duo and accompanied them to matches, and incorporated their merchandise into her wrestling gear.

As her character progressed, the former SmackDown Women's Champion wore a cap and baggy pants and moonwalked during her entrance in a bid to showcase the 'Staten Island girl' in her.

In 2020, she was re-packaged with a new, 'untouchable' gimmick where she self-proclaimed to be 'the most beautiful woman in WWE.' Upon her return last month, the 35-year-old brought back her former gimmick and highlighted her nervousness about the reception it would get:

"I had no idea what to expect. I knew how things were run and how things went when I was there before, but everything had changed. The locker room was different, the management is different. How am I going to fit in? How are they going to view me? How am I going to come back? Am I going to come back and be remembered and do what it is that I like to do or is it going to be completely different? I'm so grateful that I am able to return to the moonwalking, trash-talking, Princess of Staten Island," said Mella.

A couple of years ago, Carmella teamed up with Zelina Vega and actively competed in the tag team division. The duo won the Women's Tag Team titles on an edition of RAW in November 2021.

At WrestleMania 38, the duo's title reign was cut short when they lost their titles to Sasha Banks and Naomi in a fatal four-way tag team match.