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Carmella Publicly Calls Out WWE Over Corey Graves’ Treatment

By Monika Thapa • Published Oct 26, 2025 10:30 EDT
Carmella WWE

Carmella and Corey Graves welcomed their second child, a son named Bram, on October 10, 2025. Their first son, Dimitri, was born in November 2023.

The Stamford-based company used a storyline involving Brock Lesnar to write Graves off TV. On the September 13, 2025, the episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Lesnar brutally attacked Graves with two F5 moves during an in-ring segment, causing Graves to be written off the show.

This angle served a dual purpose: it added intensity to Lesnar’s feud with John Cena and allowed Graves to take time off to support Carmella during her pregnancy and childbirth. Graves was off TV for several weeks and made a quiet return to commentary on October 17, 2025, just five days after Bram was born.

Carmella Upset With WWE’s Paternity Leave Policy

Carmella publicly criticized WWE on Instagram for an unfairly short paternity leave policy, as she believes Graves should have had more time to be with his family.

Carmella said, “Yes, he was here for the birth, thank goodness. It just sucked because his paternity leave started a week early, and since Bram was past his due date, by the time he was born, Matt had to go back to work. He had to go back like five days after we came home from the hospital, which sucks.”

“But I guess I’d rather have him leave a little early postpartum than have him miss the birth of his child. So we had to compromise, I guess. Although I still think he should have WAY more time off than just five days after the baby’s born. That’s crazy. But you gotta do what you gotta do,” she added. [H/T Ringside News]

Carmella officially departed from WWE in February 2025 because the company didn’t renew her contract after her first maternity leave. She publicly expressed her dissatisfaction over WWE’s treatment, pointing out that her contract, which was supposed to be frozen during her absence, was quietly reinstated and allowed to expire while she was recovering from complications like drop foot and nerve damage from childbirth.

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