Former NXT General Manager Ava surprised many fans last Friday when she announced on social media that she was leaving WWE. After spending years with the company in different roles, she has decided to move on to a completely new chapter of her life, and this time, it does not involve professional wrestling at all.
Ava had been an important part of NXT for the past two years. She worked closely with Shawn Michaels while serving as the on-screen General Manager of WWE’s developmental brand. Before stepping into the GM role, Ava began training for an in-ring career in 2020 and remained with WWE throughout that journey. Her exit has now left NXT with a major leadership gap.
Ava’s exit creates a big opening in NXT
With Ava gone, NXT is already going through a period of change. After Oba Femi moved up to the main roster, the NXT Championship was left vacant. That situation was resolved when Joe Hendry won the title in a dramatic seven-man ladder match.
Now, the focus shifts back to management. Shawn Michaels named Robert Stone as the interim General Manager of NXT. However, the word “interim” strongly suggests that a permanent replacement will be announced soon.
Carmella hints at a possible return
One name that fans did not expect to see linked with the role is Carmella. The former SmackDown star last wrestled three years ago at a house show in Madison Square Garden. Her WWE contract officially expired in February 2025 after it was not renewed.
Carmella has been open in the past about the challenges she faced during that time. She dealt with pregnancy-related health issues and also mentioned that communication with WWE became difficult near the end of her run. Despite all this, she clearly has not shut the door on a WWE comeback.
During the latest NXT broadcast, Carmella reacted on X to a clip of Shawn Michaels announcing Robert Stone as interim GM. Her simple reply, “Hmmmmm,” caught the attention of fans straight away. Many took it as a hint that she could be interested in stepping into the role herself.
Bayley supports the idea publicly
The idea gained even more traction when Bayley joined the conversation. Known for being a lifelong wrestling fan, Bayley often keeps up with wrestling beyond her own matches. She has even spoken about travelling to watch wrestling shows in Japan.
Bayley replied on X in support of Carmella becoming the permanent NXT General Manager. She went a step further by tagging both NXT and Shawn Michaels in her post, openly encouraging WWE to bring Carmella back in a new role. Her support added credibility to the idea and got fans talking even more.
Why Carmella could fit the GM role
If Carmella were chosen, she would join a respected list of past NXT authority figures that includes Dusty Rhodes, JBL, William Regal, and Ava.
Carmella also has previous experience outside the ring. She once spent around a year as the manager and hype woman for Enzo and Cass, showing that she understands character work and storytelling without needing to wrestle.
