Kimber Lee, the former WWE and Impact wrestler, has announced her retirement from wrestling, in a statement released on social media.
Lee shared that she will no longer be taking active bookings, citing her evolving circumstances and goals. She added that she had been working on herself this past year, coming to terms with some harsh realities and learning a lot about herself in the process.
Lee, who had not performed for Impact Wrestling since late 2021, had been with the promotion since 2020. She has wrestled occasionally over the last year, performing for promotions such as SHINE and FEST. Before signing with WWE in 2016, Kimber Lee had a successful run in Chikara, where she won the promotion’s top title, the Chikara Grand Championship, in 2015. Kimber is also a former Shimmer Champion and twice held the SHINE tag titles.
Lee performed as Abbey Laith in NXT until her release in 2018. In 2020, she married Zachary Wentz (Nash Carter in NXT), but the couple divorced in 2022 after Lee alleged physical abuse. Wentz was subsequently released from WWE shortly after the allegations surfaced. Lee revealed she is currently enrolled in Reiki and Meditation teacher training, indicating her future focus on healing.
In her statement, Lee expressed her gratitude for her experiences in wrestling but shared that her heart was no longer in it. She added that she was excited to step into her true self and become something amazing. Lee’s retirement marks the end of a 15-year wrestling career that took her to places and allowed her to see things that she never would have dreamed of in her lifetime.
Kimber Lee’s Statement:
The goodbye that I thought would never come. The mistress that has overtaken my life for the past 15 years. At times, wrestling was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I have been to places and I have gotten to see things that I never would have dreamed of in my lifetime. But at the some time, there comes a point in everyone’s life where things just cannot continue in the same fashion that they have, because circumstances and goals evolve and change.
I originally thought that this was just going to be a break from wrestling. That after some time I would be ready to put my heart into this again and come back better than I have ever been before. But the thing is, the more I think about it, the more I come to realize that my heart is not in this anymore. Kimber Lee brings me instant heartache and anxiety, not the butterflies and joy that once was. There are too many painful wounds that come with going back into this world, and I am not willing to give those wounds my power or dominion over my life anymore.
With that being said, I will no longer be taking active bookings for the foreseeable future. Kimber is going to step away from the squared circle, and Kimberly Frankele is going out into the world, ready to become something amazing. I know I am being called into my healing abilities, and will be continuing to step forward in that space and I would love to have as many of you as I can along for that journey. When you close one door, you give yourself the opportunity to open up any new door you choose. I have lives to change and heal, and this is my first official step into my true self. As the real me.
I love you all so much, and with this, the Princess takes her final bow. Let the curtain fall….
Kimber Lee via Twitter
Fans of Lee have been quick to express their sadness at her retirement, with many praising her for her contributions to the sport. Others have applauded her for her bravery in sharing her personal struggles with abuse and for her dedication to healing and helping others through her Reiki and Meditation training. Wrestling Republic wishes Kimber Lee all the best in her future outside of professional wrestling.
