Former WWE NXT and IMPACT star Kimber Lee, 32, has announced her retirement from professional wrestling.
Lee been with IMPACT Wrestling since 2020 but had not wrestled for the promotion since late 2021. She noted that her “heart is not in this anymore.” She also said that she is not accepting any bookings for the foreseeable future.
Lee’s statement on Twitter reads as follows:
“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….“
Before signing with WWE for the NXT brand back in 2016, Lee had a successful run in Chikara as Princess KimberLee. She is a former Chikara Grand Champion and a former Shimmer Champion. She held the SHINE Tag Team Titles on two occasions – once with Stormie Lee and once with Cherry Bomb (Allie, The Bunny). She also has wrestled for Combat Zone Wrestling and World Wonder Ring Stardom.
WWE released Lee from her NXT contract in March 2018. She debuted for IMPACT during the May 5, 2020 episode of IMPACT Wrestling on AXS TV.
Lee was married to Zachary Wentz (former Nash Carter in NXT) from 2020 until 2022. Back In April of last year, she posted to Twitter that Wentz physically abused her. She also posted pictures of her black eye and a photo in a second tweet of Wentz imitating Adolf Hitler. WWE released Wentz from his contract just two days later. At the time of his release, he was one-half of the NXT Tag Team Champions with Wes Lee.
Soon after Wentz was released Lee, deleted the two Twitter posts.
Hey @WWENXT this is my face after your tag champ @NashCarterWWE got wasted and hit me so hard he split my lip open. He told me I’m a wrestler so I’m always marked up. I’ve hid this for a year and even forgave him. But I can’t hide it anymore. pic.twitter.com/qdYjcneAwC— Kimber Lee ⓥ (@Kimber_Lee90) April 5, 2022
Just another look into the kind of person @NashCarterWWE is….@WWENXT @wwe I’ve hid so much for so long because I was so mentally abused. Not to mention the countless anti LGBTQIA+ statements him and his family make….. pic.twitter.com/hzDciXr8bR— Kimber Lee ⓥ (@Kimber_Lee90) April 5, 2022
pic.twitter.com/dstS2Nksb5— Kimber Lee ⓥ (@Kimber_Lee90) April 7, 2022