Christy Hemme, winner of the inaugural WWE Diva Search competition, announced last night during a podcast that she has officially retired from in-ring competition. However, she said she would remain affiliated with TNA Wrestling.
The TNA Knockout explained that she found herself tense and nervous about the possibility of re-injuring her neck during a six-women tag match several weeks ago against “The Beautiful People” on iMPACT!, concerned that she didn’t want to have spent eight months allowing a neck injury to heal naturally only to re-injure it again.
She said: “For the first time in wrestling, I was totally nervous. I knew in that match I was done.”
Hemme informed company officials at the next set of tapings that she wasn’t going to continue wrestling, but asked if they had anything else that they wanted her to be part of. She said while she feels healthy and fine, she didn’t want to put herself into a situation where her long term quality of life would be an issue.
Regarding her future in TNA, she said they were very understanding of her situation and told her they would find her a place in the organization. Fans will still be able to catch the former Playboy cover model regularly on television as she debuted in her new role as a backstage announcer just last week.
To listen to the interview in its entirety, click here.
Hemme broke into the wrestling industry in 2004, winning a contract via the first-ever WWE Diva Search. She debuted in TNA in 2006 after being released by World Wrestling Entertainment and has remained with the company ever since.
*SPOILER* on this Sunday’s “Feast or Fired” match – who’s being REALLY fired? ->