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Summer Rae later said that injury-related inactivity was why she left WWE: she had a C4 bone spur and thoracic outlet syndrome, and she believed she would not have left if she had not been injured. WWE’s October 29, 2017 release announcement confirmed her departure but did not give a reason. The distinction matters: the injury explanation is Rae’s retrospective account, not an official WWE explanation.
What WWE said when it released Summer Rae
On October 29, 2017, WWE announced that it had “come to terms on the releases of WWE Superstars Emma, Darren Young and Summer Rae.” The statement named Rae but did not explain why she was released. WWE’s announcement establishes the date and confirms the release; it does not establish the reason.
What Rae later said about her injuries and absence
The conditions she described
In a 2022 interview on The Sessions with Renee Paquette, Rae said she had a bone spur in her C4 vertebra and thoracic outlet syndrome. She described nerve-related symptoms that could cause shooting pain when she flexed her hand, and attributed the problem to repeated wrestling trauma, saying, “It’s from constant trauma.” These are Rae’s reported diagnoses and her interpretation of their cause, not an independent medical assessment. Wrestling Inc.’s report of the interview covers her account.
Treatment and time away
Rae said she was receiving treatment and going to rehabilitation three to four times a week. Wrestling Inc.’s account of the interview says she had been unable to wrestle for more than a year. In a separate 2021 interview, Rae recalled asking WWE either to bring her back or release her while she was on injury status. She also said she could not remember whether she had asked to return to the road after she began feeling better, and that the hiatus had lasted so long she could not recall her final WWE match. Wrestling Inc.’s report on that interview records those recollections.
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Rae’s view of why the WWE run ended
Rae’s later account connected the long absence to her departure, but she framed the conclusion as her own view: “It was always knowing that I personally think I never would’ve left if I wasn’t injured.” She also described the release as having good communication. Her comments explain how she understood the separation; they do not confirm WWE’s internal rationale.
Did WWE consider other roles for her?
Rae recalled a “really great talk” with Vince McMahon while she was away from wrestling. She said she wanted to be used in an acting or managing role and remembered that he was open to finding a place for her. She also said being at home made it harder to stay visible. This was a discussion she remembered, not an announcement that WWE had assigned or guaranteed her another role. Her 2022 interview account is the source for these details.
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What Rae said at the time—and what it did not explain
In a public statement after the release, Rae celebrated achieving her dream of becoming a WWE Diva and reflected on her six-year run. That November 2017 statement did not give a reason for WWE’s decision. Her injury explanation came in later interviews, so it should not be read back into the original release notice. Cageside Seats reproduced her contemporaneous statement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Was Summer Rae retiring?
The accounts cited here explain her WWE departure, not a definitive retirement announcement. Rae described injuries, a lengthy absence, and her perspective on the release; those facts alone do not establish that she formally retired from wrestling.
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