Beth Phoenix may currently be the female voice on the commentary team for NXT, but she is known as one of the biggest female powerhouses to ever step in a WWE ring. She returned to WWE in 2018 as a part-time commentator after being inducted in their Hall of Fame in 2017. She spent many years in the ring that led to her Hall of Fame induction and is a four-time champion.
She recently spoke on Prime Time with Sean Mooney and explained why she chose to leave WWE and her in-ring career in 2012.
“I was really frustrated with where the women were at from a company standpoint and the investment that was being made in us. I felt in my heart I had done my best, and I’d try really hard to change things but, at some point, I just got really frustrated.”
Creative frustrations can be frequent concerns that are heard from many wrestlers. During the time Phoenix left was also a time that women were not utilized correctly. Although women’s wrestling has come a long way in the past few years, frustrations aren’t the only thing that can cause someone to leave the squared circle. Phoenix also explains that the demand of travel and being on the road eventually took a toll.
“Also, all the travel. I had been away from my family for a long time. We buried both my grandparents, my uncle passed away from cancer; I missed so many milestones in my families lives, that I just thought it was time to come home and be with them for a little bit and take a break from the road.“
She continues, “And in that time, Adam’s [Copeland] career as an actor was taking off, and I had just had the baby. I just took that supportive role at home, and I loved it. I loved being a stay-at-Home mom. I followed wrestling, but I had just kind of made peace with, like, that was my career. I’m now a mom, and I’m going to find other things to do with my life.”
Since returning to WWE, Phoenix has participated in the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble match in 2018. She most recently teamed up with Natalya this year to reform their tag team and fought in a Fatal Four-way at WrestleMania for the Women’s Tag Team Championship.
It is unknown how much Phoenix may lace up her boots in the future, but she has made a great home on the NXT commentary team which now airs live on the USA Network.
Credit to Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions.
