Mickie James is in the news a lot recently. Not only is she serving as Executive Producer for NWA’s first-ever all-women’s pay-per-view, Empowerrr, but she is very vocal about her former employer, WWE.
Since leaving WWE, James spoke candidly about her last run with the company. James was a guest on Insight with Chris Van Vliet and talked about wanting to end her career but felt there was no interest from the promotion.
The legendary wrestler returned to WWE in 2017 after a seven-year absence. During her original run with the promotion, James was an iconic part of the women’s division and became a six-time women’s champion.
But her second run in WWE left a lot to be desired. The run was nowhere near as good as she deserved due to how WWE booked and treated her.
During the interview, James revealed that she attempted to pitch multiple ideas, but was cut off whenever she tried.
Here’s what James had to say;
“Yeah, I don’t think me getting my stuff in a trash bag was the point. I would say it was on par with everything I have tried in the last 2 years of my career. I tried everything in my space to pitch, I felt like I was cut off at every turn. There was a lot of things that happened in the last 2 years that really made me feel that I was being humbled along the way. No, you don’t deserve a retirement match.
I wasn’t upset at being a producer, I love to help younger talent. I don’t want to wrestle forever either. This run was going to be my last run. All I wanted was this one moment, I didn’t want to win the championship. I just wanted to bow out gracefully, but I felt like there was zero interest. But then trying different thing like commentary or trainer in NXT. It’s not that people don’t like women’s wrestling, it’s that it is too much for the company. There was an opportunity to capitalize on the movement, but instead, it was ehh.”
The interview inevitably turned to he her recent release from WWE. James explained her surprise as she thought she end her career WWE.
James added;
“I think that surprised is a word that is thrown around. I don’t think I am ever surprised at anything. It’s hard to have expectations because nothing ever goes according to your plan. But I thought I would wrap my career there [WWE]. I was so grateful to be able to go back and wrap up my story and bow out in a good graces kind of way. I felt like the first time I left was on such weird terms. And I did some amazing stuff when I came back. But it wasn’t shocking, because I was kind of in this space where I felt it kind of coming. I can’t explain why but I just did, and it felt disheartening. It was disappointing more than anything.”
WWE released Mickie James after WrestleMania 37 along with Chelsea Green and The IIconics.
h/t to Inside The Ropes for the transcript.
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