Terri Runnels Refused WWE Anniversary Show

Former WWE manager Terri Runnels made a bold initial choice when WWE called her for their big 25th Anniversary of "Raw." She said no, and her reasons show how WWE sometimes treats its female legends poorly.

The story started when Dustin Rhodes, her former on-screen partner, got involved. Rhodes called then WWE boss Vince McMahon with an idea. He thought it would be great if Runnels walked him to the ring during the anniversary show. This idea made sense as they had worked together as a team years ago, and fans remembered would them.

Runnels loved this idea at first. It had been a long time since she and Rhodes appeared on TV together. But then WWE changed the plan completely.

"I wanted no part of that, zero part, zip, nada," Runnels said on "Ring the Belle." 

She explained what really happened. "Here's what's interesting about that. So, Dustin [Rhodes] calls and says, I told Vince that I thought it would be great if you walked me out. So, I loved that, because it had been so long since him and I were seen on the same squared box on the telle."

But WWE had different plans. Instead of letting her have a real role with Dustin, they put her with a group of other female wrestlers from the past. All they were supposed to do was walk out on the entrance ramp and wave at the crowd. That was it.

"And then, he called me back and said ... you're gonna have your own spotlight. It turned out that literally all we women did was walk out and do this [wave gesture], which was sad, made me sad," she continued.

Her reaction shows that some wrestlers won't accept being treated like decoration, even on a big anniversary show. 

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the "Ring the Belle" podcast and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription.