Mickie James Talks Ronda Rousey Adjusting To The WWE Women's Division
Mickie James spoke with Landon Buford of The Hype Magazine about Ronda Rousey, WWE bringing back Women's Tag Titles, and what goals she has left for her wrestling career. Here are some of the highlights:
WWE bringing back the Women's Tag Titles:
"I hope it is true because I've been saying and asking about bringing back the Women's Tag Team Championships. I know I'm not the only one who's asked about it, but I certainly have been saying we should bring back the women tag team championships. They've been retired for so long, it was in the early nineties when they retired Jumping Bob Angels, The Glamour Girls. I don't know if a lot of people know who these people are but I'm aware because I have been in the business.
"Now they are putting three women's matches on the show, but aside from a personal issue, the only thing that is valuable to grab a hold of is the Raw and SmackDown Women's Championships there can only be one person going after those championships at a time, in the reality of things. So, what is it that will give everyone a different way of fighting and getting more camaraderie and storylines? In the same way that they do with the men who have the tag team championships, the Universal Championship. They have a plethora of championships and storylines to be able to go after where the women only have one per show.
"I think the Tag Team Championships, even if it's just one belt that's then defended on both shows, but you have the IIconics now that are coming up. Think about it like when Layla and Michelle [McCool] were together it would have been a great storyline when they were with the company, or Alicia Fox and I can be the veteran team in the division. It would just give everyone – I think – a different catalyst for things too and ideas from different stories. Storylines could also spawn off from those stories. It would also show how diverse the women's division could be because tag team wrestling is a whole different dynamic. You would be building towards different moments than there are in singles competition."
Ronda Rousey's progression in WWE:
"I think she's come a long way since she debuted on WrestleMania. It's tough because you go from being in the ring with Kurt Angle, Triple H, and Stephanie [McMahon]. Stephanie has so much heat. Fans love her and hate her and want to love to hate her. You're in there with the best of the best and then go from that platform into the women's division, which is a whole other animal of the family. In terms of the locker room and on the road together and us always working together to create these moments and matches. While trying to understand that cycle, but I think she's working hard and she's trying hard. It's a different world for her and I think it's a different dynamic in the sense of that we're all competitive, clearly, but we're also all a family and we all must work together. You are only as good as the person in there lets you be at the end of the day. Hopefully, they are professional enough to let you do that.
"I think that's probably the biggest difference for her, that and to understand that nobody is out to get her. That is the world she grew up in, understandably to become an Olympian or go into the UFC Hall of Fame, and become a champion. That type of mindset has helped her become a household name and bring women into the limelight. I think that she's trying hard and I'm sure that it's a different world for her to get adapted to and she's recognizing that this is a whole different animal. I think she loves it here in the WWE."
Goals she still wants to achieve in wrestling:
"I still want to win the Women's Championship again or twice, not just tie Trish [Stratus'] record, but break it. Now that Charlotte has tied it, I want to tie her as well. I have tons of goals and it would be cool to do a storyline that rivals the way I came in. If I can have one more storyline that is in that echelon with anybody on the roster, I don't only want to say with Trish. I would love to work with Trish. Again, I'm so honored to be able to work with Lita again. I was in her retirement match and I worked with Trish on her last match on Raw. Well not technically. She's come back a few times, but as a talent at the time.
"So, break the Women's Championship record, headline a WrestleMania, add a Tag Team Championship in there and become the greatest tag team champions of all time with Alicia Fox are all goals of mine that I would like to achieve at this point in my career."
James also discussed working with Victoria and more about Trish Stratus. You can check out the full interview by clicking here.