Trish Stratus Says Charlotte Flair Is The Perfect Opponent For Final Match

WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus recently spoke with Busted Open Radio and commented on whether it has been difficult to adjust back to life within the wrestling business after starting a family. With her special match against Charlotte Flair taking place tonight at WWE SummerSlam in Toronto, Canada, Stratus admitted that it has been a struggle.

"It's such a juggle," Stratus explained. "I admire someone like Mickie James who has a four-year-old son and is doing it on a full-time schedule pretty much, which I don't know how she does it.

"I'll get a call for an appearance and it's like, yeah, let's do it, but let me check with my kids to make sure they're okay and you forget the logistics that have to happen, but it's the balance. I will put my kids to bed and I've been training from 9pm-12am which is the best time because you are doing things with your family throughout the day. I don't want them to feel that mom is missing.

"It's a little bit more travel and the two-year-old is starting the notice it and there are times where you have to leave and she starts crying but you know, she's fine five minutes later. But it's been exciting energy to have to manage it all and then nail it. I also know that there's a light at the end of the tunnel so I know I can manage it for another five days or whatever."

When performers retire it can be very hard to give up something they have done for so much of their lifetime. Stratus is no different, this Sunday's contest against Flair marks the first time she will have had a singles match on a high-profile WWE event since she won the WWE Women's Championship against Lita at WWE Unforgiven 2006 – subsequently retiring as champion.

The time away from the business gave Stratus to reflect on her in-ring career. Stratus knew that a return would happen, she was just waiting for the right moment, the right match for her sendoff and she believes that this is the perfect match and perfect story with the perfect opponent to finally call it a day on her wrestling career.

"How much more closure can you have than to be away from the ring for this long?" Stratus said. "At that point, it's been three or four years that I have been retired and then I had babies. I mean, what mom would have business wrestling?

"So many moms are on the road now. I heard Mark Carrano [WWE Senior Director of Talent Relations] is going to set up a kids room at one of the big pay per views because it's needed.

"I always said that 'retirement' is a loose term in wrestling, but I always said that if I was going to do something it had to be A) challenging and B) going to do something for someone else. That's when I would consider it, and of course, I love wrestling; it's something that will always be part of me and part of my life even though I don't do it every day.

"So when this came up I was like, gosh, this has to happen. Charlotte and I in the ring you couldn't have put together a better match. I feel like this is a good 'final match' for me because I don't think you can do anything more than this.

"You can't top this match for me and feel like this is a really good ending for me."

Peter Bahi contributed to this article.