Mickie James On Almost Debuting With CM Punk, Accidentally Winning A Title At A WWE Live Event
2020 marks Mickie James' fourth decade in pro wrestling after she made her debut in 1999. She joined WWE in 2003 where she worked in their developmental territory at the same time CM Punk came on board and also joined Ohio Valley Wrestling before making it to the main roster.
Those two debuted in WWE at different times but that almost wasn't the case. James revealed that she and Punk were almost put into a team together when she joined Ring The Belle.
"He and I have definitely had that conversation a long time ago on a tour bus, just how ironic it was," recalled James. "Because I would say that it was before I left, and so he really hadn't even reached his peak at that point. He was already getting super-over in his own right but think about how different our careers may have gone in our intro on Sunday Night Heat. Who's to say?"
James is a six-time champion in WWE but one of those wasn't supposed to happen. At a live event in 2007 James took part in a triple-threat match along with Victoria and then-champion Melina. James ended up pinning Victoria for the victory, and thus the title, and everyone involved appeared surprised at the three-count.
WWE quickly made an audible and scheduled another match at that same event in which Melina then pinned James to regain her title. It is the shortest Women's Championship reign in WWE history and James recalled that match.
"What happened in Paris, I don't know if I should speak because there were three parts, four parts to this match including the referee. Five if we include [agent] Ricky Steamboat," stated James. "It was obviously a triple threat match and Melina was the champion. [Victoria] was out there and I made the cover and the three-count happened. It was like the championship was not heard around the world. It is in the history books though because I demanded it."
One of the most controversial storylines that James had to endure was when WWE poked fun at her weight and had LayCool call her Piggy James. Bullying angles in WWE is nothing new and James admits that it was tough for everyone involved in the storyline.
"It was hard at the moment and I think it was hard for everyone in order to do it. There would be times I was like, 'Oh I think this might be a little too far.' But I will say the end goal was to get Michelle and Layla over as monster heels ? and as the big heels ? and I think it was very successful in that retrospect. I think that for a generation of people, especially now with speaking out and anti-bullying, it's given people the power of their voice because words are so powerful," said James.