Mickie James Believes There Will Be More To WWE-IMPACT Partnership

IMPACT Knockouts World Champion Mickie James believes the WWE-IMPACT partnership, which facilitated her entry in last month's 30-Woman Royal Rumble, is not a one-and-done deal.

Speaking with Denise Salcedo of Instant Culture, James was optimistic that the two promotions would collaborate again in the future.

"I think yes [we will work together again]," James said. "I don't know that it will be immediately, I think this was an opportunity for WWE to test the water, to see if it was something, people talk and they say 'this will be great and this will get a lot of ratings and this will be a big buzz' but until it's actually in front of them I think they can't actually see it."

James also floated the possibility of IMPACT World Champion Moose crossing over to WWE as part of the partnership.

"I feel that now that they see the potential and how much the fans responded to it, the idea of it happening with the men, or with the World Championships, or something like that, now, at least the idea of that possibility and that door is open."

When asked if she was hesitant to return to WWE following the infamous trash big incident, James mentioned how she doesn't wish to be remembered for her unceremonious WWE exit last April.

"It was instantly, 'Yes, I want to do this,'" James revealed. "I think it was the perfect way to step away from the negativity. I just felt that it was unfortunate because I felt that I had a wonderful career in WWE and I got to work with some amazing women and this one thing kinda overshadowed all of it. It was the one thing people wanted to talk about and it was almost like the one think people remembered.

"There were so many magical moments that I felt people should have remembered over that moment. Although it created a significant change, I don't regret putting the picture up, and talking about it and being open about it and being honest about it. However I do think that kinda overshadowed all this work that I had done, and it was unfair. It was unfair to me, and it was unfair to the girls that I have worked with because I loved all of those matches for so many different reasons. But also to be the one to come back in modern wrestling and to break down that ceiling of a champion showing up on another, like the first time another championship has shown up that wasn't theirs or didn't belong to them, that was monumental."

James continued, "To do that for women's wrestling, which is always my first love because that is what I am, it was awesome, it was so great. It was such a great moment, I tried not to celebrate or get too emotional about it, I was full of anxiety, of emotions, of excitement and I just wanted to deliver. I wanted to deliver for myself, for my fans, I wanted it to go as perfectly as it could go and it did, I really believe that. "

Speaking further on her Royal Rumble appearance, Mickie James conceded it would have been "childish" on her part to not return to WWE, albeit for one night.

"For me I felt that it was a very childish and egoistic way to look at it, to go like 'No I don't want to do this because my feelings are hurt,'" James admitted. "I could have done that and that was an ego decision, I would have had to live with that decision. I would have had to take accountability for the fact that I just blew my chance to be the first person to do something in a very very long time and to open this gateway and all of these possibilities.

"This business is bigger than my ego, and my love for this business is bigger than my ego in the sense that this is groundbreaking for everyone to follow and I've always wanted to make a positive change in the business no matter what and this was an opportunity to do this and if nothing else, if this was my last thing on WWE television this would be the last thing they remembered not the latter. That was my reason and if people can't understand that then we just don't think alike and that's okay. "

James added, "I prayed about having an opportunity to reclaim Mickie James and to put respect back on my name and here was an opportunity that was given to me on a silver platter. Why would I turn that down if it was something that I prayed for?'"

As noted earlier, Sasha Banks believes she and James will have their long overdue 1-on-1 match at some point in the future. This led to fans on social media floating the idea of a Banks vs. James dream match at this year's WrestleMania 38.

Check out Mickie James' full interview with Denise Salcedo below.