Mickie James Talks Competing in WWE Royal Rumble as Impact Knockouts World Champion (Exclusive)

Mickie James did something that pro wrestling fans thought they would never see. In January, the 42-year-old competed in WWE’s Women’s Royal Rumble match but was representing Impact Wrestling as Impact Knockouts World Champion. WWE is not known for working with competing promotions, so seeing that was a shock for fans. In an exclusive interview with PopCulture.com, James shared her thoughts about competing in WWE as a champion of another promotion. 

“I didn’t think it would happen for me. I didn’t think it would happen on television. I didn’t think, regardless of what championship it was, in modern-day, I didn’t think that was a possibility, period, of co-branding,” James exclusive told PopCulture. “Just because I’ve been in both worlds and I know how they operate, it’s not like something that I ever thought was actually feasible. That opportunity was so humbling for me. It was really gratifying, on so many levels, because of everything on the last year that had happened, because of how I had felt about myself, even when I left WWE that last time. I was so grateful and I have so many emotions over that night.”

WWE is the biggest professional wrestling promotion in the world, and it’s rare for them to even say another promotion’s name on television. Impact Wrestling is the third-largest promotion in the country behind WWE and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and has had legendary WWE figures on the roster, including, James, Gail Kim, Hulk Hogan, Sting, Jeff Jarret and Kurt Angle during its 20-year history. James is happy she had the represent both WWE and Impact on of the biggest nights of the year. 

“I’m so thankful that I was able to do that, but, also, that both companies respected me and trusted me enough to know that I was going to do it right,” James said. “I feel like, that night, it opened up the door to so many more opportunities for, hopefully, future people. Like we’re currently seeing, Cody Rhodes came back and stuff like that, where people didn’t think that was a possibility before. The business is changing. I think there’s a lot of incredible talent out there, and I’m grateful that Impact seems to have a lot.”