Mickie James talks WWE run, ageism, trash bag incident
Posted: Apr 29th 2021 By: Bryan Rose
Mickie James spoke at length about her recent run in WWE, her thoughts on ageism in the company, and the trash bag post that led to the release of Mark Carrano.
On the Grown Ass Women podcast, Mickie James talked about the last two years of her career, feeling as if the people in charge wanted her to retire from in-ring action.
“I kept feeling these things of 'we want you to retire. We want you to be an agent.'” she said. “It was what they wanted for me. It wasn't that I wasn't grateful for those opportunities, but at the same time, I see the agents and what they have to deal with and go through. They don't get any of the praise or the thanks that they ever deserve, they have to deal with a lot of crap. I don't know if I could personally handle that.”
“I'm just disappointed as a whole with being made to feel old with Depends and a walker and the whole ageism thing,” she commented further. Later in the podcast, the 41-year-old James brought up that many of the men in the company are as old or are older than her, and they are wrestling for championships.
She at one time pitched an idea for an all-female brand, only to be rejected, with someone telling her that an idea like that doesn’t make money.
“There was this moment where I said, 'What if we do an all-female brand?' I could help lead up that and have an awesome team of women....we have the talent, tools, and facilities, we have everything that we need. It would really help all the girls who aren’t getting the television time. I s*** you not...this one person says to me, 'They're never going to do it, ever. Women's wrestling doesn't make money. Evolution was the lowest-rated PPV ever in WWE. I get what you're trying to do, but I don't understand why you're fighting so hard for it. You should play the cards you're dealt and see if there's a way to incorporate that within a show rather than fight for it to be its own show.'”
James also talked about the opportunities that fell by the wayside, including an angle with Chelsea Green that Green mentioned in a recent interview with Fightful.
“I think we missed out on a lot of moments, whether it was me tying Trish's record and Charlotte tied that and beat me or the Chelsea Green angle. I originally pitched [the angle] way back for Liv [Morgan] because I love Liv.”
Regarding the trash bag incident that led to talent relations department senior manager Mark Carrano’s release, James said she emphasized with him, but doesn’t feel too bad. She also mentioned that she had received her gear back the same way ten years ago when she was first released from WWE.
"I know it wasn't a direct thing, like ‘Hey, this is what we think of you’,” she said. “I empathize with Mark and feel bad he's taking the full brunt, it sucks, but I guarantee his pension package is probably more than what I got paid in my last run in WWE. So, I don't feel that bad. He was not happy in that situation. I'm pissed and I don't want to come across as angry, but it is a direct reflection of everything I've experienced in coming back.”
James was released on April 15. The 90-day no compete clause for her and the rest of those released will expire in July.
Supplemental Information
Spotlight in History
- 1979 Wahoo McDaniel def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 1984 Magnum T. A. def. Mr. Wrestling II for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
- 2006 Justin Lee def. Gary Gram for the NWA-U X Division Title
- 2012 Les Mayne became the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
- 2016 Terry Montana & Mighty Mouse def. Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
- 2017 Sam Stackhouse def. Drake Gallows for the BCW Buzzsaw Title
- 2017 Garrett Murphy def. Anarchy [2nd] for the NAW Lightweight Title
- 2023 Lunchador def. Dr. Corvus for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
- 2023 Rush Freeman became the WAH Heavyweight Champion
- 2023 The Psychotic Messengers (Tank Bryson & Malachi) def. Dark Forces (San La Muerte & Reese) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
Week of Sun 05-10 to Sat: 05-16
- 05-10 2008 Jerry Bostic became the 3DW Violent Division Champion
- 05-10 2014 Billy Ray [1st] def. Running Wolf for the NAW Heavyweight Title
- 05-10 2014 American Made def. Tim Rockwell for the UWE United States Title
- 05-10 2019 Kody Lane def. Latrell Upton for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
- 05-10 2023 Leo Fox def. The Wolf of War for the RDW Iron Man Title
- 05-10 2025 Montego Seeka def. K. J. Gold for the RDW Iron Man Title
- 05-10 2025 Sam Stackhouse def. Jack Talos for the EPW All-American Title
- 05-10 2025 Sgt. Todd became the NAW Openweight Champion
- 05-10 2025 Military Express (Sgt. Todd & Sgt. Hartman) became the NAW Openweight Champion
- 05-11 1962 Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres def. Jan Madrid & Louie Tillet for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 05-11 1976 Karl Kox & Bob Sweetan def. Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 05-11 1981 Ernie Ladd def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 05-11 2008 The Midnite Rider def. Outlaw for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
- 05-11 2008 Limited Edition (Les Mayne & Dane Griffin) def. The South Side Soul Assassins (Tyson Jaymes & 3rd Rail) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 05-11 2013 Billy Ray [1st] became the NAW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-11 2013 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Billy Ray [1st]) def. Pretty In Pink (Mike Rose & Michael Duplanti) for the NAW Tag Team Titles
- 05-11 2019 Drake Gallows became the KCW National Champion
- 05-11 2024 Drake Gallows def. Ronnie Morton for the XDWF New GenX Title
- 05-11 2024 J. R. Orullian def. Marlboro Slim for the NAW Heavyweight Title
- 05-12 2002 Rocco Valentino became the OCW Oklahoma Television Champion
- 05-12 2012 The New Era [2nd] (Richie Adams & Goldeneye) def. The Dramatic Athletes (Jake McCoy & X-Cal) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
- 05-12 2012 Venus became the IZW Queens Champion
- 05-12 2013 The Canadian Red Devil def. Bobby Starr for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
- 05-12 2013 Impact, Inc. (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Shawn Sanders & Tyson Jaymes (substituting for Scott Sanders) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 05-12 2018 Garrett Murphy became the NAW Lightweight Champion
- 05-12 2018 Big Smooth def. Dusty Gold for the NAW Heavyweight Title
- 05-12 2018 Brayden def. Kareem Sadat for the BCW Independent Hardcore Title
- 05-12 2018 Gavin Dixon def. Mikey [2nd] for the BCW Heavyweight Title
- 05-12 2023 Ronnie Morton def. Red James for the RDW Brass Knucks Title
- 05-13 1979 Wahoo McDaniel def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 05-13 1984 Magnum T. A. def. Mr. Wrestling II for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
- 05-13 2006 Justin Lee def. Gary Gram for the NWA-U X Division Title
- 05-13 2012 Les Mayne became the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
- 05-13 2016 Terry Montana & Mighty Mouse def. Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
- 05-13 2017 Sam Stackhouse def. Drake Gallows for the BCW Buzzsaw Title
- 05-13 2017 Garrett Murphy def. Anarchy [2nd] for the NAW Lightweight Title
- 05-13 2023 Lunchador def. Dr. Corvus for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
- 05-13 2023 Rush Freeman became the WAH Heavyweight Champion
- 05-13 2023 The Psychotic Messengers (Tank Bryson & Malachi) def. Dark Forces (San La Muerte & Reese) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
- 05-14 1975 John Tolos def. Al Madril for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
- 05-14 1975 Danny Miller def. Skandor Akbar for the TSW North American Title
- 05-14 2004 Butch Dalton def. Jon Davis for the TPW Heavyweight Title
- 05-14 2004 Devon Monroe def. Mitch Carter for the TPW Light Heavyweight Title
- 05-14 2005 John O'Malley became the IZW Hardcore Champion
- 05-14 2005 Impact Inc. (John Zorthos & Bernie Donderwitz) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
- 05-15 1959 Mike DiBiase def. Dory Funk for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Title
- 05-15 1962 Bull Curry def. Jack Dalton [1st] for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 05-15 1972 Dale Lewis def. Bill Watts for the TSW North American Title
- 05-15 2010 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & Bobby Star) def. Rick Russo for the SWCW Tag Team Titles
- 05-15 2010 Jonathan Cross def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 05-15 2015 Charlie Haas def. Jerome Daniels for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Title
- 05-15 2021 Killbane def. The Canadian Red Devil for the NCWO Oklahoma Title
- 05-16 1981 Eddie Gilbert & Ricky Morton def. Akbar Army (Jerry Brown & Ron McFarlane) for the TSW Tag Team Titles
- 05-16 1983 Chris Adams def. Terry Gordy for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 05-16 2009 Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Bernie D) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
- 05-16 2015 The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) def. Team Bull (Aaron Neil & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
- 05-16 2015 Clint Cassidy def. Mr. Nasty for the UWE United States Title
- 05-16 2015 Brett Stopp def. Fuel for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 05-16 2015 Anarchy [2nd] def. Brett Stopp for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 05-16 2025 K. J. Gold def. Montego Seeka for the RDW Iron Man Title
- 05-16 2025 Drake Gallows & became the RDW Tag Team Champions
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