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Mickie James considered quitting wrestling before WWE main-roster debut

Posted: Sep 6th 2026 By: Shounak Chakribarti

Mickie James, 47, once almost quit wrestling even before making her WWE main-roster debut.

Recently, speaking to Wrestling Life Online and Tall Oak Productions, James opened up about how the WWE Diva Search demotivated her from pursuing her wrestling career.

“I’d watched a lot of people get fired at OVW. I’d been there for two years. They had started the Diva Search, and all the Divas were coming down and training and then going to TV. I’m helping teach them how to do headlocks and stuff, and I just had this real moment of, ‘Maybe this isn’t the journey for me,’ because I chose wrestling and did all the sacrifices and finally got the job, and now I feel like I’m not who they’re looking for. Not anything, it’s just I wasn’t who they were looking for.

“I remember talking to [Tommy] Dreamer about it because he was my boss at the time, and I’m like, ‘I think I’m going to quit. I don’t know how much longer I can do this. I’m sitting here, I’m watching my friends get fired. Every female they’re bringing up to the show, they’re not wrestlers. They don’t want wrestlers. So maybe I’m in the wrong place. Maybe I’m doing the wrong thing. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong,'” she shared.

James further added that she took acting and modeling classes to try and fit into the diva mold. However, almost ready to quit, James added that Dreamer gave her some time to think over during the Christmas break. James possibly thought the decision over and chose to continue with the promotion.