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Impact's Mickie James reflects on 'The Last Rodeo,' idolizing Sherri Martel

Posted: Mar 16th 2023 By: Denise Salcedo

Reigning Impact Knockouts Champion Mickie James is enjoying her fifth reign after defeating Jordynne Grace at January's Hard To Kill in a title vs. career match to win the gold.

She will rematch Grace for the title at next Friday's Sacrifice before a four-way title defense at Impact x NJPW Multiverse United the following Thursday if she can survive that match.

I caught up with James for a 30+ minute conversation you can watch above.

Prior to winning the title, she embarked on her self-titled "Last Rodeo" where she would retire the next time she lost unless she won the Knockouts title. That stretch saw her have some top notch-matches with former champions such as Mia Yim and Taylor Wilde.

While James has had a few runs in Impact dating back to 2002, her most recent stint with the company commenced during the summer of 2021 at Slammiversary after she had previously been released by WWE in the spring.

"I came back to Impact with one goal and that was for Empower. That was to find a way to celebrate women's wrestling and make it this really united cause across the board from company to company to really celebrate their women and to prove that women could deliver and in an element when given the proper opportunities," she said. "I was in a very transitional phase of, 'OK, well, what else can I prove in the ring?' I have been able to do it all. I have been very blessed. I have had a very illustrious career. I have done more than I ever imagined and and I am very grateful for that."

While James has always been at the top of her game, she did recall questioning whether or not she could compete with the current women.

"...There was this opportunity to come in and fight for the championship. And at the time, I wasn't for sure that I could still (go). The women are killing it across the board everywhere you go. And I was like, 'Can I still hang with this group and do I want to?' Because, it's a task and not just a task on a physical level, but on an emotional level of mine."

One of the things about James and her matches is she always does something different and it always feels unique to the opponent.

"My style, like "Hardcore Country," is very adaptable. But you're going to have a different style match with every person that you're in there with because there's different stories and they are very different athletes between their moveset or how they just move out there. I always want to tell that story or be able to build that and make sure that everyone shines in that match no matter who. You're only as good as the person that you're standing across the ring from ever."