Mickie James is a legend when it comes to women’s professional wrestling.
She performed in the National Wrestling Alliance, Ring of Honor, Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling before breaking out with WWE in 2005.
James had a lasting and memorable career with WWE, with her first stint ending in 2010 and her second stint ending in 2021. She was a five-time WWE women’s champion and one-time WWE Divas champion. She was in TNA, Global Force Wrestling and a few other indie promotions in between runs with WWE.
James’ vast experience in professional wrestling made her the perfect choice as a coach in the upcoming television show “WWE Legends and Future Greats,” also known as “WWE LFG.”
The reality show, which premieres on Sunday, will see James, The Undertaker, Booker T and Bubba Ray Dudley mentor the next generation of wrestling superstars. Viewers will get an inside look at what it takes to make it in the business.
James told Fox News Digital in a recent interview it was quite difficult to determine what type of characteristics she looked for in a pro wrestler given a competitor’s background and experience.
“Each person you have to coach so differently depending on where they are in their wrestling journey,” she explained. “I always say that I think what makes a superstar is the ability to tap into the thing that makes you unique, that stands out from the crowd, whether it be physically or emotionally or whatever, and making that larger than life.
“In my opinion, as a talent, a lot of the times those things that, just through culture and our desire to fit in and be like everyone else and normal – that’s the last thing you want in wrestling is to be like everyone else and normal. You want to be larger than life. Those things that make us and set us apart and make us so different are the things that we’ve pushed down and tapped down and kind of hidden and are insecure about.
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“And, I could just be speaking for myself, but I often find those are the things that you want to make larger, even bigger and go bigger with because those are the things that are going to set you apart from everybody else. The last thing you want is to be like anyone else in the arena.”
James said she was excited to be a coach on the show and to pull the curtain back on some of the WWE greats she will be working with.
She added that she believed she had a unique experience because of her career trajectory.
“I do think I relate most to these ‘Future Greats’ because I did go through the developmental system and then came up to television,” she told Fox News Digital. “I can understand. I can relate a little bit more with them of what it feels like to be in their shoes.
“It’s been a lot of run to do. I feel like I’m constantly learning even still and it’s cool to get to know these talent on a different level, on a real personal level and have fallen in love with all of them. But also to get to know all of my fellow coaches on a different level and hopefully earn a newfound respect from all of them. They certainly, I feel like, are my brothers now and I adore each and every one of them. So, yeah, it’s been a lot of fun.”
“WWE Legends and Future Greats” is on A&E at 8 p.m. ET.
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