By Kellie Crawford,The Sportster
Copyright yardbarker
James had several stints with the promotion. Her earliest one, between 2002 and 2003, wasn’t under her real name, Mickie James, but Alexis Laree. She was in Raven’s group, The Gathering, along with CM Punk and Julio Dinero. She is to this date the only woman to be in a Clockwork Orange House of Fun match. James would leave the promotion for WWE and make her debut in 2005.
She returned to TNA Wrestling in 2010, this time under her real name. She would be with the promotion on and off till 2016. Feuding with the likes of Madison Rayne, Tara (former WWE Superstar Victoria), and Gail Kim.
Her last time with the company was between 2021 and 2023. Her match at 2021 Bound For Glory against Deonna Purrazzo was voted the 2021 Knockouts Match of the Year. Their feud was one of the best in the business. James is the fourth-ever Knockout inducted into the TNA Wrestling Hall of Fame, joining already inductees Gail Kim, Awesome Kong, and Traci Brooks. Last year’s inductees were Rhino and Bob Ryder.
At the moment, James is signed to WWE as an ambassador. She’s also Creative Director, Head of Female Talent, and Executive Producer for Ohio Valley Wrestling. So, really, for both TNA and WWE, James has made an impact (no pun intended). Hopefully, she gets to be in the WWE Hall of Fame.
