Alicia Fox opens up about the end of her time with WWE.
Fox had been in the WWE system for over 15 years, and she won the Divas Championship during her time with the company. She had not been used as a regular on television since 2019, though she competed in the 2022 Women's Royal Rumble. In May 2023, Fox marked the end of her WWE run on social media and noted that she was employable.
In an interview with Ring The Belle, Fox was asked about the confusion following her apparent retirement, as she appeared on Raw Legends night, but she also wrestled at the Royal Rumble match in 2021 and 2022. She responded by looking back on being at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and waiting for the company to call her. Fox also noted that her contract was up in April 2023.
“For me, during the pandemic, I was at home, and I don’t really know why I’m at home. But my luggage is packed, ready to go. I’m healthy enough, I’m in shape enough. Whatever’s going on at work and my bag’s packed, not packed, whatever, I knew that there was a date in April coming that, my contract comes to an end. It was like April 25 or something this year, and it was kind of this waiting pattern that I was used to already having. Well, they’ll call me when they need me. Whatever. I broke my tailbone, it was Rumble [2018], Michelle hadn’t been in the ring in seven years, and I think me, her, and Fit [Finlay] felt comfortable with whatever we would do. But I broke my tailbone, so I went home. At this point, I broke my tailbone, I think I was going on the road here and there, like Toronto and doing appearances and stuff, and still trying to get sober but just not being able to figure it out because I was so broken-hearted by this shit. I remember one outcry I had was in Toronto, and I was supposed to work a program, but then I got taken off. It was a lot," Fox said.
Fox went on to describe how the pandemic started shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was a strange experience. She also stated that she wanted an explanation from WWE, as her date was coming up but she wasn't getting any answers.
"After I went to rehab, I think the pandemic happened a couple weeks after it. It was super strange because at the time, I was really grateful that I wasn’t in the facility during this pandemic. I would have been freaking out. I am an alcoholic, and y’all have me at home. I’ve been there in that machine 17 years. I want an explanation. I want to know about this date coming up. This is while I’m sober. This still haunting day, and no answers. One day, a fan tweeted me a picture of that legends shirt, and it had my little head on there. I was like, ‘Why is my head on that shirt? You’re gonna legend me up? It’s not even fair.’ I got a couple phone calls like, ‘Are you retired?’ I’m like, I got my first merch. Sure, okay, whatever. We’ll go to the firing date. This whole time, I’m nervous I’m gonna get fired," she said.
After noting that she had no communication from WWE up to that point, Fox stated that it was a sad, challenging time. She stated that she thought she would get some type of statement from support from WWE, but that didn't happen.
“It’s sad. I can’t go on my own social media and say, ‘What?’ I thought maybe my release date, they would give me a statement of support and say, ‘Well, she gone.’ No. No nothing. I don’t know. I just bad. I felt sad for every miscommunication," Fox said.
Fox recently reflected on her WWE tenure. Click here to see what she had to say.
In an interview, Fox expressed her interest in producing and keeping standards "clean and green." Check out her comments here.
Fox has been advertised for the Reality of Wrestling event on Juluy 15. More information is available here.
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