Chelsea Green (performing under the name Laurel Van Ness) won the IMPACT Knockouts Championship on the December 14, 2017 episode of IMPACT by defeating Rosemary to win the vacant title.
Green's reign didn't last long as she lost it to Allie at IMPACT Crossroads on March 8, 2018. The match was taped in January as Green was granted her IMPACT release on January 15, 2018.
Speaking on the Wrestling Perspective podcast, Green recalled her final days with IMPACT and what led to her decision.
"A lot of people speculated what happened, but nobody actually asked me. WWE had never spoken to me. I definitely thought at that time they would hire me, but they didn't. I didn't go from IMPACT to WWE, I went to Lucha Underground and I was mad because WWE didn't want me after I had quit IMPACT. It was heartbreaking. I was coming up on two years at IMPACT and I was really struggling financially. I spent all my money getting a Visa and was flying back and forth and trying to look like a superstar. I decided, 'I've done a lot of awesome things in this company, but I don't want to be the last one at this party. I want to leave the party before the party kicks me out,'" she said.
Green continued by saying, "Once I make a decision, I can't go back on it. I wasn't supposed to win the title at the Ottawa taping. [Winning the title] wasn't on my radar and I was okay with that. I never thought I deserved the title because I was so new to wrestling and learning how to be a TV wrestler. I went into the taping knowing I was going to give my notice. I was going to wait until the last day and I won the title on the second to last day. When they told me, I was like, 'Holy shit.' My mind was blown. I told myself, 'they're giving me a huge opportunity, they have faith in me, I will do them proud and see where it goes.' After I won, I went to the hotel and was up all night. I sent an email saying, 'I'm sorry, I can't be at the company any longer' at three in the morning. It was weighing on me and I needed them to know that they gave me something so precious and I was already checked out. We had a good conversation and I told them whatever the plans were, I would go through with it. I shouldn't have even accepted [the title]."
Green would have a short stint in Lucha Underground, appearing on the fourth season of the show before signing with WWE later in 2018.
Green was released by WWE on April 15. Elsewhere during the podcast, she discussed what she's been up to during his 90-day non-compete clause. You can find her full comments by clicking here.
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