Mickie James would love to wrestle Gail Kim, but she's asked, and Gail is not coming out of retirement for anyone.
Mickie James is in the middle of her Last Rodeo, a journey towards the IMPACT Knockouts Championship where if she loses, she retires. As one of the most outstanding women's wrestlers of all time, Mickie James has a lot to prove and a lot to lose on this journey.
Although the Last Rodeo is reaching its climax, a Knockouts Title match against Jordynne Grace at IMPACT Hard to Kill on Friday, January 13, 2023, James still has many names she wants to wrestle.
During a recent appearance on the Alliance Pro Wrestling Network podcast, Mickie James said she would always say yes to the possibility of wrestling Gail Kim again. James says she's asked, but Gail isn't interested in coming out of retirement for a match with anyone.
James also spoke about how conversations with Gail influenced the story of her Last Rodeo.
"Gail is not coming out of retirement to wrestle anyone. I've already asked her, okay? I've already asked. No, I'm just kidding," said James. "I mean, I have, of course, I've asked her. I'm like, 'Come on, Gail,' but Gail, and you know, a lot of this, Last Rodeo was a conversation and even talking to Gail of, 'How do you want your career to be remembered?' To come out of retirement, I think, the first time for her — It's going to have to be something remarkable. It's going to have to be something good. Once you've done something so special to end your career — unless it was something you weren't proud of, you're not going to come back for anything that's not going to top it or be better than."
Furthermore, Mickie James understands that it's something fans would like to see but also knows that getting in ring shape takes some time. Therefore, this isn't a match that she and Gail could just have at the spur of the moment.
"I'm sure it's a match that people want to see, but at the same time, we are at that stage, and she's very smart. She's behind the scenes and the head of the Knockouts and everything now. It takes a little bit more of a toll on your body. You have to get ready a little longer because of genetics and metabolism. Just everything is different. It's all different. I've still been training and everything this whole time and maintaining steady in the ring, and she hasn't wrestled in a long time. So it would take a certain amount of training for her to even get ready for the ring to feel like, 'Okay, I can go now.' Ring wind and running on the treadmill or two different animals. So, yeah, but I will always say yes to Gail," Mickie said.
Mickie James' career could end on Friday, January 13, but she says if she manages to beat Jordynne Grace, she will do everything in her power to be the best Knockouts Champion there ever was. Fans can read her comment about that at this link.
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