Mickie James Wishes She'd Brought 'Hardcore Country' Character To WWE
James returned to WWE in 2016 and was let go in April
Jul 13, 2021
Mickie James says she wishes she'd kept her 'Hardcore Country' character upon her return to WWE, rather than going back as a WWE legend.
James returned to WWE in 2016 for a match with NXT Women's Champion Asuka before signing a multi-year deal with the company and performing on SmackDown. Prior to that, James had been with IMPACT Wrestling, using a 'Hardcore Country' gimmick.
With the benefit of hindsight, James believes she and the company could have made more money if she continued with that character rather than what the WWE audience was already aware of.
Speaking with the Wrestling Inc. Daily, James revealed: "In hindsight, I wish I’d shown up as ‘Hardcore Country’ Mickie James. I think she would have made a lot of money.
"I came back as my old-school wrestling, with the bell-bottoms and stuff…a throwback. Which was, honestly, on me because I felt ‘the WWE audience knows her.’ “This is all speculation, but I think they would have more excitement, more stuff to do around that character.
"I feel the actual excitement of Mickie James coming back was kind of…I don’t know if that was a huge thing. But that’s on me, because I proposed it."
