​Torrie Wilson Recalls Fighting Back Tears Over WWE Bikini Contests

Primarily being utilised in the Ruthless Aggression era, bikini contests were sporadically utilised on WWE TV as an excuse to get mostly naked women (or divas as WWE called them) on the company's programming. 

The contests weren't particularly popular within the women's division and Torrie Wilson has revealed to WrestlingNews.co that she often had to fight back tears while watching the other women dance in the middle of the ring. 

"They were all mortifying. People don't realise. I went out there and owned it the best I could and pushed through the fear, but it was mortifying. There were times when, I remember specifically a house show that I was in this bikini showdown with Dawn Marie and Sable and someone else. I was standing in the corner watching one of the girls dance in the middle and literally fighting back tears. Like, I cannot believe I'm doing this right now because it got to like a raunchy point, and I'm like, I don't want to be a part of this, but that was also my job," Wilson said.

Wilson didn't feel like she could say no to the company, however, as she added: "No. It was like twice that I could remember that I (said no). First of all, I’m a major people pleaser, so to say no to people is really hard, even if it's someone you know. I'm recovering from that. There was one time when I had a thing with Sable where Vince wanted me to come out with the paint on my boobs like she did, and I was like, hard no, I can't do that. I mean, it ended up being nearly nothing anyway. Another time was when I did Playboy, Vince wanted me to do a pay-per-view also, the video. That one was very hardcore pressed and it was really hard for me to say no, but I absolutely didn't want that."

Torrie Wilson was a full-time talent in WWE from 2001 until 2008. Wilson was inducted Ito the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019 and she made a brief return in 2021, competing in the women’s Royal Rumble. 

Within her WWE Hall of Fame speech, Wilson was told not to mention Sable.