Mickie James addresses in-ring future following TNA appearance
Mickie James isn’t sure what her future in the ring looks like, but she remains open to wrestling again if the right opportunity comes up.
James, who was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame in 2025, returned to the promotion for a surprise appearance at No Surrender last Friday. She got into it with The Elegance Brand at the show and stood tall alongside Indi Hartwell and Xia Brookside, possibly setting up a future match if James decides to compete again.
On Busted Open Radio today, James followed up on her TNA appearance and addressed her in-ring future. She’ll always be involved in wrestling in some capacity, though she doesn’t know what’s next for her.
“You know, I’ve been doing a lot. I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching too, everything from doing the [WWE] LFG and being kind of that mentor space,” James said. “Wrestling is one of those things, like, it’s in your blood. And I’m so competitive, and you just constantly go like, ‘What if? What if?’
“I think that for me, whatever opportunity that feels right and feels good in the space, I would probably be — I mean, I will always be involved in wrestling in some capacity, because I just love it with my whole heart. I’ve dedicated over half my life to it at this point. I’m very, very passionate about it.
“And so, I don’t really know. And I think that’s kind of a weird place for me, and a scary place for me, but it’s also helped me sit back and kind of be open to anything that feels good and feels right. And if it doesn’t feel good and feels right, that’s okay too, you know?”
No Surrender took place in Nashville close to where James lives. She told Busted Open that everyone backstage was great to her.
“It was cool to be back in the locker room,” James said. “And I was, you know, not worried, but you always wonder, like, ‘Oh, how are people going to feel, even behind the scenes and that stuff?’ And the locker room was awesome. The girls there were awesome. They were so great.
“And, yeah, it was just good to be back in the mix for a second. Honestly, it was nice to just knock some dust off the old high heels, you know? The high-heel working boots.”
Now that TNA is on AMC, James said she’s excited that the promotion will have a bigger audience. She is also happy that the roster will be able to participate in some crossover promotional opportunities with other shows on AMC.
James will be making an indie appearance in West Virginia on February 28 when she serves as the special guest referee for an MCW Pro Wrestling tag match. It will pit Gia Scott & Simone Valentina against Maia Martinez & Notorious Mimi.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.