Wrestling legend Mickie James has worked with a who’s who of the industry, but even she felt a sense of intimidation when she was asked to be a coach on a reality show alongside some of the most iconic figures in WWE history. In a new interview on “The Velvet Ropes with SoCal Val,” James discussed her experience working on the show “LFG” with The Undertaker, Booker T, and Bubba Ray Dudley.
James revealed that she was personally suggested for the show by Paul “Triple H” Levesque. When she found out who her fellow coaches would be, she was admittedly taken aback and questioned how she would measure up to their legendary coaching pedigrees.
“When I got asked to do it, I was like, ‘Who are the coaches?’ Bubba, Taker and obviously Booker T, all Hall of Famers,” James recalled. “And they’ve been around the business. Booker has his own school. Bubba has his own school. Taker pretty much schooled the entire locker room for decades. So I’m like, where do I fit in here?”
Despite her initial apprehension, James fully embraced the role. The experience of working with up-and-coming talent took her back to her own early days training in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) and reminded her of the dedication required to succeed in the business.
“It also put me back to like OVW days of that grind of being in the system, of working every day and trying to do extra, just to be seen, just to be validated,” she explained. “To get ahead and figure out, what is it going to be, that thing that’s going to set me apart and make me different?”
James found the experience of mentoring the next generation of superstars to be deeply fulfilling, though she admitted her biggest weakness was becoming too emotionally invested in their journeys. She explained how she would follow their careers closely after the show wrapped.
“Now I feel like I had so much time and kind of intimate, like real heart time with them, that I’m now invested in their forever journey,” she said. “I get invested in people genuinely. So when I see them slipping and failing or whatever, it hurts my heart too… it’s a little bit harder to take your feeling out of your own career, but when you’re mentoring someone, it’s a little bit harder.” The experience ultimately showed her that she would enjoy training and mentoring people more than she had ever anticipated. Click below to watch the interview.
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