Mickie James, an 11-time women’s world champion, was recently inducted into the TNA Wrestling Hall of Fame during the promotion’s biggest weekend of the year at Bound For Glory. The ceremony, which took place earlier this month in Lowell, Massachusetts, also honored The Beautiful People (Angelina Love & Velvet Sky), making it a landmark celebration of the Knockouts division. James, whose “Hardcore Country” persona defined a key era for the company, recently appeared on Busted Open Radio to discuss the “surreal” experience, her career aspirations, and the special meaning of being inducted by her close friend, Lisa Marie Varon (formerly Victoria/Tara).
James described the induction day itself as a “whirlwind,” revealing that she flew in on the day of the show after performing at a concert the night before. She shared how meaningful it was to have her son, Donovan, present to witness the honor, hoping it gave him a new perspective on her career.
“It was surreal. I mean, it was a whirlwind first of all, because I flew in that day. We had a concert the night before, and so Donovan And I flew in, Dee was with me. So it was really cool for him to be there and, and see all of it. Because I think that he’s still — he’s been around it for so long, he really doesn’t grasp what it is. So I think for him to see me get honored that night and to be there was cool for us. You know, maybe a little understanding of like, ‘Oh yeah, Mom’s kind of cool sometimes, right?’ But it was just surreal, man. It was so — it was a whirlwind. It was busy. And then when we get out there and then Lisa [Marie Varon]. Lisa was the best, the best.” “But then to just go out there and then to see it. And then the show was awesome. Once it was over, once you come back through the curtain, that’s when I could like sit down and breathe. Because I literally — as soon as I hit there. I think I got to the building at like four o’clock. And then like trying to say ‘Hi’ to everyone and I’ve been thinking about what I was gonna say for — since I found out about it.”
When asked by host Bully Ray if becoming a Hall of Famer was always a career aspiration, James admitted that it was a goal that developed later in her career. She explained that her focus shifted from just making history as a female wrestler to wanting to be recognized as one of the “best wrestlers of all time,” period, and to fundamentally “change the game” for women in the industry.
“Absolutely. I think, only when I realized that that was a goal that I could have and that was achievable for me. But I think — and I don’t know about you Bully. But I think early on in my career, I wasn’t like, ‘Oh, I wanna make history and I want to be one of the greatest female wrestlers of all time.’ And then have that shift like, ‘No, I just wanna be one of the best wrestlers of all time and be noted for that.’ And also I obviously wanted to help change the game for women. And I think that being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a notch in that, like ‘What you did mattered.’ And it did make a difference, and it made a difference for this generation that’s in there now and the generations to come.”
A highlight of the night for James was being inducted by Varon. James was effusive in her praise, stating that Varon deserved to be in the Hall of Fame “even before me” and should be a “first ballot Hall of Famer in every Hall of Fame.”
“And obviously it’s weird too because you go — I sit back and I go like, ‘There’s a ton of people that I think deserve to be in the Hall of Fame even before me.’ It might be Lisa who inducted me, like she’s a first ballot Hall of Famer in every Hall of Fame, in my opinion. But to have her there with me that night and to agree to induct me, it really meant a lot to me. Because she was so significant in the beginning of the Hardcore Country when I came in [to TNA] in 2010. Her and Madison [Rayne] both, and Beautiful People and all of them, that’s who helped make [me] in the first place. “
James’s induction was a centerpiece of TNA’s biggest weekend of the year, which also saw Mike Santana capture the TNA World Championship from Trick Williams in the main event. The company now looks ahead to its next TNA+ special, Turning Point, which is scheduled for Friday, November 13, 2025. That event, along with the subsequent television tapings, will take place at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida, and will feature the continued fallout from the TNA roster’s recent “invasion” of WWE NXT.
