Mickie James came in at No. 20 on the WWE Royal Rumble PPV with her IMPACT Wrestling Knockout World Championship.
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On Saturday night, Impact Wrestling Knockouts champion Mickie James made history. She became the first Impact-contracted wrestler to participate in a WWE ring during the WWE Royal Rumble. James joined the 30-Woman Royal Rumble Match at #20 after being confirmed for the match a few weeks ago and being recognized on WWE TV as an Impact champion. Lita, a WWE Hall of Famer, tossed her out as the 18th elimination. During the match, James also eliminated Michelle McCool.
There had been much debate about whether or not WWE would allow James to wear her Knockouts Title belt, but they did. On the screen, she was referred to as the Impact Women’s Champion. This was made all the more noteworthy by the fact that SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair was the only WWE champion to retain her belt. Dana Brooke, the WWE 24/7 Champion, and Carmella and Queen Zelina Vega, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, all left their gold in the back.
READ MORE: WWE Royal Rumble recap and reactions: What’s old is new again
Megan Morant chatted with James on the comeback, and James commented on bursting through one of pro wrestling’s biggest ceilings.
Impact Knockouts Champion @MickieJames is overwhelmed with emotion after her appearance in the 2022 #RoyalRumble Match! pic.twitter.com/iOhsmFpP3e
— WWE (@WWE) January 30, 2022
When asked how it felt coming back to WWE Royal Rumble and competing in it, Mickie said “Unbelievable, unbelievable. You would’ve said to me that this moment would be happening right now, I would’ve said you’re insane. And here we are.
“We went out there and made history. I mean, obviously I wanted to win. I had my sights set high because obviously the winner goes on to WrestleMania, and I wanted that moment.
But just to go out there as WWE family, as Mickie James – the legend, but also as Mickie James… ‘Hardcore Country’ Mickie James, something that the WWE Universe never saw, and to represent Impact as the Knockouts World Champion… I thought I did a great job. I had a heck of a showing and I’m sorry guys, I didn’t win.
But in my heart the world won because we just broke down one of the biggest ceilings you’ve ever seen. And we did it for the ladies! You know what I mean?”
James also discussed working with those with whom she had a history, such as Lita, as well as others with whom she had never wrestled before.
She expressed her regret that Melina didn’t live on longer in the match and gave her a special mention.
Melina started the competition as the #2 entrant, but was the first to be eliminated by Sasha Banks, alongside whom she had started the match.
