James started wrestling in 1999 as a valet on the independent circuit using the name Alexis Laree.[7] She trained in several places to get better at wrestling before working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in June 2002. She first became well known while she was while working at TNA.[7][9] Soon after she started working for TNA, she joined a stable called The Gathering. She is also the only woman to be a part ofClockwork Orange House of Fun matches.[10] She is a five-time Knockouts World Champion.
James worked with WWE from October 2005 to April 2010. She was a part of a storyline with Trish Stratus. James' gimmick was that she was Stratus' biggest fan and later became Stratus' stalker. This storyline lasted almost a year.[4][7][11] The person at WWE believed she was doing good work. Because of this, she won her first WWE Women's Championship at WrestleMania 22. She has held the championship a total of five times, and is also a one-time Divas Champion.[12] James returned at NXT TakeOver: Toronto in October 2016, losing to Asuka for the NXT Women's Championship. She was released again in April 2021.
She released her debut album Strangers & Angels on May 18, 2010 on iTunes. Her second album Somebody's Gonna Pay was released on May 18, 2010 and reached #15 on the Billboards Heatseekers charts.[15] The album contains the song "Hardcore Country" which James used as her theme song in TNA.
James tried for two years to work for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). In August 2003, she was began to work for the WWE. They sent her to train at Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW).[1][2][7][10][18] James still used the name Alexis Laree at this time. She began making wresting on television for OVW on January 29, 2004. She wrestled in several tag team matches during the year.[26][27] She won a HalloweenCostume Contest on October 30 and defeated Jillian Hall in a $1,000 match on November 12.[1][28]
Laree began a feud with Beth Phoenix on July 20. This feud started after Phoenix interrupted Laree during an interview. A match took place on July 29. Laree lost to Phoenix.[26][27] The feud continued into September. Shelly Martinez was added to the storyline to side with Phoenix against Laree. On October 12, she appeared in OVW under her real name. She finished the year losing matches against Martinez and Jillian Hall.[26]
James was first used on television in WWE on the October 10 2005 episode of Raw. She used her real name. James used the gimmick of WWE Women's ChampionTrish Stratus' biggest fan.[4][1][29][30] The storyline had the two WWE Divas wrestling together in tag team matches. James' character became more obsessed with Stratus as time went on.[31][32][33] A Halloween Costume Contest was part of the story line. James was dressed like Stratus. She even started using Stratus' personal finishing moves as her own during matches. On December 12, James wrestled and defeated Victoria. The match was to decide who would wrestle Stratus at New Year's Revolution for the championship.[34]Lesbianthemes were added to the story line with James kissing Stratus under mistletoe and saying nice things to her about her breasts.[4][11][35] In the championship match, James lost to Stratus but still showed romantic fellings towards her the next night on Raw. She told Stratus that she loved her at the Royal Rumble.[1][11][36][37]
On March 6 2006 the storyline had Stratus telling James that they needed time apart from each other.[4][11][38] They wrestled as a team at the March 18, 2006 Saturday Night's Main Event. James and Stratus defeated Candice Michelle and Victoria in the match. After the match, James tried to kiss Stratus. Stratus pushed her away and James' character made a complete heelturn. She attacked Stratus in the ring. James' character later said she would destroy Stratus.[4][11][39][40] The two women wrestled each other at WrestleMania 22. James won the match to become the Women's Champion for her first time.[41] During the match, even though James was playing the heel character, the fans liked her more than Stratus.[42][43] The storyline ended at Backlash with a rematch after Stratus legitimatelydislocated her shoulder when James threw her out of the ring.[44][45] James lost the Women's Title on August 14 to Lita. During the match, Lita hit James with the title belt when Edge distracted the referee. This causes a face turn for James' on-screen character.[46] When Stratus retired as champion, there was no longer a Women's Championship. WWE held a tournament to name a new champion. James was a part of that tournament.[47] She defeated Victoria and Melina in the early parts of the tournament. She made it to the finals at Cyber Sunday. In the final match, she lost to Lita.[45][47][48][49] At the 2006 Survivor Series James defeated Lita to win her second Women's Championship.[50]
2007–2010
A new feud began between James and Melina on January 29 2007. Melina was the number one contender for the Women's Title at the time.[51][52] James defeated Melina on February 5 to keep the championship.[53] After this, she teamed with Super Crazy in a mixed tag team match against Melina and Johnny Nitro. Melina defeated James and challenged her to a rematch for the title.[54] James lost the Women's Championship to Melina on February 19. The two wrestled in the first ever Women's Falls Count Anywhere match in WWE history. James lost to Melina.[55][56] Near the end of the match, James fell from the turnbuckle. She landed on her neck but was not badly injured.[57]
At a house show in Paris, France on April 24, James won her third Women's Championship. In a Triple Threat Match with Malina and Victoria, James pinned Victoria. However, she did not pin Melina, Jonathan Coachman said that a rematch would take place immediately. James lost the title back to Melina. This gave her the shortest Women’s Championship reign in WWE history.[58]
On the November 26 edition of Raw, James defeated Melina in a number one contenders match for Beth Phoenix's Women's Championship.[59] This led to a title match between James and Phoenix at Armageddon 2007. James lost the match to Phoenix.[60] On the April 14, 2008 edition of Raw, held in London, James defeated Phoenix to win her fourth Women's Championship.[61][62] At Judgment Day James successfully defended the Women's Championship against Phoenix and Melina in a Triple Threat match.[63] James lost the championship back to Phoenix at SummerSlam 2008. She lost it in an intergender tag team match at SummerSlam. In that match, Her partner Kofi Kingston also lost the Intercontinental Title to Phoenix's partner Santino Marella.[64] Mickie James was released from her WWE contract on April 22, 2010. After her release, she returned to TNA and became a three-time TNA Knockouts Champion. James returned to WWE in 2013 as a guest trainer, then returned as a wrestler in 2016. She was released again in 2021. James would then return to Impact Wrestling. She won her fourth and fifth Knockouts Championship. This makes her a total 11-time women's world champion between WWE and TNA/Impact.
Personal life
James in April 2008.
James owns three Morgan horses called Rhapsody, Bunny and Casanova.[14] After she has finished her wrestling career, James plans to own a farm and train horses.[3] James also owns a dog named Butch.[65] James and Aldis have a son together.
She was at one time engaged to WWE wrestler Ken Doane, better known by his ring name "Kenny Dykstra".[57][66][67] She has also been in a relationship with Adam Birch, better known by his ring name "Joey Mercury".[68] James has two tattoos. She has an Asiansymbol meaning 'love' on her ankle and a dragon that wraps around it.[69][70]
↑ 45.045.1PWI Staff (2007). "Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts". Wrestling’s historical cards. Kappa Publishing. p. 121.
