Mickie James is, questionably, one of the most famous and talented women in professional wrestling today. In the mid-90s she got her break into the sport, using the stage name of Alexis Laree, by managing champions such as Tommy Dreamer, Julio Dinero, Christian York and Joey Matthews. While managing these men, she often found herself running into as much problems with their opponents as her charges themselves did.
It didn't come as much of an upset to many when Alexis stepped into the ring herself in 1999. Finishing her training with the Funkin' Dojo in 1998, along with a handful of training camps and dojos, Alexis made a simple switch from manager to diva to wrestler. Over the last few years she has set the standard for women's professional wrestling in many companies. While she has put on many excellent matches against female superstars such as Simply Luscious, Valentina J. Love, Lexie Fyfe and Allison Danger, she hasn't been afraid to take on the men. Just ask Adam Flash, Sean Lei or any members of the Christopher Street Connection if their bruises have gotten better!
Lots of writers considered Alexis to be one of the greatest athletes not participating in the majors. It was a "no-brainer" that she was pleased in being named Pro Wrestling Illustrated's "Top 100 Women in Wrestling History" in 2002 and Wrestling Clotheline's "Top 50 Women in Independent Wrestling" in 2003. Having held the gold in several promotions, she has assisted to bring a changed focus on women in the pro wrestling ranks outside the title of manager, valet or diva.
2003 was the year that Alexis Laree would step up to the nationwide scene. In February she fought against Dawn Marie at in a dark match for WWE SmackDown! in Richmond, VA. Because of this, she was called up to NWA Total Non-Stop Action in March, first as a tag-team partner for Amazing Red in his fight against TNA X Division champion Kid Kash and his partner-in-crime Trinity, and later as the primary member of Raven's new group, "The Gathering", and Raven's attempt to win the NWA World title. Her ongoing battle against NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett made her one of the most talked-about women in professional wrestling. She was the first (and so far only) woman to wrestle in not one, but two of the ultra-violent Clockwork Orange House of Fun matches.
On August 22, 2003 she officially signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment, and in October she was consigned as a WWE Developmental Talent to Ohio Valley Wrestling in Louisville, KY. There she has bided her time and made the evolution from indy wrestling in memorable matches against hot female stars such as Melina Perez, Jillian Hall, and Beth Phoenix, as well as being occupied in feuds with some of the bigger men of OVW including Arron "the Idol" Stevens, Seth Skyfire, and Chris Cage. September 27, 2005 saw her make her debut in front of WWE fans as the manager for C.M. Punk for WWE SmackDown! in Lexington, KY. The debut was good, but WWE wasn't happy with having her as just another valet, so they sent her back to OVW until they felt ready to use her.
That debut came on October 10, 2005 on WWE RAW as Alexis, now using her real name of Mickie James, came to the save of Trish Stratus and Ashley Massaro. Trish and Ashley were being assaulted by former WWE Women's champion Victoria when James came in and laid a vicious assault to the diva. Over the next several weeks the new team of Trish, Ashley and Mickie would face Victoria and her cohorts, Candice Michelle and Torrie Wilson, in a series of six-man tag team matches and a handful of battle royals featuring other WWE Divas. Her friendship and close endearment to Stratus, however, received no respect from Ashley Massaro, and a wedge was driven between them.
Mickie James defeated Victoria on the December 12, 2005 to win the spot of #1 contender to the WWE Women's Championship. Her passion with Trish Stratus started to become more apparent, and even though James lost her first title match to Stratus a few weeks later at WWE New Year's Revolution 2005, James sustained to try to prove herself to Stratus. Ashley Massaro started to elevate concerns privately with Trish, who was now becoming aware that James may be pestering her or playing mind games of some sort in order to gain an edge in a title match, and started to try to reserve herself from James. The week before Saturday Night's Main Event, Trish asked James to leave her alone and provide her with space. Trish's new tag team partner, Torrie Wilson, was attacked a few days before the event, and James volunteered to take her spot and they'd team together one last time. At the end of the match on SNME, James assaulted Stratus and put her on notice that James was no longer content to be the friend pushed aside. Over the next two weeks, James showed just how good she was at playing mind games by kidnapping Ashley Massaro, and later cutting a promo in a room full of candles and photos of Stratus with her eyes gashed out.
This accomplished exactly what Mickie James wanted - a second shot at the WWE Women's Championship, this time at WrestleMania 22 in Chicago, IL on April 2, 2006. Critics have said that this is, possibly, the best women's matchup ever for a WrestleMania. Stratus and James did not let down, delivering a hard-hitting match that easily upstaged most of the matches on the card. Stratus was defeated with a devastating bulldog from James, followed by a Mick Kick. Mickie James had finally accomplished her dream - not only winning the WWE Women's Championship, but doing it at WrestleMania, forever blazing her name in the book of champions.
Pro Wrestling Illustrated and Wrestle America magazines both predicted in 2005 that the next few years would see Mickie as the breakout star for the WWE Women's Division. She has not upset them as she has skyrocketed to the top of the division and has quickly become a fan favorite. Now as the WWE Women's Champion, she is balanced to take the division to new heights.
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Mickie James is, questionably, one of the most famous and talented women in professional wrestling today. In the mid-90s she got her break into the sport, using the stage name of Alexis Laree, by managing champions such as Tommy Dreamer, Julio Dinero, Christian York and Joey Matthews. While managing these men, she often found herself running into as much problems with their opponents as her charges themselves did.
It didn't come as much of an upset to many when Alexis stepped into the ring herself in 1999. Finishing her training with the Funkin' Dojo in 1998, along with a handful of training camps and dojos, Alexis made a simple switch from manager to diva to wrestler. Over the last few years she has set the standard for women's professional wrestling in many companies. While she has put on many excellent matches against female superstars such as Simply Luscious, Valentina J. Love, Lexie Fyfe and Allison Danger, she hasn't been afraid to take on the men. Just ask Adam Flash
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