WWE’s new reality series, WWE LFG (Legends and Future Greats) premieres this Sunday on A&E at 8:00 pm ET, will see Mickie James and WWE Hall of Famers The Undertaker, Booker T and Bubba Ray Dudley mentor the next generation of WWE superstars.
James recently spoke with Fox News Digital about being a coach on the new series.
She told Fox News Digital how challenging that it can be to look for certain characteristics in an up-and-coming professional wrestler, given the person’s background, along with any other experience they may have or not have at the start of their career.
“Each person you have to coach so differently depending on where they are in their wrestling journey,” she explained. “I always say that I think what makes a superstar is the ability to tap into the thing that makes you unique, that stands out from the crowd, whether it be physically or emotionally or whatever, and making that larger than life…In my opinion, as a talent, a lot of the times those things that, just through culture and our desire to fit in and be like everyone else and normal – that’s the last thing you want in wrestling is to be like everyone else and normal. You want to be larger than life. Those things that make us and set us apart and make us so different are the things that we’ve pushed down and tapped down and kind of hidden and are insecure about…and, I could just be speaking for myself, but I often find those are the things that you want to make larger, even bigger and go bigger with because those are the things that are going to set you apart from everybody else. The last thing you want is to be like anyone else in the arena.”
James also said that she is excited to be a coach on the new show and show what is behind the curtain. She also added that she believes because of her long career in the pro wrestling industry, she has unique experience that she brings to the show.
“I do think I relate most to these ‘Future Greats’ because I did go through the developmental system and then came up to television…I can understand. I can relate a little bit more with them of what it feels like to be in their shoes…It’s been a lot of run to do. I feel like I’m constantly learning even still and it’s cool to get to know these talent on a different level, on a real personal level and have fallen in love with all of them. But also to get to know all of my fellow coaches on a different level and hopefully earn a newfound respect from all of them. They certainly, I feel like, are my brothers now and I adore each and every one of them. So, yeah, it’s been a lot of fun.”
James is a former one-time WWE Diva’s Champion, five-time WWE Women’s Champion and a five-time TNA Wrestling Knockouts Champion. She is also married to Nick Aldis, who is a producer in WWE and also serves as the on-screen General Manager for SmackDown that airs every Friday night live on the USA Network in the United States and internationally on Netflix, beginning at 8:00 pm ET.
James and Aldis have one son together.