During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated for a new interview, WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus discussed the Divas Revolution, Sasha Banks being "the one", facing Lita, RAW andSmackDown and more. Here are some highlights:
Also read: Trish Stratus Discusses Retiring In 2006, How Scripted Pro Wrestling Matches Are, & More
On finding out she was main eventing RAW with Lita in 2004:“We got to the building that day, and there was a board with all of the matches written on it. Amy and I were riding together, and we thought the board wasn’t complete or that they hadn’t written the main event yet. Then one of the agents–Fit Finlay–said to us, ‘Are you ready for this?’ Then upper management started coming over and saying congrats, and I was like, ‘Holy sh–, this is a big moment.’ I didn’t care what I was wearing, it was all about the match and telling the right story. There was a moment in my career where I wasn’t sexy any more–I was going out to wrestle. There was a shift in my career where it was all about the wrestling.”
On using yoga instead of surgery to rehab her back injury: “I actually used yoga to rehabilitate an injury when I thought my career may have been in jeopardy when I had a herniated disc in my back. I was champion at the time, and WWE kept asking, ‘Can you have surgery so you can come back and wrestle?’ I just didn’t want to go under the knife if I didn’t have to. I never had surgery and fully recovered, to the point where there is no herniated disc in my back any more. I was more athletic in the second half of my career, and fell in love with yoga.”
On the future of WWE’s Women’s division: “Sasha, to me, is a star. There are a lot of comparisons, but I don’t think we are that similar, actually, at all. But she’s the star of the division, and she’s the one. She really knows her character, she owns her character, and she’s so solid in the ring.”
On if she’s considered a return to the ring: “Could I physically go back and do what I did before? At this point, yes, I can do that. But I’d only go back if it was worth it and if it was a challenge for me. Something that’s different and unique, like playing a heel again, which would be super cool. I’ve gone back as a babyface, so it would have to be something challenging and something that would elevate either the division or a talent. Not just me for my own sh–s and giggles to raise my brand. It would be good if there was a moment to elevate a character. I’d love to work with Ronda Rousey, but I don’t know if she’d be up for that.”
Also read: Trish Stratus Discusses Retiring In 2006, How Scripted Pro Wrestling Matches Are, & More
On finding out she was main eventing RAW with Lita in 2004:“We got to the building that day, and there was a board with all of the matches written on it. Amy and I were riding together, and we thought the board wasn’t complete or that they hadn’t written the main event yet. Then one of the agents–Fit Finlay–said to us, ‘Are you ready for this?’ Then upper management started coming over and saying congrats, and I was like, ‘Holy sh–, this is a big moment.’ I didn’t care what I was wearing, it was all about the match and telling the right story. There was a moment in my career where I wasn’t sexy any more–I was going out to wrestle. There was a shift in my career where it was all about the wrestling.”
On using yoga instead of surgery to rehab her back injury: “I actually used yoga to rehabilitate an injury when I thought my career may have been in jeopardy when I had a herniated disc in my back. I was champion at the time, and WWE kept asking, ‘Can you have surgery so you can come back and wrestle?’ I just didn’t want to go under the knife if I didn’t have to. I never had surgery and fully recovered, to the point where there is no herniated disc in my back any more. I was more athletic in the second half of my career, and fell in love with yoga.”
On the future of WWE’s Women’s division: “Sasha, to me, is a star. There are a lot of comparisons, but I don’t think we are that similar, actually, at all. But she’s the star of the division, and she’s the one. She really knows her character, she owns her character, and she’s so solid in the ring.”
On if she’s considered a return to the ring: “Could I physically go back and do what I did before? At this point, yes, I can do that. But I’d only go back if it was worth it and if it was a challenge for me. Something that’s different and unique, like playing a heel again, which would be super cool. I’ve gone back as a babyface, so it would have to be something challenging and something that would elevate either the division or a talent. Not just me for my own sh–s and giggles to raise my brand. It would be good if there was a moment to elevate a character. I’d love to work with Ronda Rousey, but I don’t know if she’d be up for that.”
