The confrontation between Mickie James and Trish Stratus at the Royal Rumble was a throwback to the pair's epic rivalry.
One of the most highly anticipated matches of the year is the Royal Rumble so, naturally, when Stephanie McMahon informed us that there would also be a women's version of the match this year, fans understandably got pretty excited. The 30 woman over the top epic didn't disappoint either, closing the show and crowning Asuka as its first ever winner.
One of the best things about the marquee match was the unique clashes we witnessed between present-day stars and returning wrestlers from the past. Beth Phoenix staring down Nia Jax, Lita entering at number five and cleaning house, Michelle McCool throwing opponents over the top rope as if she had never retired were just a few of the highlights from the historic match. What's more is we also got to relive some great moments from the past.
One of those moments came when Trish Stratus and Mickie James were the only two women standing in the ring and had no option but to clash. The rivalry that really kick-started James's career was the one against Stratus and it was a win over the Hall of Famer at WrestleMania 22 that earned James the first of her six Women's Championships. The reaction from the fans didn't go unnoticed by the Raw Superstar either.
"I was hoping and praying that the people will remember and react and give us a little bit of love, and the way that they erupted the way they did, I had this genuine, like I couldn’t wipe that stupid smile off of my face," James admitted on Lilian Garcia's Chasing Glory podcast. Apparently, the reactions weren't reserved for the fans either and when James and Stratus got backstage after the match Fit Finlay and Bray Wyatt congratulated them on their epic moment.
Contrary to what Vince McMahon might have you believe fans remember a lot of things from wrestling's past. The confrontation between James and Stratus not only gave fans who were around at the time a chance to relive that but also opened up an epic rivalry from the past to a whole new generation, fans that might not currently appreciate James for the incredible wrestler she is with the pedigree she has.