For 22 years, Mickie James has been impressing fans in the wrestling ring. She debuted in 1999, working the indies for a few years. But fans know her best from her runs in both WWE and TNA, becoming a multi-time champion in each of these companies.
Like any career that spans more than two decades, Mickie James has gone through more than a few transformations. Some have looked better on her than others. But that doesn't change the fact that Mickie is one of the best female wrestlers to ever step through the ring ropes. No matter what gimmick she had, she made it work.
9 Piggy James
WWE is no stranger to controversy and questionable storylines in an attempt to drive ratings and bring in viewers. The entire Attitude Era was based on that underlying principle. While most "edgy" stories have a purpose behind them, others were just offensive for the wrong reasons. Piggy James was one of those stories.
This angle saw the team of Michelle McCool and Layla, aka LayCool, continually mocking Mickie's weight. They even gave her the name "Piggy James." It was a low point in the careers of all three wrestlers.
8 2015 TNA Return
Mickie James has spent a significant amount of time in TNA over the years. She's arguably as identifiable with that company as she is with WWE. But as well as she's done with TNA, her 2015 return to the company wasn't exactly the greatest.
After a year and a half absence from wrestling, James popped back up during a taping of Impact Wrestling in Scotland. It was a brief tenure that led to her signing with GFW before it was absorbed into TNA. It was a short, and relatively uneventful run. The best thing anyone could say about it is that it got her ready to return to WWE.
7 Alexis Laree
When Mickie James first started out in the business in 1999, she worked under the name Alexis Laree. It was a much different version of James than fans today would be familiar with. She lacked the polish in her in ring game, mic skills and gimmick, all of which she has in spades now. But the same could be said about any wrestler when they were starting out.
During those first few years, she spent quite a bit of time on the indies as well as in Ring of Honor and eventually TNA. She took this time to learn and and hone her craft well, setting her up for the future success she eventually found in WWE.
6 The Gathering
Mickie made her first big impact on the industry as Alexis Laree in TNA. She found herself working with the legendary Amazing Red. Then, she moved on to become a member of The Gathering, a stable led by Raven in his war against Jeff Jarrett.
There were a lot of big matches that came out of that feud, which gave James a chance to shine. She ended up being involved in two different Clockwork Orange House of Fun matches. James remains the only female wrestler have ever been involved in a bout with that stipulation.
5 Working With Alexa Bliss
When Alexa Bliss made the jump from NXT to the main roster, fans weren't sure what to expect. They ended up getting an incredible run that has seen her become a multi-time champion, with more gold certainly in her future. Mickie James played a part in that, establishing Bliss as a major player on SmackDown.
Alexa Bliss was defending her SmackDown Women's Championship against Becky Lynch in a Steel Cage Match in 2017. A masked woman named La Luchadora interfered in the match. Mickie James was revealed to be the woman under the mask, which kicked off a great partnership with Bliss that benefitted them both.
4 Working The Indies
While Mickie was making history in TNA, she was still working quite actively on the independent scene. This run lasted from 2010 until 2016, and saw her have some incredible matches as well as picking up a variety of titles.
This independent run saw her work with the likes of Kay Lee Ray, Kimber Lee and LuFisto, in addition to working with some old friends from WWE. In addition to all the big title wins, this era saw James take her independent career international, as she started working with Pro Wrestling Elite in Scotland.
3 Knockouts Champion
Mickie's first run in WWE came to an end shortly after the the "Piggy James" story wrapped up. Honestly, that angle just left a really bad taste in the mouths of everyone involved in it.
2010 would see James return to TNA as well as the indies in general. Between 2011 and 2013, James would go on to define the Knockouts Division. She became a three time Knockouts Champion during this run. James also became the first woman to hold this title as well as the WWE Women's Championship and the WWE Divas Championship.
2 Women's Champion
Mickie James first run in WWE was certainly filled with some massive highs and some incredibly awful lows. Again, that whole "Piggy James" angle remains one of the worst in WWE history. But that certainly wasn't the fault of Mickie James.
But her time in WWE also yielded some brilliant moments, as well. Mickie would become a five time WWE Women's Champion and a one time WWE Divas Champion. She was easily one of the most dominant female competitors in WWE during the 2000s, and help set the stage for the Women's Evolution that would come a few years later.
1 Trish Stratus' Stalker
Mickie James made her first debut on the WWE main roster in 2005. At that time, Trish Stratus was the top female competitor in the company. Mickie was brought up from OVW to work with her.
WWE created an angle where Mickie was an obsessive fan. She started off as Trish's tag team partner, then became her opponent. It was a defining feud for both women, one that elevated both of their careers. This feud also put James in the position to become the face of the Women's Division, which she eventually did.