Trish Stratus Had Reservations Before Agreeing To Compete At Royal Rumble

TheSportster

By Mark Lugris

Published May 31, 2018

Trish Stratus on needing assurance before her Royal Rumble appearance: "Before I say yes to [WWE], I have to make sure I can still do this.'”

In an interview with the Niagara Falls Review, Trish Stratus, discussed her upcoming appearance at Comic Con, as well as her participation at Royal Rumble 2018. Stratus, who retired from wrestling in 2006 after winning her seventh WWE Women's Championship, the most for a female performer in WWE history, became the youngest WWE Hall of Fame member ever in 2013.

Stratus, who married Ron Fisico, her high school sweetheart in 2006, announced that she was pregnant at the Hall of Fame ceremony. On September 30, 2013, she gave birth to a boy, who she named Maximus Stratus Fisico.

At the end of last year, Stratus got a call asking her if she’d like to take part in the Royal Rumble in January. Though she agreed, she knew she would have to begin training as soon as possible to get into fighting shape. “I called a friend of mine in Toronto, and I said, ‘Can we get a ring set up? I might have an opportunity, and before I say yes to them, I have to make sure I can still do this.'”

At the Royal Rumble, she entered in the final spot and managed to secure three eliminations, including Nia Jax, Mickie James and Natalya. After being among the final five women in the match, she was eliminated by Sasha Banks.

She admits that training was hard and certainly painful, but the moves came back quickly. “Wrestling is like riding a bike, it really came quicker than I thought. Was I little sore? Yes, absolutely. My body was like, ‘Why did you just throw yourself down from five feet up?’ My body was reminding me that’s not normal.”

Although women’s wrestling has evolved over the years from a novelty act with sexist undertones, Stratus has taken it all in stride. In 2000, she made her debut as a manager for T&A, aka Test and Albert, and was asked to appear in the ring in a bra and panties.

“It kind of went with the territory. It was the product at the time. I look back, and I know that every time I did roll my eyes, I was one step closer to moving away from it. I was like, ‘I don’t think I can take another bra and panties match because I know I can do more than that. I think I can hold their attention and not be in my bra and panties, let’s try that.’ Everything was a stepping stone towards the changing of the tide,” she said.

Stratus also had some kind words for her former colleagues, including The Rock, who she referred to as “a positive, warm person.” She admitted that she wasn’t surprised by his Hollywood success. “He was always the hardest working guy in the company, so I’m not surprised at the success he achieved.”