You make what you do in the wrestling ring look very easy when it’s quite the opposite. What sort of strict diet regime do you follow in order to stay in shape and compete at the level you do?
I try to stick to a diet. I mainly stick to organic foods. The hardest part about dieting is when I am on the road. A lot of the time after the shows when we're travelling to the next city there aren't a lot of places open that sell decent, healthy, food. It's so easy to just have a grilled chicken sandwich. If you find you’re made but trying to keep a balanced diet on the road is a real challenge.
Are you a big gym fanatic?
Yeah, well I try to hit the gym at least five times a week. After a while I'll shake up my training schedule by doing some yoga and other classes to keep it fun. I am doing Zumba classes as well so I can give my fellow TNA Knockout Sarita a run for her money. Even the best of us have one or two guilty pleasures that will not do our diets much good.
What foods do you struggle to stay away from? What’s your kryptonite?
Ice-cream. It's hard. I just need to not buy it. If I don't buy it I am ok. But if someone else buys it I am done for. I can't help it. I will try not to have any dairy for four or five days. I can go without the fried foods but it's just so hard to stay away from dairy especially cheese and ice-cream. Unfortunately for me if I want to continue with my singing career then I need to stay away from these types of foods.
It’s fair to say you’re in a predominantly male industry, what pressures do you feel when you perform, if any?
I wouldn't really call it pressure. I use this kind of adversity to really motivate me. It helps fuel me so I can go out there at the shows to raise the bar and prove that we as women are just as strong and tough as the guys.
Would you say that you and the other Knockouts work harder than the guys at TNA?
I wouldn't say that we work harder. I think we work very hard to step our game. If we can impress our peers then we're really doing something out there. You are by no means a rookie of the wrestling business.
What would be your advice to young women looking to pursue a wrestling career?
Go to college. I would say that everyone nowadays should go out and try to get a college education. A college education is very important I think to fall back on if things didn’t work out in wrestling. If you're honestly sincere about becoming a wrestler then the first thing is to find an incredible school with top name trainers that have been heavily involved in the business.
Everyone breaking into this industry has a different experience. For me I started out in a wrestling school just outside of (Washington) D.C and then switched to a number of different schools. I did a Ricky Steamboat camp and ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) camp one time. Professional wrestlers are prone to injuries of all kinds given the nature of the sport.
How much does it hurt to take the bumps and slams in the ring?
There is a common misconception that the ring doesn't hurt but it does big time. We go out there and put our bodies and lives on the line. Don't try this at home is what we say because if we as the professionals can get hurt the average person can too. I find that if I've been working three or four nights in a row then I'll struggle to get out of bed because I am that beat up. No disrespect to any other sports but we don't get an off-season. We are working and travelling constantly. And of course we still have to stay in shape when we are on the road.
As well as being a top star in TNA wrestling you have also kick started your career as a country western singer and released your debut album 'Strangers & Angels'. How did that come about?
Well it's always been an ambition even before wrestling. Once I stepped in the ring I fell in love with it and I knew it was what I wanted to do. After working hard to get where I am in wrestling at the back of my mind is still the desire to be a musician. It was always a dream of mines since I was a little girl. I used to imagine myself on stage and record myself singing. But those tapes weren't that amazing.
If there's one album or band you'd recommend what or who would that be?
To pick just one is hard. But I need to say the Best of the Eagles. I am a huge Eagles fan. They are just good for anyone who likes any genre of music. My big time love is country music but I love a little bit of everything. I have a huge respect and appreciation for the musicians out there writing their own stuff. I've written a few songs myself so I know how hard it is. It's definitely an art.
Given the demanding nature of both the wrestling and music business what would a perfect day off for Mickey James consist of?
Typically If I've not been home in a while I'll first of all take care of any business. But I try and go to the farm and ride my horses. It’s what I do to escape and relax. It's my place of serenity and peace.
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