The first season of "WWE LFG" is approaching its end, and the latest episodes have featured a number of consequential decisions when it comes to who is staying and going. Speaking on "Busted Open Radio," Mickie James shared her thoughts on Mark "The Undertaker" Calaway deciding to advance Tyra Mae Steele through the competition rather than Bayley Humphrey.
"I was actually shocked by Taker's decision, only because is Tyra more ready than Bayley? Yes," James said. "But because Tyra is an Olympic Gold medalist, I wouldn't want her to debut on television until she's ready to walk out and be a champion."
James worries that, like any wrestling recruit debuting on TV, there's a possibility that Steele will need some time to adjust. Because of her Olympic status, fans are going to judge Steele by a different metric than any standard recruit, and it could backfire if WWE debuts her too early.
The winner of "LFG" is set to be "signed" to a WWE contract, and it's been indicated they'll have a role on "WWE NXT" going forward. Many on the show were also high on Humphrey, and James believes the stakes wouldn't have been as dire for Humphrey if she made it to the end as they could be for Steele.
"She's amazing, right? And she's probably the most ready of all the women in the camp," James continued. "I just thought, 'Oh, man. She needs another six months.'"
When Steele does debut on TV, James believes the best route will be to book her as a dominant competitor who wins a championship right off the bat. The only problem is that the "LFG" mentor isn't quite sure Steele is ready to handle that pressure and responsibility at this point in her wrestling development.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
