'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAB//aAAgBAQAAAAApP//EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/2gAIAQIQAAAAP//EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/2gAIAQMQAAAAf//EACEQAAIBAwMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQFIQASEwYRIzGR/9oACAEBAAE/ALv1bbrxW8Js1DD41V46SPhUMiAYHrcM51LdNsriOnpigYhS0K9yPmv/xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAv/aAAgBAgEBPwCH/8QAFxEAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDIf/aAAgBAwEBPwCrw//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In a recent interview, former WWE Superstar Candice Michelle recalled a romance storyline that she was part of with Vince McMahon in the mid-2000s. Discussing the angle, Michelle claimed that she felt awkward during the on-screen romance with McMahon, but said it was "just a part of my job".
Over the years, many WWE Superstars have been involved in storylines that they weren't quite happy to be involved in. There have been many angles involving bullying, romance, or that blur the lines between kayfabe and the star's personal lives, that have made a handful of performers uncomfortable, especially as they have reflected on their work in WWE.
Here are five times WWE Superstars were uncomfortable with their storyline.
#5 Five-time WWE Women's Champion Mickie James found the "Piggy James" storyline difficult
Mickie James was most recently seen on WWE television during RAW Legends Night, taking part in backstage segments. She last wrestled on television back in September 2020.
In late 2009, Mickie James was a SmackDown Superstar and was a part of a bullying storyline with Layla and Michelle McCool. During the angle, LayCool acted as bullies towards James.
The storyline turned controversial when the pair began to insult James' weight, and the villainous duo began dubbing her "Piggy James", which left the WWE Women's Champion in tears. The body-shaming storyline even involved a segment where LayCool shoved chunks of cake into James' face.
The storyline is one that hasn't aged well and is hard to imagine going down on WWE television today. Reflecting on the storyline in a 2010 interview. Mickie James shared how it took a toll on her.
"I don't know where it came from. Were they ribbing me or just poking fun? I sat back and prayed about it... After six months of embarrassment and ridicule, that's the payoff? I had to swallow my pride," said Mickie James.
James also discussed the angle more recently in an interview with Ring the Belle.
"It was hard at the moment, and I think it was hard for everyone in order to do it. There would be times I was like, ‘oh I think this might be a little too far.’ But I will say the end goal was to get Michelle and Layla over as monster heels and as the big heels, and I think it was very successful in that retrospect," said Mickie James.
#4 Former WWE Women's Champion Molly Holly was unhappy about her storyline with Trish Stratus
In 2002, WWE Superstars Molly Holly and Trish Stratus were entangled in a feud. At the time, Molly Holly was a self-righteous prude who would lambast her fellow WWE Divas for showing off their bodies and called herself "pure and wholesome" in comparison to the other women on the roster.
As a heel, Molly Holly quickly established a feud with Trish Stratus, who verbally laid into the star over her figure. Stratus often proclaimed that Holly had a large behind, and Jerry Lawler even joined in with the ribbing from behind the commentary table.
In a 2006 interview, Molly Holly revealed that she was upset by the comments made about her body, saying:
"As a girl, you don't want people to tell you you're ugly. I'd take those feelings back to the hotel with me and back to my home with me. It was difficult."
The 2002 Molly Holly angle is one that hasn't aged well. It doesn't feel like a storyline that WWE would produce in the current day, especially in the post-Women's Revolution era of the company.
#3 Becky Lynch wasn't a fan of her on-screen WWE romance with Seth Rollins
In 2019, Becky Lynch became the face of WWE. The Irish Superstar began the year by winning the Royal Rumble, and in the spring, was one of the first women to be in a headline match at WrestleMania.
Around the same time, Lynch began dating fellow WWE Superstar Seth Rollins, after the pair had been friends for years. The real-life romance between the two was kept private until the summer when it began to be referenced on WWE television. Top babyfaces of WWE at the time, the couple started working together in mixed tag team matches and feuded with Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans.
However, Becky Lynch stated that she expected their relationship to be depicted differently than the way it ended up:
"Honestly, I was very apprehensive. What I didn't want was everybody talking about the relationship. What I wanted was two bad asses, two people at the top of their game fighting side-by-side. Not for the world to be reminded every five minutes that this is Becky Lynch's boyfriend or that's Seth Rollins' girlfriend. Which, of course, they didn't do. They were the masters of subtlety," said Becky Lynch.
"In terms of having my relationship be the freaking be the front and center, that's not what I'm about. That's not what I've worked towards. That's not what I wanted," said Lynch.
Since the angle, there haven't been many references to their relationship on television. Off-screen, the couple has just welcomed their first child.
#2 Terri Runnels hated her controversial WWE storyline
Terri Runnels first became a WWE Superstar as Marlena, the manager of her then-husband Goldust. She was repackaged into one half of the Pretty Mean Sisters alongside Jacqueline, with her real name.
It was during this time that Terri Runnels was a part of a very controversial storyline in WWE. Runnels was the on-screen girlfriend of Val Venis and claimed to be pregnant with him before he dumped her. Runnels later said that she'd suffered a miscarriage after D'Lo Brown pushed her off the ring apron.
A few weeks later, Brown discovered that Runnels had lied about the pregnancy and miscarriage.
Runnels expressed her feelings on the storyline, and they were not positive. In fact, she didn't want the angle to go ahead.
“I really think it was horrible. I hated it. I really begged Russo. I was like… my daughter is in elementary school and I don’t want kids hearing about that and saying ‘Oh your mom, you know, had this other baby…’ I didn’t want to put her through that and I thought it was tacky and that was one fight I lost. I fought and fought and fought that angle… I begged Russo – I’m like “dude, don’t – just don’t” and he won and I lost that one,” said Runnels.
#1 Former WWE Champion Dean Ambrose didn't like having to use Roman Reigns' leukemia in a storyline
Former WWE Superstar Dean Ambrose is now better known as AEW star Jon Moxley. For most of his WWE career, Ambrose was one-third of the popular faction, The Shield.
In late 2018, Roman Reigns sadly had to take a break from WWE after being diagnosed with leukemia for a second time. WWE decided to bring this into the storyline between The Shield, where Ambrose turned heel and attacked Rollins on the very same episode that Reigns' illness was announced.
On an episode of RAW that followed, Ambrose cut a promo mocking Reigns' diagnosis that was met with criticism. Moxley expressed his distaste over even saying the words that he did on the Talk is Jericho podcast.
“I cut the promo and as soon as that line left my mouth, I went, 'Oh my God, I can’t believe I just said that',” said Jon Moxley.
Moxley also revealed that he was given material that he was uncomfortable with.
“Remember what I was saying about the line in the previous promo the week before? This promo also had a line regarding my actual friend who is going through actual leukemia that Vince wanted me to say, that he tried to talk me into saying. This is where I absolutely drew the line. He tried to talk me into it but I was like ‘absolutely not’. He said, ‘If you feel uncomfortable, that’s fine’ and I’m like, 'No'... that’s where I had to finally put my foot down. It is the worst line. I’m not going to say it on air, I’ll tell you [Jericho] after we’re done, but I’m not even going to say it on air – that’s how bad it was. It would have been a thing where somebody would’ve had to get fired,” said Jon Moxley.
Moxley also claimed that he decided to leave WWE shortly after this.
