'%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,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
At one point, Beth Phoenix was set to take on Awesome Kong at WrestleMania, which would have most likely been the most prominent women's wrestling match to date at the time.
On the latest episode of Wrestling with Freddie, former WWE creative team member Freddie Prinze Jr. revealed that there were plans at one point for Beth Phoenix to face Awesome Kong (Kharma) at WrestleMania.
"Steph had me write this whole crazy storyline," Freddie Prinze Jr. began. "They were gonna bring Awesome Kong in and they gave me the story and we had recently signed Gail Kim and I had Awesome Kong like smashing her first three opponents, right? Her and Gail had some really, really good matches at TNA so Gail was gonna give her a match and was gonna get seven minutes. So we’re writing this up and Gail hits her finisher but Kong kicks out and beats her and then she meets Natalya and Kong beats her but then goes off after the bell which brings out Beth Phoenix which is what Vince wanted me to work WrestleMania to and it was gonna be Beth Phoenix and Awesome Kong at WrestleMania."
Beth Phoenix didn't get the WrestleMania match due to Awesome Kong departing the company
Freddie Prinze Jr. would go on to detail the promo levels between the two women and how excited he was to see the angle play out on television. Unfortunately, Awesome Kong ended up departing the company, which shelved the entire storyline.
"Because Beth wasn’t the best on the microphone, I had to protect her more than I would have to protect Kia," Freddie Prinze Jr. said. "Apparently I didn’t know how much I would have to do with Kia. But she was just fire, like straight fire. Now the story couldn’t play [out] and ended up not going because Kia ended up leaving the company."
Are you disappointed that we never got a match between Beth Phoenix and Awesome Kong? Who do you think would've won? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
Thanks to POST Wrestling for the transcription of this podcast.
