Gail Kim speaks about her history with WWE.
Gail Kim is currently a producer for TNA Wrestling and as the promotion has been collaborating with WWE’s NXT brand, she’s been present at NXT TVs when there’s TNA representation on the show.
In the fall of 2023, Kim made her in-ring return at IMPACT 1000. It was her first match since 2019. The question of if she’ll wrestle again has been posed to her in multiple media appearances but as she was doing a virtual signing for K & S WrestleFest, she was asked about the idea of returning to the ring for WWE and she explained why she does not think that will happen.
I don’t think they (WWE) would have me back (as an in-ring performer). I mean, there’s a lot of reasons why. I don’t know how much they hold grudges or anything like that. Listen, we all grow from your situations and I have grown obviously. I’m a 47-year-old woman now. I was in my early 30s I think then (when I eliminated myself from the Battle Royal) and… you know, when you care so much about women’s wrestling and it’s just not treated right… And I just felt like, oh my God, I gotta get out of here. I only have a certain amount of time. I was in my 30s. I knew I felt like I was in my prime and I felt like I had more to give to the fans and I was just like, I can’t sign another three-year deal here. I can’t waste three more years of my life and my career and so, yeah, that was the way it just all ended up.
That led to the discussion of Kim possibly being inducted into WWE’s Hall of Fame. The IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Famer does not think WWE would offer her the accolade.
She added that her legacy is in TNA but if she’s being honest, she would like to be recognized. If WWE were to welcome her into their Hall of Fame, she would want Molly Holly to induct her.
I don’t think I would go in. That’s why I laughed (at the question of if I’d accept WWE Hall of Fame induction). That’s how I answer it.
100 percent (my legacy is in TNA Wrestling). My career, all my accomplishments — I mean, besides the fact that I won the title on my first night. I will always be appreciative of that fact. I wouldn’t take it away now, but I think if you asked me back then, I was very green when I started and when I won that title, it was just off of a lot of hype and I’ve never been a babyface before. I’d work as a heel in the independent scene. So, to be babyface and to be thrown as the champion on your first night out in WWE, it was crazy. I wasn’t ready and so when you start at the top and you’re not ready, I mean, it’s just hard. You’re gonna go down. There’s nowhere else to go if you start off at the top.
I don’t know (if I’ll get into the Hall of Fame). I just know it (the question) makes me uncomfortable (she laughed)… Of course, you wanna be recognized, right? I mean, in all honesty, of course you wanna be recognized for your passion, for your hard work and everything. That would have to be a bridge we’d cross if and when if that ever happened but, yeah.
Probably Molly Holly (is who I’d want to induct me), and it’s crazy because we don’t have a crazy close relationship but we’re still friends to this day and we’ll text each other as well. But she is the reason why I got my opportunity there and she was the first person I saw where I was — ‘fell in love’ with a female wrestler if I can say that to her. I had never seen anyone move like she did in a ring and I absolutely was just — she’s my favorite and to meet — you know, they say, ‘Never meet your heroes.’ She was everything and more. She’s always been a role model in the sense of her and Kurt Angle were the two people that I really felt like they — of course, Kurt went through his demons and all those things but ultimately, he’s such a great human, both of those people. The way they treat people, the way they treated other wrestlers and were someone to look up to in the business. Both amazing people.
Kim last wrestled for WWE in 2011. As of late, she has been mentioned several times on WWE television by Michael Cole as he spoke about past Women’s Champions in the promotion.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit K & S WrestleFest with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
