Bound For Glorywas a time of celebration for the entire TNA Wrestling roster. For McKenzie Mitchell, it was a time to reflect on the companyâ€s rollercoaster journey. Her start into the business came through a three-year stint with the company. Earlier this year she returned home back in the role of ring announcer. Certainly, things like introducing the Hardy Boyz and Team 3D in their “One Final Table†will be a career highlight.
“Standing in the ring at Bound For Glory in Boston with nearly 8,000 people. Sometimes you donâ€t take the moment to stop and truly look around and look at what is happening before your eyes. For me, it was a moment to soak everything in,†Mitchell said. “You talk about the ‘One Final Table†match with the Hardyz and Dudleys. That is the last time those two iconic tag teams will be in the ring together.
“I was lucky to be a smart part of that. I told Bubba this the other day that I wanted to really do them justice of their careers and everything theyâ€ve done putting their bodies on the line year after year. For me, I was very lucky. I was very honored to be a part of that. Again, in wrestling because it moves so quickly…For Bound For Glory, before I did the announcement for the Dudleys and the Hardyz, I just stopped and looked around and saw everyone on their feet for this moment. It was really an opportunity to pay respect to them. It was so cool I was just a small part.â€
Itâ€s a great time to be a pro wrestling fan in this landscape of collaboration. Among those partnerships has been an unheard of one between TNA and WWEâ€s NXT brand. The two sides have been sharing talent, meshing, and overall working together. So much so that Mitchell was able to go back to her old stomping grounds at the WWE Performance Center where she helped ring announce for the NXT x TNA ‘Showdown†special. An added bonus was getting to see her husband, voice of NXT Vic Joseph, at work.
“Obviously, I started my career at TNA for three or four years of my life. I remember back then, in my resume reel I was submitting to WWE to get hired by WWE, it was almost this feeling that Iâ€m this TNA girl,†Mitchell recalled. “I think back then…I applied on the website, WWECareers.com. I also made a new resume reel that was things that were outside of professional wrestling, that wasnâ€t just TNA wrestling. I didnâ€t know that for a fact, but it kind of felt like it was hurting my chances of being able to make the transition to WWE. I went out and filmed other things to show my versatility and what I could do as a broadcaster.
“Now you fast forward to this partnership, something we thought would never happen because they were separate brands. You were either TNA or WWE. Now to see this seamless blend of this partnership. I think itâ€s something the fans can appreciate. True TNA diehard fans are getting their feel. WWE fans are getting their feel. These are matches you would never have thought would happen. Jeâ€Von Evans and Leon Slater, what in the world? The talent these two have in the ring is really cool. Whatâ€s really awesome, to put it in a one-word way, but itâ€s awesome to see the growth that has been had and is still to come. Talking about working with my husband, itâ€s almost like this full-circle moment. Starting in TNA, going to WWE, and going back to TNA and still doing this handshake moment is really awesome for me.â€
Mitchell loves wearing many hats. Her skillset has taken her from ring announcing to broadcasting to interviewing. However, one part of the pro wrestling show we havenâ€t seen is an actual in-ring performer. Will that ever happen?
“I have never taken a bump,†Mitchell answered. “In all of my years in professional wrestling, Iâ€ve been in wrestling for 10 years, Iâ€ve never taken a bump. Now something you say in wrestling is never say never. I always have to say never say never. I would like to take one kind of bump, whether itâ€s in a match or just behind the scenes just so when I have kids one day I can say, ‘your mom did that one time and it hurt really, really bad.†I think I would want to because I would then be able to relate what these athletes do week in and week out, putting their body on the line.
“I have been approached several times about having the match. For me it’s a matter of, I think Iâ€m a better talker than I am wrestler or would-be wrestler. I did grow up an athlete. I was a cheerleader. I was a dancer. I played volleyball, so I was athletic growing up. If the right opportunity would present itself, maybe I would have my Michael Cole moment at WrestleMania. We all remember that moment. Never say never, but it would have to be the right opportunity for me.â€
Though she might be a little too busy these days to buckle down for training. After all Mitchell is a mogul in the making. Not only does she have her commitments to TNA, but she is a business owner and brand boss within the jewelry industry. The entrepreneur owns a Headline by MM online store, as well as a formal store in Nashville. For Mitchell, the business venture follows in the footsteps of her family, which spans more than 75 years in the jewelry business. Her Drippin collection took off thanks to those who have worn custom pieces from Seth Rollins to Trick Williams. Jeff Hardy even sported a piece of Mitchellâ€s collection during Bound For Glory.She also has some of country musicâ€s biggest names like Sarah Evans and Lainey Wilson wearing her jewelry.
“I wanted it to be the perfect blend within my professional life and personal life kind of creating this moment coming together,†she said. “…It has snowballed, and Iâ€m so excited to see where we go with this and how we can build this dream.â€
One person who has yet to be a customer is her own husband. Joseph does support the wife, including the promotion of her upcoming book “Threads of Triumph Professional Wrestling’s Most Iconic Looks.â€However, McKenzie admits he owns zero Headline by MM products.
“I say this to my husband all the time. I know a thing or two about fashion, why do you not want to just listen to me,†she explained. “Put on a necklace, a lapel pin, there are so many things we can do. My husband is very set in his ways, and so weâ€re working on it. The other day we were at Disney with the Garganos, and Johnny was wearing a nice bracelet. I said, ‘See, Johnny is wearing a bracelet. Why canâ€t you wear a bracelet?†Shawn Michaels was wearing a nice watch the other day. I said, ‘See, Shawn is wearing a nice watch.â€
“This is how it goes. Maybe, maybe heâ€ll start wearing something. But to keep it simple, he owns zero pieces. It is one of those things too when you’re growing up and your mom says you should wear this. And you think, ‘mom thatâ€s a dumb idea.†Itâ€s similar. The fact he still doesn’t believe I know what I’m talking about. Maybe one day heâ€ll realize, ‘hey, maybe my wife does know what she is talking about.â€â€
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