Join Joey Karni as he gets The Angle with "The Champ" Candice Michelle! We discussed signing with WWE, winning the WWE Women's Championship, getting injured and retiring, Torrie Wilson and Victoria, not making the cut for RAW Legends Night, her TED talk "The Authenticity of Fake," Melina, wanting to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Hulk Hogan, the story behind her wand gimmick, and so much more! Candice Michelle is truly a WWE Legend! Here are the most notable quotes from the show.
On signing with WWE, knowing she’d become Women’s Champion, and what she was told :
“When I signed on the dotted line that was my goal the entire time. Now that wasn’t their goal. What they said to me is that I was there to pretty up the business. But when you go in and fight for it and you started training, you get to do that.”
On RAW Legends Night and why she wasn’t there
“I didn’t make the cut, but I always make the headline. Don’t get me wrong, I felt a little left out. I want to be there. I want to feel special. But I don’t allow a company to define who I am. I got more exposure from social media than I would’ve being there. Find the gifts in those situations.”
On having heat with Melina and clearing the air:
“Just to touch on my matches with Melina, we had really serious heat, internal and external. But it makes for great matches and it’s very difficult to put together a match like that. At the end of the day, I give her so much credit because of that. Because she didn’t believe in me. Because she didn’t think I was good enough. It made me fight harder. As we grew up after wrestling, I’ll never forget the time when I had the opportunity to actually just thank her because it’s what started to push me so hard.
On becoming depressed after her injury ultimately ending her career and the good that came:
“On the first dropkick I landed I knew it wasn’t okay. I finished the match, but I shattered my collarbone. Now that sent me home for 6-8 months and that was devastating. I remember being so depressed on the couch asking like what do I do, I couldn’t do anything. Now I’m fully in surgery in what felt like a body cast and you still have the mentality. I tore 2 ligaments trying to come back too soon. So the lesson in all of it is to just take the break. The gift in that situation, despite being devastating at the time, without that situation I would’ve never become the mother to 3 beautiful girls and it’s my favorite title that I hold to this day.”
On Torrie Wilson & Victoria ( Candice becomes emotional)
“To this day both of those ladies are dear friends of mine. Actually today I just called Torrie, for no reason, I was reading a book called Living Like a Monk, and he was just saying this stuff like leave your friends better than you found them and she just came in my mind. She’s just so sweet and just a good heart she’s done so much work on her journey in life that every time I leave her I just feel a little bit better. I called her just to tell her this and I started crying. Then I talked to Victoria a little later today randomly talking about appearances we have coming up and she has me laughing like she just doesn’t change. To have that ride or die literally we traveled together, we ate together, we slept together, we did it all together. We’re just always here for each other.”
Her own spin of the 24/7 Championship and what it meant to win it:
“I was shocked. But then when it hit me, it made total sense. I didn’t put too much into it, just to see my old friends and have a good time. None of my fans see the work I’m doing behind the scenes. The 24/7 Champion is what I preach to everyone. You have to train everyday of your life. It doesn’t end. To get that 24/7 title is like reminds me of what I preach, my rituals, my standards, and my values. And every day getting up and practicing them. Everyday getting up and doing it all over again. My philosophy matches that title.”
Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWGI22VsQuE&t=1060s
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/candice-michelle-on-womens-revolution-raw-legends-night/id1477487697?i=1000514073865
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4y9D0oZMT3Lxs7AF6jB1s1?si=iCmul4TFTBG2kMnpr8yv5A