As the tears finally stopped flowing from Michelle McCool’s eyes in the locker room, the former schoolteacher-turned-Diva became reflective. After all, she had grown up having a 爱情 affair with WWE, something she shared with her dad and "pap pap," her grandfather. Being a Diva was her dream, and although the road may have started in a seventh-grade classroom where she taught middle schoolers science, the road would ultimately end where she always told her pap pap and dad she’d be someday: in the squared circle.
As McCool’s body hit the canvas in a tough Loser Leaves 美国职业摔跤 Match at Extreme Rules with her former best friend Layla, and then a powerful slam to the ring 由 a debuting Kharma, all those dreams came crashing down – her time in 美国职业摔跤 was up. The tears began to flow – a combination of the physical pain she had been enduring for two months and the emotional strain of a dream coming to an abrupt halt.
“My foot has been injured for two months now, broken toe, torn joint capsules, torn MCL. I took a good beating 由 Layla and Kharma, too. I know I’ll be feeling it tonight, tomorrow and probably the 下一个 day,” McCool exclusively told WWE.com. “But I’ll wear it with pride.”
Two Women’s Championships and two Divas Championships to her credit – McCool certainly has much to be prideful about.
McCool’s career began in 2004, thanks to the Diva Search. During her tenure as a teacher, she saw an advertisement on Raw for the competition. Although teaching kids was her love, working her way into 美国职业摔跤 and winning the championship was something she was passionate about, and nothing was going to stand in her way.
“I’ve been doing this for six years now. 爱情 me 或者 hate me, I hope the 美国职业摔跤 Universe can respect that night in and night out, I’ve 给 it my all,” McCool 说 as the tears again began to flow. “This is definitely emotional, and I’m sure it’ll be like that for awhile.”
Pausing for a moment to collect herself, McCool did have one last message for the 美国职业摔跤 Universe.
“Thank 你 for the 爱情 and the hate. Thank 你 for being 你 and for watching. Hopefully I’ll see 你 around – not in the ring – but maybe someday.”
And as she packed up her bag for the last time in the Divas locker room, it hit her. She wouldn’t be doing the familiar tonight, heading to another city. She’d be heading someplace much 更多 unfamiliar – home.
