Top Impact Star Comments On Mickie James' 'Last Rodeo'

Mickie James has built a legacy in the wrestling business, and she's on her "Last Rodeo." James has vowed to retire when she loses another match. James will challenge Jordynne Grace for the IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Championship at the Hard To Kill pay-per-view on January 13. During an appearance on "Counted Out with Mike & Tyler," Deonna Purrazzo discussed how valuable James has been to her career.

"Mickie's so polarizing," Purrazzo said. "She's been wrestling 20-plus years, she's done it all, and I think that having someone with that experience — I was actually talking to her the other day and I said, 'You know, if you give someone advice or you say I like this better or what about this, and we tweak this,' how could I ever argue that you're wrong?"

Purrazzo went on to say that everyone in the IMPACT locker room can learn something by speaking with James. She described James' presence as "game-changing" in her career. Purrazzo also discussed the importance of James' "Last Rodeo" storyline and what it'll mean for whoever ends her in-ring career.

"I think that would be career-defining," Purrazzo said. "You know, Tasha Steelz says, 'I'm the greatest to beat the greatest,' right? She beat Mickie James for the Knockouts World Championship, but I think that's been game-changing for Tasha, it kind of leveled her up a little bit. The person who gets to say, 'I retired Mickie James,' what bigger thing is there to do besides win the IMPACT Knockouts Championship, which after Hard To Kill you might have the opportunity to do?"

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Counted Out with Mike & Tyler," with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.