Mickie James Explains Why 'She Didn't Read The Room Right' At WWE WrestleMania 22

Throughout her illustrious career, few things have defined wrestling star Mickie James more than her iconic match with Trish Stratus at WrestleMania 22. Their match contained a now infamous spot where James grabbed Stratus by the crotch and made a provocative gesture to the camera that insinuated a romantic relationship between herself and Stratus. 

In a recent interview on "Ring the Belle," James delved into how the spot came to be.

"It was not approved," said James. "I asked if I could lick my finger. In the moment, it felt like this was the right choice for everything, to me. I honestly thought I was going to come back and get high-fives."

While James thought the spot was going to be praised backstage, that was not the case, as she recalls returning from her match to negative reactions. She believes the moment was not given positive reactions as she "was not supposed to have that big of a moment."

"I felt horrible," said James. "After his super huge high moment, I just felt so defeated. I was like, 'Yeah, I didn't read the room right at all.'"

James acknowledged that the reaction from the fans made it worthwhile in the long run, adding that, in some ways, she had made the right choice. In the years since WrestleMania 22, James has spoken openly about her feud with Stratus, their WrestleMania match, and the reaction she received. In 2011, James said that following the match and the moment, her former boss Vince McMahon screamed at her.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Ring the Belle" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.