Women of Wrestling (WOW) made a big splash when they announced a brand new TV deal with ViacomCBS as well as the fact that AJ Mendez would be joining the company as both Executive Producer and as part of the announce team for the new season. Fans have been wanting to see Mendez back in the wrestling world ever since she left WWE, and now they’re finally getting that, albeit not in the way they necessarily expected. As for how the deal became a reality, CM Punk revealed how he got wind of a possible opportunity and why he encouraged her to talk to Jeanie Buss in an interview with Robbie Fox of My Mom’s Basement.
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“I don’t want to put words in her mouth. But I think that’s just a happy coincidence. I think it was more, you know. So I’ll go ahead. I had somebody reach out to me, saying, ‘Hey, Jeanie Buss wants to talk to April.’ I was like, ‘What?’ April doesn’t know anything about sports, like nothing, you know? So I took the idea to her and I was just like, ‘You have to at least take this meeting. Jeanie Buss is the most powerful woman in sports.’ You know, I think in my mind, I was just doing cartwheels thinking of my wife talking to Jeanie Buss. I thought that was super cool,” Punk said.
“They had a great conversation and Jeanie was just, you know, trying to kickstart WOW and it really just kind of fit into the stuff that April’s doing: writing, producing. So it really was just an idea presented to her that I think opened her up to, ‘Oh, s***. This is actually perfect. I can help the next generation of female wrestlers, with the creative side of stuff and I don’t have to get concussed.’ Like it’s excellent, so it really fits what she’s doing in her wheelhouse. I’m super stoked she’s doing it,” Punk said.
While Mendez isn’t planning on jumping into the ring at this point, it’s great that fans will get to hear her on commentary, though in a recent interview with WOW’s Izzy, she did reveal she could jump into the ring if that was something she wanted to pursue again.
“I will say, I say the same thing in every interview, and it’s always ‘never say never, but don’t hold your breath.’ What I mean by that is, I never say never to anything; physically, mentally, emotionally, I’m healed from everything I’ve gone through in wrestling. I could technically do it, but I’m so enjoying letting the next generation have their spotlight,” Mendez said. “I got to do everything I wanted to do. So, it really would have to be, is that challenge there? I don’t think the girls need me there. I think that they are going to take over the world all by themselves.”
Are you excited or Mendez joining WOW? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
H/T Fightful
