Hardcore Country is heading to the Hall of Fame. TNA Wrestling announced that five-time Knockouts Champion Mickie James will be the first inductee into its Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
The induction ceremony takes place Sunday, October 12, at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts, as part of Bound For Glory.
The news came as a surprise to James. TNA President Carlos Silva revealed it live during her interview with Sam Roberts and Tommy Dreamer on Notsam Wrestling Live! on SiriusXM.
With this honor, James becomes the fourth Knockout inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame, joining Gail Kim, Awesome Kong, and Traci Brooks.
A veteran since 1999, James is an 11-time women’s world champion across her runs in TNA and WWE. Her most recent TNA match was at last year’s Bound For Glory, where she faced Trinity.
TNA highlighted her career in an official press release:
An 11-time Women’s World Champion, Mickie James has been wrestling for more than two decades, including multiple title runs in WWE and TNA Wrestling. She has been wrestling since 1999 and has been a multi-time winner of the Woman Wrestler of the Year award. Her 2021 Bound For Glory match against Deonna Purrazzo was voted the 2021 Knockouts Match of the Year. Away from the ring, James is a renowned country music singer, perhaps best known for her hit single “Hardcore Country.” She is an inductee into the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame and is signed to Sony Music.
This year’s Bound For Glory is already stacked. One marquee match will see The Hardys face fellow Hall of Famers Team 3D one last time. The card will also feature current TNA World Champion and NXT roster member Trick Williams, continuing the partnership between the two promotions.