It’s been a few weeks since Raw 25 aired (and gave WWE its biggest rating in three years). The show was packed with big names such as “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, the Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, who all got to appear in lengthy segments, but one of the biggest complaints about the three-hour show was many more Superstars from years past were relegated to “smile and wave”-style appearances, with no actual interaction with the current roster or the WWE Universe.
Terri Runnels was one of a number of women from WWE’s history who appeared in a quick three-minute segment acknowledging their accomplishments as a group, alongside WWE Hall Of Famers such as Jacqueline and Trish Stratus, as well as Maryse and Maria Kanellis, two women who are still on the active roster (but are both in the middle of pregnancies).
On a recent episode of Runnels’ new podcast Cigars, Scars And Superstars, the former Hardcore Champion (it’s true!) discussed what her experience on Raw 25 was like, and how if she had her way, she would’ve had a reunion with a certain Golden one:
“We were all told to meet at the stage for a rehearsal. I had kind of had a bit of a heads up, and I hope I am not spoiling anything when I say this but Dustin [Rhodes] had said to Vince [McMahon] that since she is going to be here anyways I would like for her to walk me to the ring. I loved that idea, and Vince said to him, ‘No because she is going to have her own spotlight.’ I asked him what that meant about me having my own spotlight? Would I be going out to the ring with him and there’s going to be a spotlight on me? He said that he doesn’t know but that I was going to have my own spotlight.
“So I get there and they call all the girls and we get to the stage and they literally said that we are going to call you out in this order and this is the mark you are going to stand on; you are going to wave and walk back. We all kind of dropped our jaws and said that you have to be kidding me! We were looking out to having my spotlight [as Marlena] and I even emailed Vince McMahon and told him that I am bringing my gold dresses just in case you change your mind … It was not that I wanted to be alone where I say to everyone, ‘Hey, look at me. I am a diva extraordinaire, I need my own spotlight.’ No. It just felt like we were misused, which is the best way for me to explain it. I felt that there was a better way for us to be used, but don’t ask me because I didn’t really think it out. I just felt like you have a lot of talent and we were just in there waving.”
Runnels goes on to say that Goldust was slated to work with Enzo Amore that night but due to the day’s breaking news, the segment was rearranged, leaving Goldust completely off the Raw 25 broadcast. But hey, at least he’s on the Mixed Match Challenge! That’s gotta be a decent consolation prize, right? [checks notes] I’m being told that no, it is not.
(h/t Wrestling Inc.)
