Jamie Jones
Dalton Daily Citizen
The “grind.”
For professional wrestlers, there is no offseason. They don’t get vacation — unless they get hurt. Pay-per-views, live television programs, house shows on the weekend, autograph signings, special appearances, photo shoots, gym workouts, physical therapy sessions, etc. Whatever leftover time is dedicated to your real life.
If you even have one.
Amy Dumas, who reached stardom as the World Wrestling Entertainment grappler Lita, said she retired from wrestling in Nov. 2006 because of the grueling schedule that kept her busy almost every day of the year during her eight-year career. WWE officials wanted Dumas to resign for five years.
“It was kind of just like a been there, done that,” Dumas said during a recent interview from Atlanta. “Been there, done that. Man, I have other stuff to do.”
She said the freedom of being able to eat dinner without having to answer a phone call or attending a friend’s birthday party is liberating. While exiting the bright wrestling spotlight, Dumas formed an Atlanta-based punk rock band called The Luchagors.
Dumas admits she hasn’t watched much wrestling since leaving WWE. She still keeps in touch with former WWE diva Trish Stratus because they’ve followed similar career paths. She also regularly talks to former boyfriends Matt Hardy and Adam Copeland (Edge).
After Dumas began dating Copeland shortly after breaking up with Hardy, their relationship turned into an onscreen angle. It also resulted in Lita turning heel and portraying a much less desirable character. She doesn’t attribute that character change as a reason for retiring.
“Having the last two years of my character pretty much being a ringside slut, but when you think of Lita, you think that she could actually go out there and wrestle,” Dumas said. “It wouldn’t totally taint my legacy.”
Dumas points to three distinct high points in her wrestling career: a “Raw” main event featuring her and The Rock vs. Triple H and Stratus; another “Raw” main event pitting her against Stephanie McMahon with The Rock as guest referee when she won her first women’s championship (the first time ever two women met in a main event); and her third women’s title win against Stratus on “Raw.”
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Labels: Lita, the rock, triple h, trish stratus
