You're Not Enough For Me: An Exclusive Interview With Michelle McCool

Breakdown returns from commercial and a video plays on the titantron. As the video loads it appears to be from earlier this week. Michelle McCool is shown sitting on a couch joined by what’s to be assumed an interviewer. She’s holding some Kleenex and looking off to the side when the interviewer clears his throat to speak.

{Interviewer}
First off, Michelle I’d like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me. Secondly, I’d like to first start this interview off with a simple question. One thing that everyone is wanting to know. Which I’m sure you can guess what it is, but, I have to ask anyway. How.. Are you doing after.. What’s happened the last several days? You obviously look distraught. So, tell me, what’s troubling you Michelle?

Michelle simply just sits there for a few moments staring blankly. She looks down at the tissue and then up at the interviewer. After what seems like ages, she glares in his direction, and finally speaks with an aggravated tone



{Michelle McCool}
Oh, gee, I don’t know.. Do I look alright to you? Do I really look like I’m in the right mindset to be anything close to the realm of alright? Well.. Do I? What’s wrong.. Am I getting a bit too angry, well if I am then you’ll have to excuse me, I did lose my best friend in the world AND almost got injured in the same night trying to win my first match for the Diva’s championship in ages. So, you’ll forgive me if I’m a bit hesitate to be Miss goodie-too-shoes, won’t you Hun?

Michelle almost begins to cry again but forces herself to remain calm. The interviewer taken aback by everything pauses before speaking

{Interviewer}
Um, Michelle I know you’re in a lot of pain but, that.. That didn’t exactly answer my question. So, please, tell me again how are you?

Michelle puts her tissue down and just sits there for a minute. She rolls her eyes before speaking



{Michelle McCool}
Are you really kidding yourself right now? I mean, honestly, Hun I don’t mean this in a bad way but you do have a brain in that skull of yours dontcha? Did I or did I not sound to you like I was in a bad mood? In what way does it sound like I’m at all in the mood for some smart ass, badly dressed, ignorant interviewer? Honestly, what’s keeping me here Hun, I’ve got a match later on tonight and I don’t need to waste my time with something like this.

{Interviewer}
..Michelle..I.. I just…

{Michelle McCool}
You just what. You didn’t think about how I’m feeling and decided to fire away with questions, prying at me until I answer it, no matter how I’m feeling or how personal the question is? Well, if y’all must really know Hun, I’m obviously not doing well. Quite frankly, I haven’t been doing well, at least not since Digital Decision. That match against Kaitlyn was supposed to be my rise back to the top. My way of not only redeeming myself, but also, my way to show all these people out there that I’ve still got it and I’m not all talk. As if you didn’t know guy, I haven’t exactly had the best record, when it comes to wins and losses. So, to answer your question no, I’m not doing well.

{Interviewer}
Since you brought it up, Michelle, how about we talk about what happened at Digital Decision. For a while there Kaitlyn seemed to have your number. What was your mindset going into the match. & more importantly what was your reaction to the outcome?



{Michelle McCool}
Oh, wow Hun, now you’re actually asking real questions. Well. I think now’s the time that I should tell you I’ll actually dignify that question with a real response. Look, it’s no secret around this place that I haven’t been on the best record lately, everyone knows that. At the same time Hun, everyone has bad days now and then it’s just that, mine seemed to drag on for a bit longer than I had wanted it to.

Michelle takes a sip of water before continuing to speak

{Michelle McCool}
So, obviously when I went into this match I had a lot to prove but, I didn’t have to just prove it to these people and everyone in the back I had to prove it to myself. I’ll be quite honest with you, ever since this brand split, I haven’t been the same Michelle McCool that y’all know, and love. Some of y’all could say but, Michelle part of this brand split was to help many superstars find success on their own, and you’d be right but I guess a part of me just never wanted to stray from what I liked to call “Home”. I had spent the majority of my career as a tag-team specialist. Wherever I went, everyone always knew, that’s Michelle McCool and if ya messed with her you best know that her friends would be their for her like she would them.

The interviewer nods and writes something down as Michelle continues

{Michelle McCool}
So, naturally, when I was put on my own I didn’t really know how to feel. You could argue that, despite this being a split for almost what a year now, it shouldn’t affect me but in some ways it still does. Going into Digital Decision, I finally had my first real chance to get back out there again, more importantly I finally had the chance to not only shut Kaitlyn up but, each and every single person that doubted me. So sure, I hadn’t had the best record but, that didn’t mean I wasn’t gonna go into the match with my head held high. So I didn’t win, so what, I’m not gonna let that loss get me down any more. What happened after? Not so much.

The interviewer writes down some notes before speaking

{Interviewer}
Well, Michelle you’ve certainly taken the time to get some things off your chest, now why don’t you tell me about what happened at the end of your match?



{Michelle McCool}
Enlighten me, Hun, are you talking about how I was forced to apologize? Or, are you talking about, what she did to me? Either way, y’all already know the answers but, if you must I’ll pour my heart to you again. Just.. Ya know because you’ve been really great to me and everything.

Michelle smirks as the interviewer looks at her confused. He leans forward in his chair as she speaks again

{Michelle McCool}
Well, first off if y’all know Michelle McCool, y’all will know that if there’s one thing I don’t like to do it’s lose. However, even more so than that, the one thing I can’t stand having to do is apologize. Not because I’m trying to show I’m above it, we all know where that’s gotten me lately but, just because I hate it when things have to come to that. Unfortunately, for me Hun, things came to it and they came hard now didn’t they?

He nods as Michelle continues to speak



{Michelle McCool}
So, there I was in the middle of that ring in front of a huge crowd, as if I wasn’t reduced to a big low by losing I now had to apologize? As you could imagine my mindset was in no way about to understand what would happen. There I was apologizing. Of course, in typical Michelle fashion, I’m not gonna just go and do it now am I? I’m not about to show these people that I’m weak. If I have to apologize I’ll do it on my terms. So, I finally said to myself ya know what Hun, enough is enough Michelle. Time to man up and show these people it’s not just about you anymore. As much as I know I’m just as good if not better than a lot of the Diva’s in the back it was time I own up to it. I lost, so I had to apologize, and that’s what I was going to do. That is, until out of nowhere who would come out, but my BFF in the world Lay. She’s really come so far, while I, well you’ve seen where I’m at. So you could guess how surprised I was to see her. Sadly, when she spoke, she caught everyone off guard but nobody more than me. I mean, did you hear the things she said to me, her BFF? I mean if y’all don’t know Lay and I’s history I suggest you check up on it. She’s practically my sister.

Michelle pauses and her eyes begin to swell up with tears. Her throat begins to get a bit choked up. She clears her throat and hesitantly speaks

{Michelle McCool}
While it pains me to say this, it should be obvious to you during this interview that maybe, Layla was right. Look what I’ve been reduced to. At one point in my career, I was at the top of the mountain, not letting anyone or anything stand in my way of what I wanted. But.. Now, things have drastically changed and honestly, I don’t blame Lay one bit for saying half the things she said to me that night. Nobody in this world knows me better than her. So, she knows when I’m in a slump, and she knows when it takes some tough love to really snap me out of whatever funk I’m in.

The interviewer leans forward and places his hand on Michelle’s who’s about to tear up. He looks at her before speaking

{Interviewer}
Michelle, I know this may be painful for you to accept but, you can’t honestly condone what she did to you at Digital Decision can you? No “friend” as you put it would talk down to someone like that and they most certainly wouldn’t attack their friend after they were already physically distraught from the loss they just suffered. If you want my honest opinion Michelle, I don’t think Layla’s your friend, and I don’t think she ever was because no friend would do that to their friend no matter what the situation. I think what happened, although sad, was actually good for you and will be away for you to just forget about Layla and move on.

Michelle sets her tissue down and just sits for a moment. She laughs lightly before speaking



{Michelle McCool}
You can’t be serious? Have you been listening to one thing I’ve said, because, if you hadn’t you’d know I can’t just move on. Sure, does it hurt me what Layla did to me, more than you know. However that doesn’t mean I should just shove her aside and move on with my life. She’s been there for me more than anyone ever has. She’s my best friend in this company and in the world she had a good reason for doing what she did and I honestly have nobody to fault but myself.

The interviewer shakes his head before moving on

{Interviewer}
If you have nobody to fault but yourself, then, Michelle how do you explain what happened to you during your first rematch for the Diva’s title against none other than your former BFF Layla?

Michelle lightly laughs before speaking



{Michelle McCool}
Here we go again, Hun, honestly what is with you and this backwards interview. One minute you ask me questions that are understandable. Then, the next minute, you’re asking me questions that you KNOW you shouldn’t ask as if you’re trying to get me to lose it. If you want to put it that way, then, I guess I’ll give you the answer you’re looking for and I know this is going to sound strange. From the way I see it, what happened in that match, was nothing more than a simple accident. I knew full well, going into that match, that Lay’s leg was injured and I took the risk of trying to nail the Faith-Breaker and win the title from her. Is it her fault she kneed me in the head, and that it, just so happened to knock me out? No, no it’s not, and I’ll tell you why.

{Michelle McCool}
Even though I want that title more than anything in this world, I know that when Lay and I step in that ring, all that matters is that there’s a winner. Now, the way it happened, you can sit there and speculate all day but I believe it was just an accident. Layla and I go way too far back, and have too much history, for me to think for one second that she’d do that on purpose. She may claim she’s done with me, but, deep down I know she’s saying that to motivate me to get back onto the top again. So I didn’t win the title, I may be down but I’m not out, if I can’t be the champion I’m glad she is.

The interviewer simply nods before speaking a final time

{Interviewer}
Well, what ever you think Michelle that’s all that matters but, speaking of Layla what are your thoughts on tonight’s tag team match against her? Are you a bit worried you won’t be able to focus just like last week?

Michelle lightly laughs and shakes her head before speaking a final time



{Michelle McCool}
Is the only thing on people’s minds the END of the match last week? Do y’all not remember what actually happened DURING the match Hun? If not I’d be happy to remind you. Layla knows better than anybody, that when that title is on the line, I’m more focused than I’ve ever been. Sure, did I hesitate a lot during the match, you bet I did. Who wouldn’t. When you’re facing someone who’s as close to you as Layla is to me remaining focused throughout the whole match, let alone winning, is gonna be hard to do but it’s definitely possible Hun. I mean, it’s not like I was completely dominated by her, I almost won the match and I held my own on numerous occasions. When you’ve got two Diva’s like Layla and I facing off in the ring, we’re gonna do our best to put it all on the line, and the same goes for tonight. Sure, there’s been some things said, and some feelings hurt but all that’s going to be put behind me. What matters tonight is what happens in the match. That’s where everything is gonna be left. In that ring. Now, if y’all will excuse me, I’m gonna go get ready for the match later tonight by stretching and taking a nice shower. Stay Flawless.

Michelle smiles and stands up. The interviewer shakes her hand and she makes her way out the door as we fade to black.