WWE News: Hall Of Famer Explains How Frustration With Company Led To Her Retirement

Beth Phoenix will go down in history as one of the most influential women to ever step foot in a WWE ring. Despite being a product of the company’s “Divas” era — which wasn’t known for quality women’s wrestling — she was a precursor to the current women’s revolution and integral to shattering the proverbial glass ceiling for female competitors.

The “Glamazon” retired from in-ring competition in 2012 after being fired by Vickie Guerrero as part of a storyline. In the years that followed, she married Adam “Edge” Copeland and started a family with him, and her desire to do so partly inspired her decision to step away from the squared circle.

Another reason why she left, however, was because of the state of women’s wrestling in the company at the time. As quoted by 411Mania, the former Divas Champion recently appeared on Prime Time with Sean Mooney to discuss her reasons for leaving, claiming that she was upset with how the division was being handled.

“I felt in my heart I had done my best, and I’d try really hard to change things but, at some point I just got really frustrated. Also, all the travel. I had been away from my family for a long time. We buried both my grandparents, my uncle passed away from cancer; I missed so many milestones in my families lives, that I just thought it was time to come home and be with them for a little bit and take a break from the road.”

Since retiring, the “Glamazon” has returned to action on a few occasions and proved that she hasn’t lost a step. She was a part of the first-ever all-female Royal Rumble match, making her the first person to appear in both the men’s and women’s version of the annual over-the-top-rope battle royal. Earlier this year, she also participated in a match on Monday Night Raw.

These days, though, she’s found her calling as a commentator for NXT. As The Inquisitr reported earlier, she’s expected to keep calling the action on the black-and-gold brand for the foreseeable future. She’s also one of WWE’s go-to commentators for big women’s matches and events, so don’t be surprised if she’s with the company for many years to come.

It’s also worth noting that Phoenix is only 38-years-old, so it’s not a farfetched notion to assume that she’ll wrestle a few more matches before she officially hangs up her boots once and for all.