After 20 years, Lisa Marie Varon (Victoria in WWE) officially retired from professional wrestling in September 2019.
The former multi-time WWE Women’s Champion finished off her career against fellow WWE alumni Melina at a Masters Of Ring Entertainment event last fall. Speaking with Dominic DeAngelo of WrestleZone, Varon actually didn’t plan on retiring that evening; however, 30 minutes into the match-up, she ultimately decided to call it quits for her career:
“I didn’t plan on my last match to be that night, I’ll be honest with you. The promoter said, ‘Why didn’t you tell me it was your last match? I would have promoted it like that.’ I said, ‘You know, I decided it 30 minutes before going out.’ For how nervous I get before matches, almost turning 50 and being in a main event of a wrestling show,” Varon said, “not just a female wrestling show—it’s with males. I said, ‘We have to turn it up. I mean we have to do some dangerous stuff. We can’t just do a “ha-ha ga-ga match,’” you know?
“I was so nervous, I was about to puke, this is me every time though—I pace, I sweat, sweaty hands, nervous belly. I was just like, ‘Oh my God.’ I’m exhausted before going out to the match. I [thought], I’m main eventing. I’m getting the championship belt and it’s from a female promoter,” Varon said, “and I can’t go higher than this.
I asked the referee out there,‘Can I have the mic?’ Get the mic and said ‘Thank you guys for all coming to my last match’ and it was like (gasp)—yeah and I decided there. And I felt good about it, I wasn’t sad or anything like that. You know your body. The nervousness comes from I’m older and I don’t want people to see any weakness in my performance. I still want to work just as good as I was back in the day. I wanted to go out with people saying ‘You still got it.’”
The former two-time women’s champion is best remembered playing the psychotic character during the early years of her career. After memorable battles against the likes of Trish Stratus, Mickie James, Molly Holly, and Lita, Victoria would ultimately leave the company in 2009. Varon also competed in TNA as Tara, and won the Knockouts title on several occasions as well.
Check out the full interview on what the retired star is currently doing these days, along with more insight regarding her wrestling career.