WWE Diva: Mickie James

2005–2006

James debuted in WWE on the October 10, 2005 episode of Raw, continuing to use her real name, under the gimmick of WWE Women's Champion Trish Stratus' biggest fan. The angle had the two WWE Divas competing together in tag team matches, with James' character becoming increasingly obsessed with Stratus. The storyline included a Halloween Costume Contest in which James was dressed like Stratus and helped Stratus retain the Women's Championship in a Fulfill Your Fantasy Battle Royal at Taboo Tuesday by eliminating herself and Victoria at the same time. She even began utilizing Stratus' signature finishing moves as her own during matches. James became the number one contender for the Women's Title on December 12 by defeating Victoria in a match to determine who would face Stratus at New Year's Revolution. Subsequently, the storyline between James and Stratus developed into a lesbian angle after James initiated an intimate kiss with Stratus under a sprig of mistletoe and complimented Stratus on her breasts. In the championship match at the pay-per-view, James jobbed to Stratus but continued to be enamored of her the next night on Raw, and she confessed her love for Stratus at the Royal Rumble.

On March 6, 2006 the storyline had Stratus confront James, telling her that they needed time apart from each other. The duo teamed together at Saturday Night's Main Event to defeat Candice Michelle and Victoria. After the match, James agreed to honor Stratus' wishes and attempted to kiss her. After Stratus pushed her away, James' character made a complete heel turn by attacking Stratus in the ring and later vowing to destroy her. The two women wrestled each other at WrestleMania 22, where James was booked to win the match to claim her first reign as Women's Champion. During the match, despite the fact that James was playing the heel character, the fans frequently cheered James and booed Stratus whenever Stratus hit an offensive maneuver. The angle ended at Backlash during a rematch after Stratus legitimately dislocated her shoulder when James threw her out of the ring.

James dropped the Women's Title on August 14 to Lita after Lita hit James with the title belt while Lita's on-screen boyfriend Edge distracted the referee, resulting in a face turn for James' on-screen persona. After the Women's Championship was vacated due to the legitimate retirement of Trish Stratus, James entered a tournament to determine the new champion. She defeated Victoria and Melina in the qualifying rounds before making it to the finals at Cyber Sunday, where she lost to Lita. The two Divas wrestled in a series of matches where Lita kayfabe chose the stipulations, all of which involved hindering James' wrestling ability. The storyline feud ended at Survivor Series, where James defeated Lita to win her second Women's Championship.

2007–present

An angle was created between James and Melina, beginning on January 29, 2007 when Melina became the number one contender for the Women's Title. Following a successful title defense on February 5, James teamed with Super Crazy in a mixed tag team match against Melina and Johnny Nitro. After Melina pinned James for the victory, she challenged her to a rematch for the title. James dropped the Women's Championship to Melina on February 19 and, in continuation of their storyline feud, failed to regain the title during the first ever Women's Falls Count Anywhere match in WWE history. Near the end of the match, James fell from the turnbuckle and landed on her neck but was not seriously injured.

The scripted feud between James and Melina continued on April 2 when James interrupted and attacked Melina during a photo op on Raw. At a house show in Paris, France on April 24, James won her third Women's Championship during a Triple Threat Match that also involved Victoria. However, since James pinned Victoria and not Melina, Jonathan Coachman announced that a rematch would take place immediately. James dropped the title back to Melina, giving her the shortest Women’s Championship reign in WWE history.

On the November 26 edition of Raw, James defeated Melina in a number one contenders match for Phoenix's Women's Championship, setting up a title match between the two at Armageddon 2007, a match in which Phoenix successfully defended her Women's title.

On the April 14, 2008 edition of Raw, held in London, James defeated Phoenix to win her fourth Women's Championship. This makes her the fourth woman to win four WWE Women's Championships.