Torrie Wilson On "Literally Fighting Back Tears" During "Raunchy" WWE Segments

Former WWE Diva on "mortifying" bikini contests, saying No, Playboy and PTSD from wrestling.

Torrie Wilson Hall of Fame
WWE

Torrie Wilson has opened up about her feelings towards numerous jobs she had to do as a WWE Diva during her 2001- 2008. Speaking to Chris Van Vliet, the Hall Of Famer said (h/t Yardbarker);

"I didn't watch wrestling. I didn't want anything to do with wrestling for many years after I left mostly because I just had a certain amount of PTSD from being so vulnerable out there and feeling like I was put in this kind of, like, this raunchy role that wasn't me. I felt judgment from people. I felt like people looked down on me for like, just stuff that I did, the bra and panty matches and all that, so like, I just wanted to shut that door. For many years, I didn't watch. It wasn't until they called me to do the Royal Rumble that I started to kind of catch up and then I got really into it, like more into it than I ever was when I was wrestling."

Speaking on the regular bikini contests (and similar segments) she was booked to participate in, she said;

"They were all mortifying. People don't realize. I went out there and owned it the best I could and pushed through the fear, but it was mortifying. There were times when, I remember specifically a house show that I was in this bikini showdown with Dawn Marie and Sable and someone else. I was standing in the corner watching one of the girls dance in the middle and literally fighting back tears. Like, I cannot believe I'm doing this right now because it got to like a raunchy point, and I'm like, I don't want to be a part of this, but that was also my job."

When asked if she could say "No" to the roles, she commented;

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"No. It was like twice that I could remember that I (said no). First of all, I’m a major people pleaser, so to say no to people is really hard, even if it's someone you know. I'm recovering from that. There was one time when I had a thing with Sable where Vince wanted me to come out with the paint on my boobs like she did, and I was like, hard no, I can't do that. I mean, it ended up being nearly nothing anyway. Another time was when I did Playboy, Vince wanted me to do a pay-per-view also, the video. That one was very hardcore pressed and it was really hard for me to say no, but I absolutely didn't want that."

Wilson last wrestled for WWE during the 2021 Royal Rumble, and was last seen on screens inducting Stacy Keibler into the 2023 Hall Of Fame.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett