Trish Stratus Says She Won’t Return To The Ring Unless It’s The Right Person, Right Time, And She Can Give 100%

Trish Stratus names the conditions for an in-ring return.

Fans haven’t seen Trish in the ring since WWE Evolution 2025 when she faced Tiffany Stratton for the WWE Women’s Championship. The match was the conclusion of a three-match run where she competed in the women’s Royal Rumble and teamed with Stratton at Elimination Chamber.

Speaking to Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Trish was asked if she has thought about having another match.

“All about timing, the right moment. Here’s the thing. Last year was my 25th anniversary. 25 years. I’m still alive. So I talked to WWE. We’re like, what can we do to make it kind of special? I didn’t have to do a full-time run. I’m just like, let’s pick some cool moments to come back on, and I’m all about these moments that really make a difference that matter. There’s a few boxes that I need to check if I go back, and it has to be not self-serving. It has to be let’s pay the business forward a bit; let’s do something that maybe is a fan fantasy matchup or something like that. There’s a few things I take into consideration before I go. So we thought, how cool would it be to come out the Royal Rumble as a surprise? I don’t think anybody expected it,” she said.

Trish entered the women’s Rumble at number 25 for her 25-year anniversary.

“I mean, a little strategy. I’m coming back. But if it’s the 25th anniversary, and they’re like, of course. Because you guys know how I like to do things. I like details. So 25th, that was a perfect way to kind of come back. If you guys notice, who threw me out? Nia. All planting seeds for Elimination Chamber.”

My kids are here tonight. So of course, as an old school wrestler, they knew their mom was a wrestler. We’d gone to events, and they could see that people want my autograph and things like that, and they’ve heard about it. YouTubed it. So the fact I got to go back that many years later and actually have a wrestling match live in front of my kids was so special. A nice, good, wholesome win. So that was very special. So yeah, we sort of picked a few events. Evolution headlining with Tiffany Stratton, Women’s Championship match, and we’re babyface versus babyface. So we’re talking about planting seeds. So if we go back even a year, the Money in the Bank in Toronto, when I hosted that. This is me with the writers. They just go along with it. Yeah, sure, Trish. If it pans out, I’m like, oh, it will. I know it will. They moved on to other things. So we planned a little seed with Tiffy back then, and then we thought it’d be good to do Evolution one on one, babyfaces facing each other, and then we sort of thought about a little finale, a little final run. So my mom got sick last year, as you guys may or not know, and so I just kind of took a break from everything. But so my point of all that is, I like storytelling. I like to have it be not just spontaneous and not mean much. So if I was to go back, it needs to be things got to be in place, and got to be the right person and the right time.”

Though she is 50, Trish has kept up with the current generation in her previous returns to the ring.

Asked how much longer she wants to continue to wrestle, she replied, “I don’t know. I just know that I’m only gonna do it if I can give 100%. Every time I’ve gone back, I’ll watch the video and I’m like, is this sh*t? Let me see. I’m like, oh, it’s pretty good. But if I watch it back and I’m like, she was slower than usual, I don’t want it. I want to give you guys like my 100%. I don’t want you be like, no [it’s not good]. When I say due diligence, I remember I got the call for the 2018 Royal Rumble. First ever, historic, and they called me. It was John Laurinaitis. He was like, okay, they want you in it. It’s iconic. It’s historic, and I was like, I will let you know. I’m gonna check my calendar. I got in the ring and then I was like, yes, I am available, John. I just wanted to make sure that I could still do it. It turns out that wrestling’s like riding a bike when you’re a wrestler, I guess, or when you do yoga. I don’t know. But I’m not going to do it half-assed. I’m not giving you a cool 60. I want to give you 100% and make sure it’s impactful and it means something, and I’m good.”

WWE was in Toronto for SmackDown this past Friday, but Stratus did not appear on the show.

It is unknown if or when she will return to the ring.