Melina explains why she does not take not being invited back as a negative.
Former 5-time WWE Women's Champion Melina put in a total of seven years in the WWE. She went from managing former WWE Tag Team Champions John Morrison and Joey Mercury to venturing off as a singles performer in the women's division. Melina departed from WWE in 2011 and she still wrestles on the independent scene but has yet to return to the sports-entertainment company.
The first-ever women's Royal Rumble match occurred in WWE, the first-ever all-women's pay-per-view in the company commenced and concluded and many more spotlighted moments for the female superstars of the past and present have occurred that Melina was not invited back for. When she joined Lilian Garcia's Chasing Glory podcast, Lilian asked Melina how she felt about not being invited back to WWE and Melina explained that she does not take it to heart. She added that there is a reason for everything and she is secure in who she is and what she accomplished in the WWE.
?I?m okay, because maybe that plays a factor. I don?t know, but I?m secure in what I?ve done, and I?ve come to terms -- I guess back then before people started acknowledging me because it was not until recently people were looking back at videos and matches that I?ve had and actually really appreciating them or being able to be open about it, because it was taboo to like Melina, and now people are starting to see it and it makes me? when people tell me I?m gonna be in the Hall Of Fame and what not, I tell them it?s okay if I?m not. Like I saw Chyna and Chyna, she deserved to be in it and she wasn?t in it for so long that I?m like, ?See, that?s proof right there that even a person who?s deserving?? I knew she was supposed to be in there but she wasn?t and it?s okay because I?m not in there doesn?t mean I wasn?t deserving." She continued, "I was secure in what I accomplished, and Melina, the human being Melina will survive regardless. It?s a hard thing. Sometimes when your TV or wrestling persona is no longer valued, it kinda hurts a person?s ego and how they carry themselves in their real life and I know that?s painful. But I realized, I?m still okay. I?m still Melina, I?m still strong, I?m still creative, I?m still happy, and that?s the part I needed to find was to find that happiness and that value outside of the ring.?
Lilian Garcia transitioned from the squared circle to the octagon as she earned the opportunity to be the official in-cage announcer for Professional Fighters League and for more on that story, check out Fightful's published article on the topic.
If the quote in this article is used, please credit the Chasing Glory podcast with an H/T to Fightful for the transcription.