Eva Marie Recalls 2021 WWE Return, Trying to Talk To Vince McMahon

Eva Marie recently looked back on her 2021 WWE return, noting that she wasn’t supposed to be doing a lot of matches at the time. Marie returned in June 2021 and was paired with Piper Niven, who was given the name Doudrop.

Marie ended up working some matches but her time in the company was cut short and she exited in November. She spoke about that period on Darie & Toni Unwrapped, and you can see the highlights below:

On Making Her Return In 2021:

“That’s originally how the get down was going to be. I went to Connecticut and I had a sit down with Vince… You know what? I can’t remember exactly how it went down [if she called WWE or vice versa], but I always stayed in touch. I think that it’s really important, unless something like crazy catastrophic happens, but I try to — and I think I owe a lot to it to like my 12-step program, is like I try not to have to make amends to anybody. And try to not burn any bridges. Of course there’s going to be times where you don’t see eye to eye with individuals, but there’s no need to like act out all emotionally, and business is business. And so even though there’s so many things within WWE that I’m thinking like, ‘What?’ But I also am not dumb, and I feel like I’m a business woman. And the the global impact that you can have if you are on that platform, you should ride it.

“So I did have a conversation with Vince. And it was — the story and trajectory of me coming back was going to look a certain way. Which it kind of a little bit was like that, where Piper was going. I was just supposed to be a mouthpiece, period. I was like, ‘Amazing!’ Because then like, at some point in time I would end up getting my s**t like beat up you know? But not for a minute. Also it was to build up Piper because she’s a stud, she can wrestle, she could get down and be my muscle. So that was kind of how it was supposed to go. But then it got switched on a dime, and I wrestled way more than than I was ever supposed to. I wrestled more in that little like snippet than I even thought was going to happen. I mean, I had a SummerSlam match and it was like, on a whim and I was like, ‘Huh?’”

On Not Being Ready For Longer Matches:

“What’s weird is, I still — like, I went back to the Performance Center to get me ready to come back, just to make sure I was in shape and everything. And I had great training sessions with Norman and the girls that were down there. I had a good time and I felt like comfortable in the ring. But obviously not comfortable enough to do even 8, 10 minute matches. Because my skill set is not — let’s be honest, I’m very self aware that I can do some basic things and have matches look fluid so I don’t look like I’m botching spots out there. 100%, and that like anybody I’m facing isn’t like, ‘Oh god, we’ve got to carry this broad!’ You know? Which ultimately, anybody that I faced had to carry me no matter what. Because that’s kind of the nature of the beast, whoever is more seasoned is going to be the one that leads.”

On the Difficulty Of Getting In Touch With Vince McMahon:

“So When I got back, it just — creative. It’s tough. I mean, it’s difficult. They make it a little bit more difficult than it should be… My first night coming back, I’m thinking things are going one way. And then when I get there, [it] completely changed. So I’m like, ‘Wait, what?’

“Then I’m waiting to talk to Vince, because that’s who I talk to for my storyline for my comeback. He wasn’t there. He didn’t get there until literally like doors were opening already. So to get face time with him at that time, that’s like damn near impossible. It’s like going into Fort Knox, you know what I’m saying? Cause everyone is trying to get his ear.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Daria & Toni Unwrapped with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.