Former WWE Superstar Kelly Kelly recently opened up about her absence from WWE’s highly anticipated Evolution 2 premium live event during an appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
When asked about missing the show, Kelly explained that the decision ultimately came down to timing and family priorities:
“I wanted to talk about this, because it was a thing. So when I got the call, it was in Atlanta, obviously. Again, it was one of the weekends, the only weekend I had off, and my kids, I think they had something going on. And I feel like when I come back, I want my kids to see me there and they wouldn’t have been able to make it. I don’t know. There were just a lot of different things that were kind of keeping me from going.
Of course, you read the dirt sheets and this is another thing. Somebody on the dirt sheets was like, ‘Oh, somebody in the higher ups said that she only wants to come back if she has a match,’ which could not have been farther from the truth. I didn’t need a match to come back. If it was in LA, I would have been there no questions asked. But to fly across the country to do that, like I said in the beginning, with my kids, I’m very picky about what I say yes and no to right now. Maybe when they’re six or seven, and they’re grown or bigger and stuff like that, then I probably would have done it. But it’s just, like I said, that was the one weekend I had off. I didn’t want to get them on a plane and do this. There was just a bunch of different things.”
Kelly also confirmed that the invitation to appear came at the eleventh hour:
“It was. It was a last-minute call.”
Kelly was then asked if it would have been possible to make the show if the call had potentially came six-months earlier.
“Probably. I would have been able to clear everything and make sure. I think my husband had to work that weekend too, so then I was gonna have to figure out my nanny situation. Like I said, if it was on the West Coast, I could have made it work. I could have figured something out.
But my husband was having to work, he’s an engineer. He’s building the underground subways here in LA, and they were doing a night thing, so he was having to work. It was just a lot, and that’s the thing, it had nothing to do with wanting a singles match. WWE knows exactly why I said no, and they were totally [fine with it]. They were like, ‘When we’re in LA, you’ll be there?’ And I’m like, Yes, I will be there. So that was never a conversation like, ‘Kelly has to come back, she has to be in a match.’ Never, never. And it’s like, they [dirt sheets] said, ‘Oh well, the higher up said she hasn’t been in the ring in 13 years.’ When I’ve done battle royals and stuff, I’ve gotten the call a week before, and I got in the ring and I wrestled every day. So it has nothing to do with that. Everybody that I talked to in WWE knows the reason. So it’s just like for people to come out and be like, ‘Oh, she thinks she’s better than sitting in the crowd, and she thinks that she deserves a match.’ No, I would have gladly [appeared in the crowd]. When they came for the Netflix thing. I wanted to go to that, because it was in LA.
So it’s just different circumstances that happen, and life, right? At the end of the day, I have to thank WWE for my career. They’re who made me, I wouldn’t have the career that I have if it wasn’t for them. I am so appreciative of them. That’s why I signed a legends deal, and that’s why I still come back all the time. But yeah, I think hopefully a few years down the line, when my kids will be able to sit next to me if I’m in the crowd, and cheer me on.”
While some speculation suggested that the former Divas Champion declined due to creative demands, Kelly made it clear that those reports were inaccurate. Her absence was purely a matter of logistics and family considerations.
You can listen to the full interview with Kelly Kelly on Chris Van Vliet’s podcast here and watch the full episode below:
(h/t Alex Hunt and Chris Van Vliet for the transcriptions.)
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