Rosa Mendes Calls Former WWE Gimmick 'Degrading'

On a June 2010 episode of "WWE SmackDown," Rosa Mendes attempted to align herself with the team of Michelle McCool and Layla, collectively known as LayCool. The heel champions declined Mendes' proposal, but that didn't stop Mendes from attempting some unique tactics to persuade them otherwise.

Throughout the rest of that summer, Mendes would be seen exercising on-screen, most notably jumping rope, as an attempt to score favor with LayCool. "I was trying to be into LayCool and I was trying to train to be in their group," Mendes told "Ring The Belle". She would continue to "train, train, train" in various backstage and in-ring segments, per the discretion of WWE producers.

Soon after, however, Mendes received word that WWE officials had second thoughts about the angle. "So then I'm like, 'So what? I'm training backstage for no reason,'" Mendes recalled, disappointed. "But they're like, 'You're getting TV time.' But still, at the end, there was no payoff." Mendes did win a Slammy Award later that year for "Best Use of Exercise Equipment," but looking back, she has nothing but disdain for the gimmick, describing it as "distasteful and rude".

"That was just degrading," she explained. "That wasn't good for a female represented as an athlete."

Despite her displeasure towards the situation, Mendes still managed to move on with her life, and looks back at it as a learning perspective. "I really didn't like that, and it's one of those things. But you know what? You live, you learn, and your challenges, you grow from your challenges," she declared.

Mendes also noted that the aforementioned video would be her last-ever interview and professional wrestling appearance. She hasn't totally ruled out a WWE Royal Rumble appearance, but only under a certain stipulation.