Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Macey Estrella (fka Lacey Evans) Reveals Why She Left WWE, Ric Flair Storyline, Cobra Clutch Gimmick

Episode Date: December 14, 2023

Macey Estrella (@limitlessmacey) is a professional wrestler known as Lacey Evans in WWE. She joins Chris Van Vliet to talk about why she let her WWE contract expire, why she is happy that she didn't re-sign with WWE, her mental health crusade, the cafe she opened in Beauford, SC called "Sunny Summers Cafe", how she originally came up with her sassy southern belle gimmick in NXT, her thoughts on Sgt. Slaughter's family not liking her gimmick on the main roster, the original plans for her and Ric Flair, asking Vince McMahon for time off to get pregnant, the exclusive content on her Fan Time site and much more! Find out more about Macey Estrella at http://limitlessmacey.com Quote I'm thinking about: "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." Sponsors: BONCHARGE: Go to http://boncharge.com/CVV and use coupon code CVV to save 25% ZBIOTICS: Get 15% off with the code CVV and have a better morning after you drink at http://zbiotics.com/cvv FITBOD: Get 25% off when you use the code INSIGHT at http://fitbod.me/INSIGHT MYBOOKIE: Bet on WWE! Get up to $200 cash bonus when you use the code CVV and sign up at http://mybookie.ag BLUECHEW: Use the code CVV to get your first month of BlueChew for FREE at http://bluechew.com GHOSTBED: Get 40% of your purchase with the code CVV at http://ghostbed.com/cvv MIRACLE MADE: Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to http://TryMiracle.com/CVV and use the code CVV to claim your FREE 3 PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF PLUNGE: Get $150 off your Plunge with the coupon code CVV150 at http://plunge.com For more information about Chris and INSIGHT go to: https://podcast.chrisvanvliet.com If you enjoyed this episode, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and makes a huge difference in helping to spread the word about the show and also to convince some hard-to-get guests.  Follow CVV on social media:  Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisVanVliet Twitter: twitter.com/ChrisVanVliet Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisVanVliet YouTube: youtube.com/ChrisVanVliet TikTok: tiktok.com/@Chris.VanVliet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All systems are go. Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Van Bleet. So good to see you, my friends. Welcome back to another one here on Insight. I'm CVV, Chris Van Fleet, and it's because you're here that we are one of the top wrestling podcasts on the planet. So thank you so much for that.

Thank you for showing up each and every episode. And if you happen to listen to the show, but you're one of the 75% of the, of people who haven't hit follow yet. Could you just take a second right now and click follow or subscribe wherever you're listening to this? That's it. That's all I ask for.

If you've ever enjoyed any interview we've ever had on the show, just hit follow, support the show, and we can keep getting bigger. You know her as Lacey Evans from her time in WWE. She had a heck of a run there. Seven years, she did a lot of stuff in NXT, a lot of stuff on the main. Roster went through some interesting gimmick changes and her contract expired in August. And she's living her best life since. I mentioned it during this interview, but she's taken a rather unconventional path since

leaving WWE. A lot of people immediately go to the Indies and do what they can there. She opened up a cafe called Sunny Summers Cafe in South Carolina where she lives. And she also has a fan time. So if you go to limitless macy.com, you can see what I'm talking about. You will see certainly a lot of Macy Estrella. That is her real name. She is on social media at Limitless Macy.

I'm on social media at Chris Van Fleet. And if you enjoy this episode, please snap a screenshot and tag us so we can share it out as well. There's a lot to get into in this conversation. And she pulls no punches. She is unapologetic about everything in her life. And I love it. I think you'll love this too. So here we go with Macy Estrella,

aka Lacey Evans. What are we drinking, by the way? Coffee and black coffee. Just straight black coffee? Yeah, like an Americano, you know, four shots, a lot of water. Is this from the Sunny Summers Cafe? It is, yeah.

Like, do you go there? You make the coffee? because I imagine that there's better equipment to make coffee there than there might be at home. Oh, yeah. No, I have the best, obviously the best grinders, the best espresso machine. So I'm spoiled. And I go in the morning and that's where I start my day is just making me a cup of coffee. And yeah.

So how has it been going? Like, congratulations on opening the cafe. I think that that's, you know, that's a huge and amazing thing. How's it been going so far? It's been awesome. Obviously, you know, I started a concert. company when I was in the military. I've got to do a lot of cool stuff, but I've never, I've always wanted to be a barista. That was like kind of my goal, even in WWE. I wanted so badly to work,

like, part-time at my local barista, you know, because I just love coffee and I love little cafes. But I never thought that I'd actually open my own. And it comes with a lot, right? A lot of learning, a lot of trial and error. And it's just, it's been so much fun because I love challenges. So, and I loved help people. So combine the two and you got my cafe. I can't imagine you would have had the time to do this when you were in WWA. Oh, no, I started working on this two years ago. So backstage, if I was at booked, I was on my iPad, starting my business plan, working on my future endeavors. So yeah, I, I've been, it's been a, it's been in the pipeline for a while because it's my passion. and it's something that I wanted so badly to do.

So it was just, I was working on it back then. So what's the balance between people who just want great coffee and people who want to come in and go, I remember you from WWE? We have that a lot. And, you know, I like my action figures at the cafe. It's not a secret. I mean, if anything, it's empowering.

It's cool. It's something cool to talk about, right? with my customers. And so yeah, it's a balance. We have fans that come in all the time. And then we have people that aren't WW fans that come in. And they're like, is that you? And I'm like, yeah.

Well, I say, no, it's just this girl that looks a lot like me. It's crazy. And then, you know, we kind of laugh about it. And I let them know it is me. And, you know, it's just a good conversation. So, yeah, it's fun. Macy, this is the most unique path. I think that someone's taken after leaving WWE,

because for most people, it's like immediately onto the Indies, immediately taking as many bookings as possible. I don't think you've taken any bookings. No. I have not. I've had a lot, obviously, reach out. But I, you know, I did WWW for seven years,

and it was never my passion. I never, you know, that was never a secret. It was incredible to see my fellow, you know, sports entertainers that that is their passion. But I just knew that, you know, I went out there. I did the best that I could. I did my job. But I always looked forward to coming home.

My family obviously traveled with me everywhere that I went for the most part. And that was a struggle, right? Because when I got signed with WWW, I was a mom and I was a wife. I've been with my husband since I was 15. It was an incredible opportunity. But it was a lot for whenever you, you compare what your passion is and your wise. And WW is very, very difficult.

You're on the road well over 300 days a year. They want a lot from you. And I just, you know, there was always something in the back of my head that was like, what the fuck am I doing? You know, I like when I wake up now and I'm on my way to my cafe and I have, like just last night, we did a big group outreach for, I think, it's gnar and on it's for like alcohol anonymous but it's for the families that have family members that struggle with addiction or i've lost their lives to overdose right so it's just the things that

i get to do now and the difference that i get to make to me is so rewarding that i never since august of 16th it's august 16th so a few months i not once have questioned if i'm doing the right thing or if I'm happy or if this is my why. I've never, I haven't. I wake up every day, get my coffee, and I go and I try to change lives and make a difference, including in my own home with my kids and my husband. So it's been, it's been awesome.

Is there any part of you that misses the U world of wrestling? Do you want me to lie? No, there's not. You know, I, some people, they wake up and they put on six inch stilet, stilettos and 10 pounds of makeup and their extensions and they go walk the red carpet and they feel amazing. I'm not those people. And it was very difficult for me, right, to kind of put on that front. And because like, WW, they do a lot of good stuff for a lot of people, but I just felt like more could be done for my why, right? So for my passions and mental health and addiction and life

struggles and PTSD and all the shit that people have to deal with every day. It's like, why the fuck am I on a red carpet right now? Like, I'm looking out in the crowd and I see people that are fucking hurting and they're taking photos of my shoes. And I'm like, you know, like anyway. So, you know, I'm not going to lie, I miss some of the people, right? Because it is a struggle and we do kind of become a family at some point. But I don't, I want to help.

I want to do more. I want to fight different battles that aren't in the ring. Has this always been your passion? Always. Helping people with mental health, PTSD. And that's always been something you've had in your heart. Always. And it is because of my childhood and the shit life and the things that I had to endure growing up.

When I got a WW trial, if you go back and watch my promo, I said that if you guys hire me, I will do what I can and use this platform to show the world that it doesn't matter where you come from, that you get to decide who you become. And I didn't mean that as in like, as a WW superstar, I didn't give a fuck about that. It was just as a human being as a healthy way to manage the shit life that some of us have to struggle with every day. You know, and not everybody's brain is the same. Some people wake up and they are losing before they even take their first sip of coffee. And it's like It's an everyday battle. And what I wanted to do, even anybody listening, they can go back and watch my promo.

And then it got seven years worth of. And every day I'm questioning, what have I done? What have I done to help people? I mean, I looked good today. I did a great drop-down freaking leapfrog. And I did a moonsawed off the top. But what the fuck have I done to help people that are hurting? And don't give me wrong.

I'm not shitting on WWE. It's great. They do a lot. And there are people that watch those superstars that get empowered by them. And they help people mentally push through hard days, right? It's kind of their way of watching the show and watching the product and kind of stepping away from the reality of a shitty days. But my passion was to really address the shitty days, address your brain and how you respond to it and help people realize that even without WW programming or whatever else it is that helps you get through it, Maybe you should face it and work on it to where one day you don't need those little band-aids to take on the day or to get through those hard waves that crash in and take you out.

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When you're a kid, when do you realize that things in your home are different than in the homes of your friends or other people that you know? Because I feel like when you grow up and things are a certain way, you just kind of expect, oh, everyone's life must look like this too. Honestly, it was just, it was within the home. It was obvious. It was so obvious that my house was different. The physical abuse, I think. My father's addiction, drug addiction, when I would have to step over his body,

you know, because he was high and passed out and laid limp on the recliner. And it's just having to go to work or, excuse me, go to school at such a young age. I was like, there's no way in hell that people are like stepping over their parents or, you know. And then the domestic violence. It was like the fights and the hits and the hair pulling.

And I'd go to school and then obviously like my clothes, right? I'm like the roaches crawling out of my backpack because of my living conditions as a kid. It's like there's no way. Like nobody else has roaches crawling out of their stuff. Nobody else looks exhausted from, you know, having to be ripped out of bed to find my father's remote at one in the morning because he's pissed off and on one of his, you know. And I was, I was very aware of my, of my. sadness and how tired I was of that lifestyle and I'd look around and, you know, the, every, this day, people seem so happy. The people in my class, they were happy. And a lot of

people hide it different, you know, but I just knew. I wasn't stupid. What is it that you're doing now to help people in that position that you were in so many years ago? For one, taking, uh, when you called, the first thing I thought of was like, fuck. I got to go talk about wrestling. you know, but I knew, and just like I assumed, the first thing, Chris, that you asked me was, what do you want to talk about? And I'm good with talking about WW backstage and all the tea and the whatever it is. I'm down to talk about it. And I said, if we could just talk about mental health and being positive in a world full of fucking negative, and you said absolutely. And so, for one, that, I just, I do seminars and I bring that back to the cafe and, in, and,

my community. I just got back from New Jersey where I learned about childhood trauma, the damage that it has on the adult brain and how to use that to your advantage and how to just kind of reprogram your brain to be resilient. It's resilient minds on the front lines. It's called the program where I'm going to be a facilitator to spread the word and to teach tools that you could put in your toolbox for when those waves crash in and knock your ass out, that you could pull them out and use them. And then obviously I opened up my mental health cafe where we use color therapy, scent therapy events. We highlight small businesses, entrepreneurs, and we talk about being fucked up. And we talk about it in a way that's not taboo because everybody, I don't care, I don't care

if you had roaches in your backpack, or you are going through shit in life as a child, or if you're a grown-ass adult that's lost your kids or are struggling with addiction. Everybody has rough days. And I am so blessed that I have a brick and mortar location that it is open and out there, that if you are hurting, if you are down and out and you just need somewhere to go that understands it, that accepts it, that acknowledges it and can talk about it in a way that's not taboo, right? That's not like look frowned upon. I think that's really cool that I got to create a place that people can just come to and kind of support each other. I think it's really cool to name too.

These are your daughter's names, right? They are, yes. Tell me about cell phone jail when we go to the Sunny Summers Cafe. Yeah, so I have a cell phone jail program that if you, you know, any families or groups or even couples, marriage is 50, we have a 50% divorce rate on marriages right now in America and that does not include military, which is well above 70%. Just little things like that in life, right, that I wanted to highlight and make known like that fucking sucks. That's shitty. And not that my cell phone gel is going to help your marriage or, but damn it, at least it'll help that day. At least it'll help that coffee that you sit across from your spouse and put that away because the impact that cell phones have on. So childhood suicide is three times the rate that it's ever been. And it has a lot to do with this. It has a lot to do with. social media with technology, with kind of, and we could go on a rabbit hole about all that

and the impact that cell phones have on families, on parents, on children, on bullying, on suicide. The whole nine, come to the cafe if you want to talk about that or if you have a trial out there struggling with that. I'll come and sit down with them myself and try to help, right? So the cell phone gel, if you bring your cell phone and you give it to us to put in our gel, you get free donuts and all the games that you can imagine, active board games to spend time with your family. And it's just a way to remind parents that, like, you know, you can, and I think I'm not in front of it right now, but it's a little quote that says like the cell phone has replaced everything,

our alarm clock, our TVs, our lives, don't let it replace your family. And it's just a simple reminder because parents, we are busy. We go, we do so much. And by the end of the day, as your kid is sleep and you look back and think, did I, did I do enough? did I look at them? Did I pay attention? And did I look in their freaking eyes at least once today and slow down? So the cafe is another place that it can kind of not only help you do that, but remind you. Hey, motherfucker.

You know, I know you're busy. But right now you're here to get a coffee right. You've got your little kids. You're probably stressed as shit. Give me your phone. Here's some donuts. And just a reminder in life. How does your hat tie in all this?

I've been looking at this whole time. because life's a shit show. And I'd like to think that I'm a supervisor of that. I have had a lot of leadership classes, courses, the military, and I think that anybody could relate to this. There's a shit show moment and everything you're doing. And I'm right here if you need me because I've been there. I've done that and I could help you get through your shit show moment.

And so, yeah, if I'm the supervisor, so call me. What was it that drew you to enlist in the list in the? military. Oh, I had to get away. I, you know, when you come from a family of addicts and mental health disease, you feel like you are obligated, especially when you work hard to stay sober and you work hard to set the example. Then you feel obligated that since you made it and since you're doing a good job, you've got to reach down and extend your hand to pull your next sibling or your next family member up. And I found myself following them. wherever they were to make sure that I was there to help.

And I realized that you could lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink. But I loved them so much that I was willing to drown to do that. And that's when I knew that that was not okay. And so it sounds so dumb, but I knew that if I signed that dotted line to enlist in the United States Marine Corps, that there was no turning back. That when I got that next overdose phone call or that next,

I'm in jail or that next, I need some money. Can you come? I can't come. I am legally obligated to serve my, you know, and so it was just kind of my way of running away without running away. It was, and kind of letting it go and just, for one. And then the other one was to find what I, what life is supposed to be like because growing up, stepping over my dad and the domestic and the anger and the mental health and the laziness, the lack of accountability I can go all day with what I saw growing up, That's what I knew life. That was my future.

I knew what I didn't want to be because it was in front of me. Every morning I woke up, 12 years old looking around. I knew what I did not want to end up like, but I didn't know what I wanted to be. And I knew I needed to find it. So when I read what the United States Marine was, the finest fighting force in the world, bad motherfuckers in shape, motivated, like discipline. I was like, that's that, fuck, yeah. That is opposite of everything.

that I've seen in my life. I said, I'm leaving. I'm going and I'm going to learn how to get what I want to be out of life. And that's why in WWI, I was billed out of Paris Island because that's where they make Marines and that's where I, that's what made me become the woman that I am today. You're one of the few in the proud. Yeah. We've all heard stories about Hell Week. What's the hardest part about marine training? Probably mental. You've got to really have a mental toughness because they don't just put you through physical, shrenuous activity, right? It sucks, trust me. But it's mental. So they break you down so much your emotions, your physical ability. I mean, the things that they say that make you question what you're doing is probably the mental part. You just have to, and you kind of feel like alone, but not really,

because you have your platoon, you have your other Marines that are trying, they're not even Marines, your other recruits, right? And you just have this person screaming at you. But to be fair, Chris, I doubt, the mental is the hardest part for most,

but not for me, just because of what I come from, right? So when my dad would be yelling and spitting and grabbing and ripping me around and like, it's like he was supposed to love me. So why would I like break down for this woman that doesn't even know who I am yelling at me?

I'm like, come on, give me the, task, let's fucking go. You know, if coming from somebody who was supposed to love me and do that, there's not much more that could hurt my feelings in life. With your background as a Marine, it feels like that

would have been the obvious choice for your gimmick originally in WWE. Why was it the sassy Southern Bell to begin with? I don't know. When you find that out, you're going to call me, Chris, and fucking let me know. No, I

I remember in an XT when we were going over like character ideas, never once would I have imagined that I'd put on a two-two and start twirling around and being like, Sassy Southern Bell, like I am from the South. I can, I can make a pie just as good as I could fire a weapon. I love being beautiful and feminine. Check out my fan time. I'm a fucking, I'm a sexy motherfucker. We'll get into that. But I, I don't know, like, how it happened, somebody, one of the coaches pulled me aside and was like, hey, you need learn how to like dress up, you know, with the rest of the girls. And they were definitely trying to do me a favor because I'd come in with a pair of blue jeans on, a pair of boots, fucking go to work, go home. Um, so they wanted to teach me how to be a superstar. You have to dress the part. You have to be ready for these red carpets. And in the back of my mind, Macy was like, yeah, you can go fuck yourself. Like, I mean, my, my, they're nice pants.

You know, they're not old. Like, what the fuck's, you know, I got a nice shirt on. It's got a collar. Like, leave me along. Um, so I was being a smart ass. And I went to a third, of store because he said I got to learn how to dress. And I bought the longest dress that I could. Big pearls, big red lips, some like vintage gloves. And so I went to work the next day. And I was like, you know, dressed up, you know. And it literally, from me being a smart ass, that's how it was created. They're like, oh my God, I love this new character. And I was like, are you fucking kidding me? Like, you're, this is not happening. So that's how that's how it worked. And to be honest with you, the longer that I thought about it, like after the fact, I think that because I never did

get to play dress up or, and this is like going to sound a little weird, but like as I get older, I'm like, man, I got to kind of do that as a grown woman and get paid for it. And I never, because I missed that in my childhood. I missed that whole, that whole section of getting to learn how to put on makeup and learn how to be pretty and learn. And so I, for years, just, I honestly played dress up and was a smart ass. It was great. And this is so much of what you're doing. on fan time. So if we go to limitless macy.com, what happens? A lot of stuff you can't talk about. No, it's just, I just, I've never felt more pretty in my life.

You know, I'm a mom of two. I never imagine that I would have a fan time. But I'm not going to lie to you. It's been probably one of the funnest things me and my husband have done. It's for adults. You have to be a grown person to even actually. access it. So it's not like it's out there for, you know, kids to see, which I love, you know, but doing what I want to do. Even if I didn't make the money that I'm making, like, I'm not going to lie, I'm having fun doing it. I've never felt as pretty as I do now, which is weird. But no, it's, it's a lot and I love it. And so to my fans. And your husband was on board from the beginning? Oh, man. Well, not from the beginning. It was actually, when we were discussing it in

WW, obviously you're not allowed to do that. I was like, man, that would be fun just like playing dress up in ways that like, you know, and he was like, well, yeah, I said, well, what if we do it together? You know, like, fuck it. What if it's, I mean, we talked about it and he's like, let's do it. And next thing you know, like, where we get excited, it's like, man, let's, he's picking out outfits and I'm like, hell yeah, that looks great. And then we're, doing photo shoots and having a good time. And then what goes on after the photo shoots is different, but I can tell you right now, my marriage has never been, my love life has never been spicier. And yeah, I'm 33. I'm doing whatever the hell I want and I'm looking good doing it. And my husband is game.

I feel like you guys are going to have another baby on the way with the way you're talking here. I won't complain. Do you remember on the show, Glow, there was a character that was very similar to Lacey Evans? Yes, yes. And a lot of people were comparing me to her. I interviewed Betty Gilpin years ago. And I was like, have you seen Lacey Evans? Because Lacey Evans feels like what you've created with Liberty Bell feels like you just kind of like copied what Lacey Evans was doing.

Really? That's awesome. Yeah, a lot of people were saying that. And I don't mind. I did watch it. And I loved her. I just felt like it was like they watched WWE and went that. We're going to make that and put it on our show.

Yeah. No, yeah. I don't think that's not how it happened. It literally, I was being a smart ass and they ran with it. And I was like, fuck it. Why not?

I mean, the other way around, I feel like Glow copied you. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I'll take it. The United States Soccer Federation presents the U.S. Soccer podcast.

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Hosting the World Cup on the home soil comes with its pressures, but we're just really excited just as the people are. The U.S. soccer podcast, presented by Henco. Follow and listen on your favorite platform. So speaking of being pregnant, that was such a big part of your WWE career. And talk me through the emotions here because on one side of things, you've got the gift of life. You're pregnant again. This is so amazing.

On the other more professional side, you're about to be pushed to the moon. You've got the biggest opportunity of your career coming up. Talk me through both emotions personally and professionally here. So, yeah, I think that another, when I said at the beginning of this interview, WW is hard. You know, we're on the road. And as women, not to be biased, it's harder, especially if you want to be a mother, especially if you want to be a wife. Because as you know, sport, you can't be pregnant and looking that way. You can't be pregnant and wrestling. So you're, you know, you really have to make some long-term decisions in life. And one thing I will not do is freeze my eggs for a career.

Now, if you do, that's great. That's all on you. But whatever eggs God's give me, you know, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not. not freezing them and I'm going to do what I have to do to, you know, if I want to be a mom. And that was one of our options as women in sports entertainment as well. If you can't reproduce now, you know, there's other science options that you could like hold off and chase your dream and chase the money and chase the fame and the fortune. But I, that would never. Do they give you the opportunity to freeze your eggs if you wanted to? No, no, that has nothing to do with that. I'm just saying as a woman, right?

So like scientifically, if a woman, you know, just can't have a baby right now because. she's chasing the fame and the fortune and it's just not something that she wants. She can, you know, we have options. I'm not, I'm not doing that. And also, women have a certain time frame in their life that they, that's what doctors seem healthy to have babies. And we can all go into that. But that was never in my cards. I would never do that.

And I've always wanted to be a mom. Unlike a lot of women, I've been with my husband since I was 15. We got married at 19. and since 16 years old, we've been picking out our kids' names. We've always wanted to be a mom and a dad. Summer's name was picked out when I was 16. Sonny's name, not too long after. So when I was in WWE and I'm looking around at like what my life,

what I thought my life would be and not only the difference that I could make in people's lives, but it's like, man, I'm really giving my husband the shitty end of the stick here. Like, you know, he loves me and he supports me to the fullest, but like, where are all of our babies at? where is all the little sound of feet on our hardwood floors and the smell of bacon in the morning? And like, instead we're on a plane at 3.30 in the morning heading out to, you know, with, I just was like, man. So I went to Vince and I said, hey, sir, I'm not being used. And I want to have a baby. So I won't. If you plan on using me, I'll stand by. I said it's COVID. It's like I'm not being used and it's COVID.

And he kind of got quiet and he said, go have a baby. I said, are you sure? Like, I made sure because that man has, he's fucking awesome. He has done a lot for, for me and my family. And I was just very thankful to be in that room, having that discussion and having that opportunity in WWE, right? Life changing money, blah, blah, blah. And I'm in a cool experience. So when he said, go have a baby, I said, are you sure? Like, I could wait. You know, it's not like I'm waiting 10 years. Like, you tell me. He's like, no, go have a baby. Just promise me you'll come back. And I, and, you know, and I said, I'll be back six weeks after I push this motherfucker out if I could just go at least give my husband one more quickly.

So I, you know, and that was the game plan. I wasn't being used. And next thing you know, creatives, oh, you're going to be with, you know, Rick Flair and Charlotte. And I'm like, what the fuck? It was wild. But me being the motivator I am, I'll show up, I'll do the best and keep rocking and rolling. Well, I'll be damned if a week before I was supposed to get the title. I have my baby.

And it was the best feeling in the world that my husband now has another child that he's about to hold in his arms in nine months and nobody could take, you know. So a lot of people saying I ruined my career and this and that, but this morning when I woke up and saw that little shit looking at me with a big smile on her face and my husband waking up and stride,

you can't tell me I ruined anything. I got exactly what I wanted and I'm very thankful and bless that I have the life that I have. What was the original plan with you and Rick Flair being paired together? It was typical heel and to go after the title and get it. And I was supposed to get it. But fortunately, Sonny Loretta decided that she was coming. I like that the way that WWE, like when you announce you're pregnant,

Rick Flair starts dancing and then fans put two and two together. They're like, are they doing a storyline here where this is going to be Rick Flares baby? Yeah. And, you know, and I did, don't get me wrong, there was a part of me that I felt terrible for, remember those people that work their ass off and have a passion for this? Like, you know, that, that impacts a lot on that professional side. But I also, it wasn't like I just decided to sneak off and like, do you know what I mean? Which, by all rights, I could have done anything I wanted.

but I ensured that the powers that be knew, you know, knew what I wanted and gave me the blessing and told me, told me to do it and I was ready. But yeah, it was, it was supposed to be a very entertaining, and it could have been and it would have been, but God had other plans for this mom. So if it was only going to be six weeks away, why was it, it ended up being about a year, right?

What? You being away on maternity leave. You said it was going to be six weeks, have the baby come back. and you were gone for about a year. A year. Yeah, six weeks to the day that I had Sunny. I was in the ring and I was cleared ready to wrestle.

And that's it. Who's the fuck? Did you want to take a longer time with the second baby? No, I was cleared. I was ready to wrestle. I got my baby and I was ready to fucking work. I've worked since I was 14. I've never been injured in WWE.

I've always been ready to go. But, you know, I have my, my assumptions and I just, I was ready for the phone call. Then I would have been there. Then you come back and your character changes drastically. It feels like, it feels like that should have been the character you had to begin with. Feels like that, you know,

that lined up more with who you are and what you're doing. Did you enjoy being the military, the character that you were? It was easy. Fuck them. Fuck everybody. I piss everybody off anyway. If it's not on social media and WWA saying, take that down. You're not allowed to say that.

Or what, like, it was just, it was perfect. I didn't have to wear the dresses anymore. I could tell everybody to go fuck themselves and then go home. But one thing that Vince knew from the beginning was I wanted to tell my story. I wanted to, that, and that was a highlight of my career, getting in, and there was a lot of like, well, it might not get over. That's great. And professionally, I'm stupid as hell.

But personally, and my why and my passion, the fact that I got to, go on a platform that big and show people out there hurting and mothers that and fathers that are choosing addiction over their kids and kids that are going through it and the fact that I got to stand up there and tell my story and impact people on that scale, I wouldn't change a thing. It was my favorite thing that I've got to do in WW. With great respect, Macy, when did you stop giving a fuck about what other people thought? my whole life because I there was nothing I could do about it. Remember the roaches crawling in my backpack? I'd smush them with my hand, grab my number two pencil and keep fucking going. There's a I don't I I know that I'm gonna with the cards that I was dealt at a young age, there ain't much I could do different. So the only thing I could do is keep fucking going and and just let people say what they're gonna say. And because I, the only thing that I had control over was how I respond and I don't.

fucking care. I'm going to still wake up. I'm still going to do what I need to do and what I want to do and what's right and feed my family and sleep good at night. So you said you don't miss the world of wrestling, but do you think there's ever a point where maybe at six months or a year or longer from now, do you think you'd ever want to go back, whether that's WWE or maybe an opportunity in AEW or TNA? Yeah, absolutely. As long as I do, I never lose. I only have one life. We only have one shot at this life. We only have one chance to do what it is that we really want to do and make a difference that we want to make. Some people don't want to make a difference.

They're good with the red carpets and the Gucci bags and whatever. But yeah, hell yeah, I love the hitting, the hard hitting, the action, the tables, the chairs. I loved it. I had no idea how to do any of that before I stepped foot in WW. be and I grabbed the ropes and fucking kept going. But I will never allow myself to lose seven years. That is 52 weeks a year times seven. I will never lose seven days like that again without waking up every day knowing that what I'm doing is what is making the difference and the impact and the life that I want to make as a mother, as a wife, as a human being,

somebody who struggles with mental health. So yeah, as long as I know that that part is good, then I'll go and kick anybody's ass or get my ass kicked anytime they call me. Like I do have an event coming up that we're working on, and all the proceeds go to the resilient minds on the front lines to help people that are struggling up here. And so that, fuck, yeah, I can't wait to step in the ring and do that. But if that makes any sense, I don't mind it at all.

but I won't lose my why or my passion ever again. It feels like maybe AEW or TNA's schedule would be better for you then. Yeah. I mean, I don't personally know their schedule, but I mean, as from phone calls that I've been getting and stuff, it sounds like a great thing. And we'll see. We'll see what's down the pipeline.

I still have a six-pack and I'm still mean as fuck. So when the phone rings or when, when I make that agreement or, you know, when we finish conversations, then I'll be ready. It's nothing personal. It's not that I didn't love it. I mean, I loved it. I just, you know, in life, you got to make decisions. You got one life to live. Make sure you're living it to your fullest that you, that you want to in every day, not just one day a week, every day. And that was kind of my goal. And I, and I'm accomplishing it every day now. You were so good on the mic. You were like, you're such a, you're such a great heel.

where did this great mic work come from? My, I don't know. I think the Marine Corps, if I had to be honest, you have to go through a lot of like, and then also the fact that, like you said, when did you stop giving a lot a long time ago? I'm very quick with my mouth. I've had to defend myself more times at the age of 12

than probably the average adult at 35. So yeah, I just, and then especially topic of discussion. When it comes to like fighting or belittling or comparing, on paper, I will embarrass you. You know, it's not just a college graduate. It's not just the United States Marine Corps. It's not just a mom.

It's not just if you want to really dive deep. It's not pushing a nine-pound kid out on my recliner and going to the gym the next day. It's not just beating the cycle of addiction and depression. It's not, and I'm boasting right now because I know without a shadow of a doubt that I'm a bad motherfucker. but the fact that you have to kind of take that and make it PG and kind of get your ass kicked every now and then that's that was the part I had to learn how to like all right calm down you can't you can't kill them right now simmer you know so I just I'm confident I'm confident in everything that I say because I stand with conviction um in everything that I do so it just give me the mic

and try not to make make it so A, B, C, and D. So that was the hardest part for me was like well it's a v. And I'm like, yeah, I wouldn't really. I just want to be like, fuck you. Meet me out back in the parking lot and let's handle it so I can go home and feed my family. How much did you have to watch your mouth and not swear on WWA? All the time, all the time. But I promised Vince that I wouldn't.

So I did a good job. That was the second hardest. The first hardest is making sure I hit some of those dumbass lines that they made me say. And then the second part was like, and don't say fuck every two minutes. Did you really go to the gym after giving birth? Absolutely. I gave birth at home. My husband delivered my baby and then I went to the gym because I had six weeks to be back in WW.

Start kicking other people's asses, you know? You don't believe in rest? Yeah, when I sleep at night. One of my favorite moments of you as Lacey Evans is you're doing this like headstand in the corner and then you deliver the move and then you yell at a fan, directly at a fan, your mama's weak. Yeah, yeah, and I meant every word. I could tell through his little glasses and his little lack of eye contact that his mama's freaking week.

Come on. Is that just you in the moment, just having fun with it? A little bit of both, you know. I'm not going to lie, Chris. I a lot of people can't handle my opinion on life. I think a lot of people are weak. It has nothing to do with mental health, right? Like, I'm not talking about mental health week.

I'm just talking about as human beings. They can't say certain things. They can't live certain lives because they're so worried about what people will think. They can't make a jump. They can't get discipline enough to fix their freaking bodies, to fix their minds, to fix their families. they have every excuse in the freaking book in life. So yeah, it's, I'd be lying if I said that it was just a character moment. No, I'm 99.9% sure due to, like I said, the lack of eye contact and the fact that he,

you know, kind of swayed away for me 20 feet away that his mom was freaking weak. She was beside him. So if she had a problem with it, you know, I was there to handle that too. What did you think when Sergeant Slaughter's family was not a fan of your gimmick in WWA? I think they're freaking weak. Remember that weak word we just talked about? Yeah, and no disrespect to like Hall of Famers in WW that have paved the way, paved the way. And yeah, he can kiss my ass and his daughter can too.

So record that. Have a good day. I don't know where the hell that came from. They know the game. You go to work. You get told this is what you're doing. And what a lot of people, they don't know. A lot of people don't know what was said and what was done and how they discussed it with him and they talked to him. And that's, that is none of my damn concern. You have a, what do you call it in the military when you freaking, you have, like, seniors above you. You have, you have a rank structure, right? Like, and in WWE, when you're a performer, you're like down here. Like, whatever, whatever goes above your head is like a lot of times, unless you start crying about it and go banging on doors, I don't like, I don't like the, I don't like the.

you know, I was never, I'm not going to cry about it. You tell me what the fuck you need. You tell me what time the bell rings. And then I'll do whatever it is. And then because I got family to feed, a husband of love. Come on. And I say that with conviction because I made sure I was in shape. I made sure I could do the flippy flops, the drop downs.

I made sure to create the character. They told me, you know, you're going to go out and you're going to do the cobra clutch and he's, you know, going to come in and help. And then whatever happened happened. Next thing, you know, he's not out here. I'm still doing the cobra clutch. but don't get mad at me because I'm doing my job. You know what I mean?

Or let's have that conversation, right? And at no point was that conversation ever had. And whoever his daughter is is like so from the side, like that was wild. It didn't really like, it didn't really ruffle my feathers. I kind of thought it was funny. Like, you know, bless their fucking hearts. But I didn't lose no sleep over it. My family still got fed.

I still did what I fucking needed to do. and I just hope they keep that same energy, you know, that same, I don't know, K-Fabe energy when they see me because I don't do shit like that. Is there anyone from WWE who still keep in touch with? Any friends there? Yeah, I mean, I keep in touch with most of them, most everybody. There was no hard feelings.

I just, you got passion and then you've got your, you know, your why and what makes you feel alive and what makes you happy. And everybody, they knew me. I think they knew it when I signed. They knew it when I got there. I love all of them. I talk to live. I talk to Sonia DeVille.

I talk to pretty much Natty. Natty will always be. But they just know when they wake up and they see my Instagram and it's my freaking family or me looking sexy as shit, they know that I'm happy and I'm doing what I want to do. What's the best way that people can support you, Macy? Get help. fine if you're hurting if you're i hate this if life is is so hard that that you were choosing

negative ways to get through each day get help um know that that if i can do it if i can make it and not just professionally not just like success wise like what people think is success don't give up don't give up in life um take it one day at a time if you if to help me to help me me, if I could ask for one thing, that would be to make every day worth living, don't be too hard on yourself and get help, whatever help that may be in life. And not just with drugs, not with mental health, with your happiness, with your soul, with procrastination, with cleaning, whatever it is, you got 24 hours in the day and you're not going to live forever. Make it the best that you can.

And that's if they would just do that, then that'd be great. I love that. Look, gratitude is such a big part of my life. I wake up every day. I say out loud, three things I'm grateful for. I do it before I go to bed. And man, there's a lot to be grateful for. Macy, what are three things in your life that you're grateful for right now? Oh, my family, obviously, I'm so blessed that I can wake up and have a why to go forward with the day, my cafe, because I get to kind of take my why and then help others. And, I mean, honestly, I would have to say, WW, I'm grateful that I got to do that.

And I'm grateful that I was part of that and that I got the platform that I have now for people to hear this conversation we're having. That I'm very damn lucky that I got to create this platform and people to be able to hear what you just said, three things you're grateful for. Do you know how many people that, even if it's two that are going to do that tomorrow or whenever the stairs. Like that, to me, that's badass, and I'm thankful every day for that.

I mean, I do it because I want to know what you're grateful for, like selfishly, but also, if someone can see, someone like you, Macy, who's so successful going, I'm grateful for my family. Someone can go, oh, I'm grateful for my family too, and I've never thought about it that way. I'm grateful for this roof over my head. And I don't think about that nearly enough.

And that's why I love that gratitude practice so much, is it makes people see the good things in their life that maybe aren't evident to them. Right. I agree. Thank you so much. This was so great to be able to spend some time with you. Congrats on everything. I love what you're doing with your cafe.

And I know if there's some people in the Carolinas in your area, well, they're going to be checking you out now. Thank you. And thank you for having me, Chris. This was awesome. I told you in the intro. I told you. She pulls no punches.

She is unapologetic about everything. And I mean, if you didn't already know what I was talking about from the work that she did in WWE, you certainly know what we're talking about now. If you're in the South Carolina area, go check out the Sunny Summers Cafe and just spend some time there. Grab a great coffee, spend some time, say hello to Macy. And yeah, I think you'd have a great time there. And if you are into it, go to limitless macy.com to support Macy and to see everything that she has to offer there. If you enjoy this episode, please share it with a friend and snap a screenshot, tag us so we can share it out online as well.

She's at Limitless Macy. I am at Chris Van Fleet, and I've said this quote many times before, but I will say it again because I love it so much. You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great. Be great, be grateful. Have an amazing weekend. We will see you on the next one for some more insight. Rome takes on sports.

Why? Because I have a job to do. With rapid fire takes. So I don't want to hear from you lava pigs on this notion today. No idea what you're talking about. You're complaining more than you like to breathe air. It's like you get up in the morning only to complain and cry and moan on social media about things that you don't even understand. He's the spitfire of sports smack.

Take advantage of it. Get up in here. The Jim Rome Show podcast. What's your beef? Follow and listen on your favorite platform. You've been warned.