Beth Phoenix was recently a guest on “Ring the Belle”. During the appearance, she discussed being inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame and why she was so excited about the WWE rolling out the Women’s Tag Team Titles. Here are the highlights:

On Being Inducted Into Another Wrestling Hall Of Fame:

Yeah, it’s — the history, the list of names that has come before me is absolutely unbelievable. It’s the trailblazers of the entire industry. For me, it’s really important because I feel like we’re starting this conversation about advocating for women in sports, particularly in wrestling. I was a young woman who wanted to become an amateur wrestler in the beginning. I struggled with that, there wasn’t opportunities for ladies that wanted to do that, so I had to wrestle on the boys team which is awkward, it’s hard. It’s hard for the boys too. There’s a lot of tension involved in that which took away from the competition. Me being a part of this induction this weekend, I hope we can open up a little more conversation. And the Dan Gable museum has done a beautiful job of that, being inclusive and supporting growth.

On The Restrictions Of Wrestling During The Diva’s Era:

We just tried our best to work within our comfort zone. We had to do things that weren’t great. I had to do bikini shoots. I had to do bra and panties matches. I had to do lots of stuff I didn’t love and didn’t want to do. But I knew at the end, I’m here to entertain and make people happy. And I knew it would change. I knew in my heart, someday if we don’t give up, it’s gonna change. And it has.

On The Women’s Tag Titles Being Introduced:

That was so special. It meant a lot to me because the girls felt as passionately as myself and Nattie. It wasn’t always nice; it was always a battle, it was always a fight. Every week you knew it was gonna be a fight. So I appreciate that the girls continued to fight and they got a win. That felt like a win.

You can listen to the podcast below:

Credit: Ring the Belle. H/T 411Mania.