Awesome Kong Kept Retirement A Secret Until The Announcement At NWA EmPowerrr

When Awesome Kong arrived at NWA EmPowerrr, she announced her retirement from pro wrestling in a highly emotional segment with her former rival Gail Kim.

While speaking with GAW, Mickie James revealed she didn't know Kong was going to retire.

"For me, it was a huge surprise and we had to work very hard to keep it a top secret secret secret. I was just honored to have Kia come in. We had never really worked together before, we had just seen each other in passing. I think it was a perfect space to have this moment, but I was telling Kia that I had no idea that she was going to announce her retirement. In the conversations with Brian Wittenstein, it was like, 'We're going to hide her, where are we going to put her? We'll send make-up and do whatever.' I'm watching it, as a fan, in the ballroom. When her music hit, there was this immediate gasp from the crowd. It was that 'holy shit' gasp and the people went insane. It was so loud in there. That moment was beautiful and perfect and I was crying and I was totally in my emotions about it. What a moment and an amazing thing and the perfect place to celebrate everything you have done for the business and industry and break down barriers and do all these things that we get to celebrate and so many women get to be so fruitful of today."

Kong revealed how she thought the segment was going to go differently.

"I'm so sad that the wires did get crossed. I told Brian, 'this is going to be the last thing I do in the ring. It'll be perfect with Gail. Sign me up.' I had been walking around the house talking about it, even with my husband. My husband was surprised. He's like, 'Wait, you announced your retirement?' I was like, 'I have been waling about this house, albeit naked, talking about this for a month.' The nakedness distracted him. I had been saying it for a month. I would not change a thing with what happened and transpired in the ring. I won't lie, I thought everyone knew this was potentially my last thing, so on my way there, you envision how it's going to go. I was like, 'This is going to be my last thing, I'm sure they're going to give me flowers and I'll say bye to wrestling,' and then no one knew, so there were no flowers."