Michelle McCool

Making history is difficult, almost impossible, for those without my athletic ability and intelligence.

Years before 'Tough Enough' came out - and I still have the papers - I filled out the entire application but never sent it in. I was like this is perfect, it's sports, I'm competitive, I could do that.

I haven't noticed too much of a difference between Italian guys and American guys, but we're sports-entertainers so maybe they know to stand back a little!

I'm taking each day one day at a time, and building up my strength and endurance. It's crazy because it takes no time at all to lose everything you have and then so much time to gain it back.

Love me or hate me, I hope the WWE Universe can respect that night in and night out, I've given it my all.

I do think the women should get paid, a main event is a main event.

The WWE universe finally demanded that the girls get the attention that they deserve. I think women past, present, future, should forever be grateful for our super fans.

Whoever is in that ring, they are not enough for me, and they can't handle me.

I like to think of myself as a class act, and there are very few guys that meet all of my qualifications.

Fortunately, the shooting pain in my back masked the pain of my broken sternum.

I keep to myself a little bit more, I have that more quiet sexiness, quiet confidence going and I think that does intrigue people.

I actually got online and went to check my e-mail, and I always look at the top news, and I saw my name and I thought, 'There's got to be another Michelle McCool,' or 'This is a mistake,' or something!

I think the Divas Champion is the perfect combination of athleticism, beauty and brawn.

I truly feel like Fabulous Moolah is the pioneer for women in sports-entertainment. I don't think anyone can deny her accomplishments or the road she paved for women wrestlers.

I'm addicted to success, failure is not an option.

I would love to have a Unification Match against Mickie James.

The athletic part I never struggled with. It was the promos, the talking and, being uncomfortable in front of the crowd. Especially being a 'bad guy,' having people call me names, that was hard getting used to.

I'm a collegiate All-American athlete and earned a master's degree in education from Florida State University.

Not only do I do things so much better than all of my fellow 'Divas,' I make being bad look so good.

Snooki is famous for absolutely nothing.

It's such a huge honor and compliment when someone tells me I'm their hero... but, why me?

I'm just a small town girl who enjoys making people happy.

It's the all-American girl gone bad. Initially, the name callings from 6- and 7-year-olds was tough. My heart was in my stomach. But it is more fun to play someone that you are not.

Sure, Maryse is the Divas Champion, but I find it no coincidence that she supposedly got 'hurt' the week after she stole my title.

You know what I liked about 'The Condemned?' It's Stone Cold being Stone Cold, and that's what was awesome to me.

I'm going to prove to the rest of these girls walking around, strutting their stuff, that I am the top Diva and I am here to stay.

I've been to Australia once before, and we went to Auckland, New Zealand. We were there for a few days. It was absolutely beautiful, so I'm very excited to go back there.

When we can give back to the real heroes, that's what I find rewarding.

I'm easily entertained, I guess.

If I had to pick somebody I really had a crush on right now - solely based on looks alone - it would be Matthew McConaughey. He does it for me.

I like athletes.

Piggie James was the storyline that brought LayCool to fruition and really started and helped develop our characters. It was a main storyline that, at the time, started giving Divas more screen time and longer matches - we even had a huge celebration.

It's a dog-eat-dog world and in a man's world, too. It's just a fight, every single week, this job.

I'm not a patient person and sitting around the house waiting to get back to WWE does me no good.

Don't give in to bullying or others making fun of people. Stand up for yourself. Stand up for your friends. Be that one person who is genuinely good-hearted.

You know, I thought seeing Aretha Franklin last year was amazing, and I didn't think anyone can top that. But if someone can, John Legend would be the man. In my mind, he's a legend, no pun intended.

People are always going to say what they want to say and believe what they want to believe, but that's the bottom line.

I'd have to say I've been a little of both, but definitely more nice than naughty.

The higher you climb the ladder, everyone is going to have a reason as to why you're there, why you're on TV, and they don't want to believe the fact you're in the working hard, fighting for storylines.

It's not easy to always be yourself.

It's not easy to filter out all the negative things people say and/or write about you.

I think everybody will agree that 'Torrie Wilson' is a name that nobody - no true wrestling fan - will ever forget.

Retirement has been wonderful.

Growing up, I always said I would never go in to education. Both of my parents were teachers - my dad was also a principal and a superintendent. I just didn't want to be part of the school system.

I kept my teaching certificate active while I was with WWE. It definitely wouldn't be something that I'd mind going back to.

It's hard because it doesn't matter what you do, most people still identify me as Undertaker's wife.

I can literally count on one and a half hands how many people in WWE treated me the same pre-Mark and post-Mark. Michelle McCool didn't change, I'm still me. There were a ton of people that found out I was dating Mark and was like, 'Oh, I better change my tune and be super nice.'

I'm only naughty when I have to be.

You just have to kind of remember that it's just a character on TV. A lot of times people just forgot that and it's easy to do.

That always makes it fun inside the ring when you know you can work with somebody. You can fly off the cuff while you're in there; you can improvise.