WWE seeks a varied set of ‘Wanted Treasures’ from its women’s wrestling history
With a focus on multiple women, mostly from the ’90s and ’00s, Booker T kicks off this week’s edition of WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures by speaking with Lita and Trish Stratus about their rivalry/partnership that made such a big impact in the Attitude Era. As is standard format for the show, they quickly settle on something tangible they may be able to procure to add to the travelling WWE memorabilia exhibit: their wrestling gear from the famed Monday Night Raw main event match from December of 2004, estimated to be worth between $6K-$9K.
Next, they pay tribute to Mae Young, deciding to seek out her crown and robe, estimated to be worth between $1K-$5K, before Booker says he’s going to throw out a controversial name. No, it’s not The Fabulous Moolah (although I wonder if they could find a WrestleMania Fabulous Moolah battle royale trophy?); Booker brings up Alundra Blayze, whose name gets a little scoff from Lita.
Mick Foley brings the audience up to speed, detailing how Debrah Miceli wrestled as Madusa everywhere until she was turned into Alundra Blayze in the WWF, bringing with her a wealth of wrestling experience and championship pedigree. The panel focuses on the episode of Nitro that featured Madusa drop the WWF Women’s Championship belt into a trash can, and it keeps cutting specifically to Lita who admits she was, and still looks to be, mad about that whole angle.
Lita wants to symbolically take the title out of the trash and put it in a place of honor — even though this has already been done, in a sense, when Miceli retrieved the belt from a trash can during her 2015 WWE Hall of Fame induction. Nonetheless, the search for the belt is on, with an estimated price tag between $40K-$50K.
Things kick off in Orlando, Florida, where Foley heads to see Miceli. Mick admits he was also upset about the angle of trashing the belt, claiming not to have spoken to “Alundra” for a long time because of it (I guess not, if he’s still calling her Alundra). With all of this tense build-up, however, Miceli opens the door with a big smile and Foley, laughing, enters her house.
Miceli tells her story of being in a hotel, on the road for the WWF, and receiving her termination via FedEx. She was mad and, considering that the WWF didn’t even ask for the title back, took it out on them on Nitro. Foley says he understands her side of things a little better now. Miceli and Booker are seen labelling this trash can bit as the big shot fired between WCW and WWF, without bringing in factors such as Ric Flair arriving in the WWF from the WCW with the World Heavyweight Championship a few years prior.
Miceli does look back on her 2015 Hall of Fame induction, admitting she was nervous that nobody would know who she was beyond the “belt incident.” Foley tells her that he learned from her book that she tried to give the belt back to Vince but he told her to keep it. Well, now the tables have turned and Foley starts his pitch to procure the belt for the roadshow.
He starts by asking if she would revisit her intentions to give it back, for nothing in exchange, but she says she already tried that, so now it’s a business deal. Miceli suggests that she’d accept $100,000 for the belt, whether it be for a short-term loan or a sale. Foley reveals his top price of $50K, at which point Miceli says they’re done. Foley says he’s hurt, but they still hug and express love for one another, and Mick leaves empty-handed.
Foley arrives in Stamford, CT to let Booker T and Lita know that he struck out with Miceli, prompting Booker to say that she’s all about business and “To hell with Madusa.” Hardly promising grounds for continued good will and negotiation.
Lita and Trish are off to Albany, NY, to visit the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in search of Young’s crown and robe. Lita and Trish walk around as fans, enjoying all that the exhibit has on display, before they’re taken by Seth Turner to see what they came for. The robe and crown are there, and Lita gets to try them on before they talk business.
Lita starts with an offer of $1K, which Turner rightly dismisses as not being in the ballpark. What he really wants is a collaborative partnership with the WWE, something that could see them exchange Young’s gear for something related to the very first Money in the Bank cash-in by Edge, which took place in the arena where the Hall of Fame resides. Lita calls Ben Brown at the WWE warehouse and lets him know what Turner is thinking, and Brown is all for it. Lita, via Brown, offers the original black Money in the Bank briefcase as a trade, and the deal is struck.
Lita and Trish head next to Providence, Rhode Island, attending a Comic-Con to talk to fans about their careers. Behind them sit their wrestling gear from the Raw main event match, which, of course, just happen to be the last pieces of this week’s treasure hunt. After their event has wrapped up, they come to an agreement and donate their gear to the WWE.
The episode wraps up in Stamford, where Booker T sees the crown, robe, and Raw main event gear, and is in a much happier mood now. They all celebrate women’s wrestling, without bringing up Miceli again, and that’s it for this week!
