contender to the Knockouts Championship. James began turning heel during her title match against defending champion Velvet Sky on the following week, when she targeted Sky's injured knee; James was defeated Sky. On the May 23 episode of Impact Wrestling, James defeated Sky after attacking her injured knee to become a three-time Knockouts Champion. The following week, James continued portraying a villainous persona by calling out Velvet Sky, acting sarcastic and pompous towards her, and also did not help Sky when she was attacked by Gail Kim. James cemented her heel turn on the June 13 episode of Impact Wrestling, when she attacked Sky when the latter said that she was ready for a rematch. James and Sky had their rematch on the June 27 episode of Impact Wrestling, where James retained her championship. On the July 4 episode of Impact Wrestling, James justified her actions by claiming that getting to the top of the Knockouts division requires "clawing and scratching your way to the top"; James also claimed that "no woman would ever be as great as her" and she'll "stand atop the division as the greatest Knockouts Champion of all time". On the July 25 episode of Impact Wrestling, James successfully defended the championship against Gail Kim. At the September 6 airing of Knockout Knockdown, James defeated Serena Deeb to qualify for the gauntlet battle royal finals, in which James was lastly eliminated by Gail Kim.TNA One Night Only: Knockout Knockdown review 411mania.com. September 6, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2013. James lost the Knockouts Championship on the September 19 episode of Impact Wrestling to ODB. Four days later, it was revealed that James had failed to come to terms on a contract renewal with TNA. James later stated in an interview that she technically wasn't under contract with TNA, but she did not confirm that she was gone. On November 15, 2013, James appeared in an interview on WWE.com, discussing her history with WWE and the possibility of making a return to the company. At the December 6 airing of World Cup of Wrestling, James was a member of Team USA, along with James Storm, Christopher Daniels, Kazarian and Kenny King. James was defeated by Team Aces & Eights' Ivelisse Vélez following interference from the other members of Aces & Eights. Team USA would go on to defeat Team Aces & Eights in a 5-on-5 elimination tag team