WWE WrestleMania 34: Naomi Wins First WM Women’s Battle Royal

Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Becky Lynch were widely seen as the three favorites to win the first ever WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal at WWE WrestleMania 34. Instead, it was Naomi who stole victory away from Bayley at the last moment.

Last year, Naomi won the SmackDown Women’s Championship in her hometown of Orlando at WrestleMania 33 after returning from an injury, regaining the title that she was forced to relinquish months earlier. It was a heart-warming moment, and Naomi was able to have a second straight WrestleMania moment at WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans by winning the first ever WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal.

Who did Naomi eliminate? Bayley, because The Huggable One – and just about everyone else watching at home – forgot that Naomi was still in the match. You see, Becky Lynch was eliminated when Naomi also went to the outside, but Naomi never went over the top rope.

But who did Bayley eliminate to become one of the final two? Sasha Banks, of course. The duo outlasted a faction of NXT wrestlers, the Riott Squad, and the veteran Natalya to ostensibly become the final two women in the Battle Royal. Bayley showed no mercy after an intense, emotional staredown, eliminating a woman who betrayed her at the Elimination Chamber and has caused her grief over the past couple of months in the build-up to WrestleMania 34.

Bayley thought she won after eliminating Sasha. But on Rear View later, and it was another crowning moment for Naomi

It was awesome watching NXT wrestlers Kairi Sane, Peyton Royce, Bianca Belair, Dakota Kai, Taynara Conti, and Kavita Devi working together. It was also cool watching Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose, as well as the Riott Squad on the same page. What wasn’t so cool, however, was the way Becky Lynch was eliminated. She was thrown out like an afterthought, barely shown and barely mentioned, though the crowd did make their feelings felt towards creative by booing her elimination.

Regardless of Becky’s elimination, this was a great Battle Royal and much better than any Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania ever. Belair’s hair whip on Becky, which had Sasha gasping, and her 450 splash were two big highlights in this match, too.

Next: WrestleMania 34 Live Review, Highlights, Grades, and Analysis

Of course, the most enduring moment will be the Sasha vs. Bayley showdown, with a close second being Naomi stealing Bayley’s moment of glory away. Even though Bayley couldn’t finish the job, her elimination of Sasha confirmed that she’s indeed on the right track as a character in the WWE.