MLW Is Growing – Does It Need A Women’s Division Next?

Credit: MLW.com

This is in no way an exhaustive list – the names here are just a handful of the wrestlers I’ve enjoyed watching recently, but there are obviously way more out there who could bring something to the table in MLW whether they were to create an entire women’s division or dive deeper into the world of intergender wrestling. And, let’s not forget the names who have already appeared in MLW in some form.

Delilah Doom

Making a name for herself in and around Austin, Texas, Doom began training at Austin’s AAPW before broadening her skills under Funaki. Doom cultivated a following for herself on the Texas independent scene but has since grown out of the southwest to find herself a former Phoenix of RISE Champion as well as one-half of the current SHIMMER Tag Team Champions. Doom is still true to her roots, though, becoming the first Undefinable Champion in Austin-based Inspire Pro. With appearances on Impact and Raw under her belt, Doom’s stock is sure to continue to rise on the indies as she aerobicizes her way across the country as both a singles competitor and with Eli Everfly as the tag team DOOMFLY.

Penelope Ford

Perhaps the most obvious name to be found on this list is “The Bad Girl” Penelope Ford. Ford may be most known for her association with Joey Janela, but Ford has shown that she can cut a path all her own with a history in CZW, WWR and Beyond Wrestling amongst others. It seemed a likely scenario for Ford to join Janela in MLW to counteract rival World Middleweight Champion MJF’s partner Aria Blake, but with Janela on the shelf with a knee injury that hypothetical course of events has come to a halt. Ford has her own titles to chase, though, as it was recently announced that she would be the challenger for Jazz’s NWA World’s Women’s Title at NWA 70 later this month. If Ford can take down the legend and walk away with the championship, she could do for the NWA World’s Women’s Title what Tim Storm, Nick Aldis and Cody have done for the NWA World’s Heavyweight Title.

Who Else?

Santana Garrett and Chelsea Green are the first women to go one-on-one on an episode of MLW Fusion, with Green also facing off with Priscilla Kelly and Garrett with Leva Bates, Mia Yim and MJ Jenkins at pre-Fusion events.

Garrett is particularly interesting as she seemed to be a focal point of many of MLW’s early shows in addition to being featured in an advertising spot for Fusion on beIN Sports. So, where is she now?

For weeks, Su Yung and Zeda Zhang (collectively, the Kodokushi Death Squad) demolished several male competitors before the bell could ring to start their matches. They’ve quietly been moved to the Expanded Roster section of the MLW website indicating that their future with the company is uncertain.

Aria Blake and Taya Valkyrie each have one match apiece as they teamed with MJF and Joey Ryan respectively in an intergender match as a part of War Games, but there has been no word, so far, on whether or not Taya will be returning for any of the future MLW shows in Chicago or New York while Aria is listed in the Promoters & Managers section of MLW.com

Who did I leave off of the list, and do you think MLW should kick off a full-on women’s division or continue to work more intergender wrestling into their shows? With big shows coming up in Chicago and New York through April, the eyes of the independent wrestling world will be on Major League Wrestling as it grows more and more each month. A step forward when women’s wrestling in the US is at its highest peak in years could boost it to another level.