A Brief History Of The WWE Women’s Revolution (Part 3)

Breaking Ground: Milestones Of The WWE Women’s Revolution.

Iron Women

Sasha Banks and Bayley are asked to be the first women to ever headline a PPV show in the history of WWE at NXT TakeOver Respect, October 7th, 2015. It would also be WWE’s first ever Women’s Ironman match, something that had never been achieved by WWE’s closest North American rivals in WCW or Impact Wrestling. For many the match managed to surpass the one they had at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn.

End of Diva Era

At 2016’s WrestleMania 32 Kick Off show, WWE legend Lita makes the landmark announcement that the winner of the triple threat Diva’s Championship (defending title holder Charlotte and challengers Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks) would be crowned new WWE Women’s Champion.

The distinction between Diva and Superstar would no longer exist – men and women alike were Superstars. The Diva Era was dead.

Charlotte would win the match in an instant classic.

Headline In A Cell

Sasha Banks and Charlotte would again make history for the women’s division at WWE Hell In A Cell, October 30th, 2016. Not only would they be the first women to have a HIAC  match, they would be the first women to headline – they were the top billing main event attraction at a marquee WWE event.

‘Mella Is Money

The first ever women’s Money In The Bank match took place on May 30th, 2017 for the SmackDown Live brand. Carmella would win the match but with help from James Ellsworth, prompting the general manager of the brand Daniel Bryan to declare it a no contest.

Another Money In The Bank match to make amends was scheduled for the June 27, 2017 episode of SmackDown Live, and would main event the program. Carmella again won due to an assist from Ellsworth and to the chagrin of many. The historical significance of these first two matches stands, and the second of the two was considered one of the best matches of the year.

The Greatest Streak

From October 2015 to April 2018, the superstar known as ‘The Empress of Tomorrow‘ would go on a promotional undefeated streak that would break all records. Asuka would defeat Bayley for the NXT Women’s Championship at NXT TakerOver: Dallas, and would officially hold on to it until the September 6, 2017 episode of NXT TV. WWE counts this title reign of Asuka’s as 523 days, the longest out of both men and women in the modern era. It would also surpass the longest WWF Women’s title reign of 502 days set by Rockin’ Robin (Robin Denise Smith).

Asuka would vacate the title and continue her winning ways on the main RAW brand until she was defeated by Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 34, April 08, 2018. Her winning streak was counted as 914 days, and with over 265 victories she bettered WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg’s WCW run.

Asuka’s streak was the greatest in WWE history regardless of gender.

Last Woman Standing

As NXT Women’s Champion, Asuka would defend her title against Nikki Cross in the first ever Last Woman’s Standing match. The match would headline the episode broadcast June 28, 2017.

At WWE Evolution, October 28th 2018, SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch faces Charlotte Flair in what is billed as the first main roster Last Woman Standing match, one that will air live and as one of the main events of a WWE marquee show.

Mae Young Classic

The first all women’s event of its kind, the Mae Young Classic was taped at Full Sail University in July of 2017 to be broadcast on WWE Network that September. It was the first series WWE promoted as a ‘binge watch’ event, an experiment in a programming format popularised by Netflix.

The event took the format of a single elimination tournament and featured new NXT talent as well as veterans from Women’s Pro Wrestling all over the world. The finals between winner Kairi Sane and runner up Shayna Baszler were live on WWE Network, 12th September following an episode of SmackDown Live. Both finalists have gone on to have NXT Women’s title reigns, showing the significance of this format.

The finals of the 2018 Mae Young Classic take place at WWE Evolution, as does an NXT title match between Sane and Baszler.

Royal Rumble

The first ever women’s Royal Rumble in WWE was announced on the December 18, 2017 episode of RAW. The stipulation of the match was in line with the men’s, the winner receiving a title match against a relative champion of her choosing at WrestleMania.

The winner of the match that took place on January 28th, 2018 would end up being Asuka who would choose to face SmackDown Women’s champion Charlotte Flair. History was also made that night as Asuka was the first Japanese wrestler to win the Royal Rumble, and shared in  the accolades with Shinsuke Nakamura being the first male Japanese wrestler to win the Royal Rumble match in his match later in the night.

Rowdy Arrival

After months of speculation and years of pursuit, Ronda Rousey officially debuted with WWE in the aftermath of the first Women’s Royal Rumble. Rousey ‘shook’ winner Asuka’s hand, looked RAW and SmackDown Live Women’s champions Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair in the eye, and did a lot of pointing at the WrestleMania sign.

Rousey would have her main in-ring match début teaming with Kurt Angle in a mixed tag team match to take on the team of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. Rousey would have her first title match against Nia Jax at Money In The Bank a few months later, who in the interim had defeated Alexa Bliss. Rousey would win by disqualification after Bliss struck her with her MITB briefcase she had won in the titular match earlier in the night.

Bliss cashed in her MITB contract there and then to defeat Nia Jax and once again become champion. Ronda Rousey would defeat Alexa Bliss at SummerSlam and become the new RAW Women’s champion.

Ronda Rousey defends her title against Nikki Bella at WWE Evolution on October 28th.

Evolution Is Reality

On the July 23rd, 2018 of RAW the first ever live, all women’s cross-brand event WWE Evolution was announced for October 28th, 2018. The event is to feature over 50 women and will include for the first time the defense of the Women’s championships from the RAW, SmackDown Live and NXT brands.

The event is a culmination of all the good and bad decisions WWE has made over the years, and a response to the demands of their audience.

And so concludes this ‘brief’ history of the WWE Women’s Revolution – at least as it has happened up until now in the modern era. Much will be written on the success and failings of the WWE Evolution event in its promotional build and execution, and what needs to continue to happen for women in the future.

Maybe the real ‘crown jewel’ achievement in WWE’s legacy years from now will be the first women’s championship match to truly headline their biggest stage,WrestleMania. There is also no good reason it can not happen as early as next year in 2019.

Such a milestone is worth more than any king’s fortune.