Emma’s return is one of many needed to add depth to WWE women’s division

WWE fans watching SmackDown were in for a surprise when Emma, formerly known as Tenille Dashwood, made her return to step up to Ronda Rousey. Predictably so, she was defeated by the SmackDown Women’s Champion, but it was still a good move to see WWE bring back another woman’s talent. It’s a step in the right direction to rebuild the depth of the women’s division in what will be a slow but meaningful process.

As stated in Daily DDT, Rousey’s harsh criticisms of the WWE’s women’s division were correct. The group has some of the most talented performers in the industry, but the company fails to book the group with the sense of depth everyone knows is there. Any women that aren’t competing for the brands’ championship are left by the wayside.

Things are different in NXT, where mid-card feuds happen for the women more frequently, but that show doesn’t have the level of exposure as Monday Night Raw or SmackDown.

Fans are rightly frustrated when the brands only include one women’s match or segment across a three- or two-hour show. Even the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships are wrapped up in the angle surrounding the WWE Raw Women’s Championship. This is why returns like Emma’s, the upcoming Sarah Logan, the rumored interest in Tegan Nox, and “re-debuts” like Nikki Cross are important to see. Building out more characters on the shows gives not only the champions more challengers but creates more space for the women to get involved with each other in front of the cameras.

Now, the work must be done to build angles for these ladies outside of the titles. For example, Emma could go into a brief program with the likes of Shotzi Blackheart or Raquel Rodriguez. Logan could target individuals like Aliyah or Xia Li to kick off her return to the roster. There are plenty of options to turn toward, but the results can all be equally as strong if they are properly used to rebuild the depth that is available in this women’s division.

As always, some “fans” tried to unleash the snark around the reception of Emma’s return on Friday. Of course, she wouldn’t get the big pops that many push for on a weekly basis, but she’s a performer that adds depth to this roster at a time when WWE needs to focus on more outside-the-title pictures. If fans want to see more women’s wrestling on television, these are the types of returns they should expect to see.