CAN I JUST START BY SAYING WOW. WHAT A WAY TO END WOMEN’S WRESTLING FOR 2017.
Women’s wrestling has come so far over the last year. We’ve had women’s matches become main event matches rather than the “toilet breaks” that they were previously known as.
The first ever women’s Money in the Bank match took place this year. We had Sasha Banks vs Charlotte for the first ever Women’s Hell in a Cell match. Alexa Bliss and Sasha Banks were the first two women to compete in a match in the Middle East. With the crowd chanting “This is hope”. All of these things are stepping stones to equality. It’s so incredible to see. Now, to top off 2017 we now have confirmation that for the first time in WWE history there will be a 30 women Royal Rumble! As a women’s wrestler this is so big for me, and like Paige, I too was crying when I watched the announcement be made. Finally women are getting the recognition they deserve. Being treated as equals. That’s all we ever wanted, and it’s finally happening.
I was the same way when they announced the first ever women’s Money in The Bank match. I had always asked why they hadn’t had one yet, and when they did I was so happy. However, after coming so far with this equality, watching a man climb the ladder to retrieve the briefcase for me was an insult to how far the women had come. These women thought for such equality to have this match and the way it ended was with a man at the top of the ladder holding the briefcase and not a woman. Yes they corrected it, but the first ever women’s MITB match was technically won by a man.
This same thing happened back in 2009 at Wrestlemania 25 when they held a 25 diva battle royal to crown ‘Miss Wrestlemania’. However once again the spotlight was taken away from the women when Santino’s “Twin sister” Santina won the match and was crowned the first ever Miss Wrestlemania.
These women put their lives on the line every night when they go out and perform, just like the men do. Finally it’s time for people to realize that whatever a man can do in that ring, that women can do to.
My only wish for this match is for it to be the match that every single women’s wrestler deserves. That every single little girl watching, dreaming it could be them one day deserve. An all women, all wrestler (no celebrities) women’s royal rumble match.
I for one am excited to sit there and once again watch history be made, knowing how far women’s wrestling has come and knowing that 2018 will start an incredible year for the women of professional wrestling.