No, I'm not talking about the return of the Women's championship. No, I'm not talking about the term "diva" being completely scrapped from the wrestling vernacular. I'm talking about the three top female wrestlers in the world putting on the Match of the Night at WrestleMania.
Yes, Shane McMahon had the moment the world will talk about for years. Yes, Zack Ryder was the biggest shock of the night. Yes, Brock Lesnar used more suplexes and his beating of Ambrose was the most brutal of the night. But in terms of a bell to bell wrestling match, the women not only delivered, they surpassed everyone else.
It all started from the entrances, where Sasha Banks received the most unanimously positive pop of the night...and it was HUGE! From the beginning it seemed Becky Lynch would be the odd woman out, but instead she may have put on the best performance of them all, and had the most highlights in the match itself. Then, in perfect smarmy heel fashion, Charlotte made her former close friend tap out while her manager helped her cheat.
It is, of course, hard not to notice that Charlotte's manager is the legendary Ric Flair which only makes it more amazing to see the complete reversal of wrestling norms that is occurring. It was always the big, strong male wrestler with the tiny, attractive female valet. Now you have one of the biggest legends in male wrestling history acting as the "valet" and doing all of the manager hijinx for the top female heel. Forget that it is a father/daughter combo, this is unheard of. Male managers with female wrestlers have always been treated as a joke but I highly doubt anyone will look at last nights match with anything but reverence.
A few months ago I believed the "Divas Revolution" to be dead, they mixed the new top class women's wrestlers with the far less talented "divas" and forced the talented women to "lower themselves" to match the established talent. In the build-up to WrestleMania those shackles were finally pulled off. Charlotte, Becky, and Sasha were allowed to have personalities again, they were allowed to show off their exceptional in-ring talents again, and they put on one of the best women's matches in WWE history at the biggest stage of them all (literally, did you see the size of that stage?).
The glass ceiling was broken last night. While many of the male wrestlers struggled to seem relevant and to win over crowd support, the female wrestlers masterfully told a story that made everyone come out stronger. If Trish and Lita were the bar to reach for women's wrestling, then that bar has been officially smashed. Women's wrestling is hot in a way it has never been hot before and I hope this success continues for many years to come.
Yes, Shane McMahon had the moment the world will talk about for years. Yes, Zack Ryder was the biggest shock of the night. Yes, Brock Lesnar used more suplexes and his beating of Ambrose was the most brutal of the night. But in terms of a bell to bell wrestling match, the women not only delivered, they surpassed everyone else.
It all started from the entrances, where Sasha Banks received the most unanimously positive pop of the night...and it was HUGE! From the beginning it seemed Becky Lynch would be the odd woman out, but instead she may have put on the best performance of them all, and had the most highlights in the match itself. Then, in perfect smarmy heel fashion, Charlotte made her former close friend tap out while her manager helped her cheat.
It is, of course, hard not to notice that Charlotte's manager is the legendary Ric Flair which only makes it more amazing to see the complete reversal of wrestling norms that is occurring. It was always the big, strong male wrestler with the tiny, attractive female valet. Now you have one of the biggest legends in male wrestling history acting as the "valet" and doing all of the manager hijinx for the top female heel. Forget that it is a father/daughter combo, this is unheard of. Male managers with female wrestlers have always been treated as a joke but I highly doubt anyone will look at last nights match with anything but reverence.
A few months ago I believed the "Divas Revolution" to be dead, they mixed the new top class women's wrestlers with the far less talented "divas" and forced the talented women to "lower themselves" to match the established talent. In the build-up to WrestleMania those shackles were finally pulled off. Charlotte, Becky, and Sasha were allowed to have personalities again, they were allowed to show off their exceptional in-ring talents again, and they put on one of the best women's matches in WWE history at the biggest stage of them all (literally, did you see the size of that stage?).
The glass ceiling was broken last night. While many of the male wrestlers struggled to seem relevant and to win over crowd support, the female wrestlers masterfully told a story that made everyone come out stronger. If Trish and Lita were the bar to reach for women's wrestling, then that bar has been officially smashed. Women's wrestling is hot in a way it has never been hot before and I hope this success continues for many years to come.
