Women's Wrestling

[Dragon Chief]

Women's wrestling has become a big focus in WWE over the past few years, with a lot of first-ever women's gimmick matches taking place. Casual fans seem to be loving the women's division. Me personally I enjoy watching big fight type of matches like a Brock Lesnar match or a good technical wrestling match. I rarely ever see this in a diva's match, regardless of all the hype for that division.

I'm wondering what fans enjoy about women's wrestling currently? I honestly don't see what all the hype is about. I mainly watch women's wrestling now for the same reason I did before, for the sex appeal, call me old fashioned. So what do you guys actually enjoy about women's wrestling? Other than hot divas fighting, I can't say I enjoy much else. Ronda Rousey joining WWE is cool I guess.

 

[OYDK]

I enjoy women's wrestling when they have good matches and strong stories. Just like I enjoy men's wrestling when they have good matches and strong stories. I literally couldn't give less of a fuck about what gender the wrestlers competing are.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Do fans really watch wrestling for the sex appeal anymore? Like these guys work out, and are "camera ready", so it's sort of goes without saying that they have to be attractive on television. But to watch just because they make you horny is sort of silly in the age of internet porn.

Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte is a feud you should really look into, OP. They had some stellar work. And the Women's Royal Rumble was fun and not at all the shitfest a fan from the Attitude Era would expect. Sure, I would be the first to admit a good share of women's matches on TV aren't exactly barn-burners, but then again most of the men's matches I've seen lately weren't great either. You take it as you take wrestling shows in general - some of it will be meh, and some will be fantastic.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

If you're not a fan of women's wrestling, then I guess you're just not a fan. It sounds to me like the OP simply prefers the old days when the women were really little more than *********ory fodder but I'm glad those times are gone. If you're able to put on entertaining matches and are someone that's able to make me care enough to invest my time in keeping up with what program you're doing, then I don't care if you're male or female. I just enjoy watching good wrestling. I have no interest in 2 minute filler matches, bikini contests, lingerie matches, pillow fight matches, dance offs or any of that other nonsense that made women's wrestling in WWE an industry wide joke.

Does sex appeal still have some impact? Sure, I imagine so. That would explain the hair extensions, make up and the skimpy outfits but I don't believe it has remotely the sort of impact it did once up on a time. As has been pointed out, with the easy access and virtually unlimited amount of porn online, the thrill of seeing hot women scantily clad on TV no longer remotely has the appeal it did 20 to 25 years ago. If you were a teenager during the 90s as I was, the pinnacle of cool was managing to get your hands on a copy of Playboy or Hustler.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

What i don't like about women'S wrestling, especially in the WWE is that it's not about the performers themselves, it's about a movement and catch phrase and making history, which is not helping anybody anymore since they are doing the same stuff they use to do before but now sometime, when the realize that fans my have got on to the fact that they are doing the same stuff they use to do, they go out and throw fans either a first ever match or a longer match to mask the fact that it's still the same old thing it always was

The other thing i don't like is most of those women's either, don't have a personally and just feel like another wrestler on the roster or are not push the right way which make them look like just part of the scenery in the end. Let's take Sasha Banks for example, what's her biggest weakness? She not a great Babyface. Anybody that watch her on NXT can testify that her character was at his hottest when she was a Heel because that'S what her character is suppose to be, yet because fans where cheering for her in NXT, the brought her up at a babyface and pretty use her to put over charlotte because that was the main reason for that feud in the first place.

But i don'T want to be too negative about the women's division, i do like watching some of them wrestled, i feel Becky Lynch should be higher on the card because she got more personality in her small finger then 90% of the smackdown women'S roster right now. Asuka is awesome, Love Watching Nia Jax destroy her opponent. Alexa Bliss is awesome and will go places if they don'T screw her up after she drop the title. Still a big fan of Paige and i'm still praying that her career isn't over because she still got a lot to give as far as the women's division is concern. Outside of that, nothing much excites me about women's wrestling in WWE. It'S kinda like the men's in a way, when you shove something so many times down somebody'S throat at some point you're just going to either not cared as much about it are just hate it, that's what is happening for me right now with the women's division, while i like some performers, i just don'T cares as much anymore about what there doing because they feel just like everything else on the show.

 

[Dragon Chief]

Do fans really watch wrestling for the sex appeal anymore? Like these guys work out, and are "camera ready", so it's sort of goes without saying that they have to be attractive on television. But to watch just because they make you horny is sort of silly in the age of internet porn.

There is a difference between porn and just enjoying watching attractive women wrestle. That's why beauty competitions exist, etc.. I enjoy watching beautiful women wrestle but am not really invested in their in ring work or feuds, they don't connect with me.

Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte is a feud you should really look into, OP. They had some stellar work. And the Women's Royal Rumble was fun and not at all the shitfest a fan from the Attitude Era would expect..

That feud was alright but neither that feud or Royal Rumble rank up against the best feuds or Royal Rumble. Which is my point, sure the women's division has improved slightly but it's not as a great as WWE or some fans are hyping it up to be.

If you're not a fan of women's wrestling, then I guess you're just not a fan. It sounds to me like the OP simply prefers the old days when the women were really little more than *********ory fodder but I'm glad those times are gone. If you're able to put on entertaining matches and are someone that's able to make me care enough to invest my time in keeping up with what program you're doing, then I don't care if you're male or female. I just enjoy watching good wrestling. I have no interest in 2 minute filler matches, bikini contests, lingerie matches, pillow fight matches, dance offs or any of that other nonsense that made women's wrestling in WWE an industry wide joke.

Come on now, I wasn't a fan of women's wrestling in any era of WWE lol but there were a lot of beautiful divas in WWE history.

I can't get behind woman's matches the same way I do with some of the men's matches. Matches like Brock Lesnar v. Kurt Angle, The Rock v. Steve Austin, were huge. Many fans were anticipating a highly competitive/ hard hitting match with those matches. I don't feel the same type of anticipation for a match like Sasha Banks v. Charlotte. Women's wrestling lack the aggression, intensity & overall polish some of the best men's wrestling matches have. Come on now, how can you get hyped for match featuring a 5ft 90lbs RAW woman's champion for any other reason but to stare at her ass.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

There is a difference between porn and just enjoying watching attractive women wrestle. That's why beauty competitions exist, etc.. I enjoy watching beautiful women wrestle but am not really invested in their in ring work or feuds, they don't connect with me.

Judging by what you're saying, they're too small and lack testosterone for your taste. That's definitely one position to take, though you're massively underselling why people have taken to women's wrestling lately. I get that you're more the macho type, and need that hard-hitting style. Maybe you're expecting too much from something everybody else is enjoying. I don't know. But it's easy to see why people are enjoying this more than they have in the past 20 years.

That feud was alright but neither that feud or Royal Rumble rank up against the best feuds or Royal Rumble. Which is my point, sure the women's division has improved slightly but it's not as a great as WWE or some fans are hyping it up to be.

Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte was PWI's feud of the year.

The Women's Rumble was solid for being the first time they've done it. I've heard nothing but praise for how well executed it was.

This seems more like what would it take to impress you more than just some fans hyping something up. If women's wrestling isn't your bag, then I totally understand. Big brawlers bore me to tears. But if this is a question as to why people have taken to it lately, it's fairly obvious.

 

[mooseman]

It has a spot on programming for me in that I will watch it. It absolutely deserves to have everything the male division has. That being said, main eventing a RAW or SDL is fine, however it should never main event a big show. I'm of the old school belief the heavyweight title(s) should go on last and be the absolute focus and main attraction of every show except perhaps the Royal Rumble. And that's only because the loser of the title matches should be entered into the Rumble itself.

 

[Dragon Chief]

Judging by what you're saying, they're too small and lack testosterone for your taste. That's definitely one position to take, though you're massively underselling why people have taken to women's wrestling lately. I get that you're more the macho type, and need that hard-hitting style. Maybe you're expecting too much from something everybody else is enjoying. I don't know. But it's easy to see why people are enjoying this more than they have in the past 20 years.



Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte was PWI's feud of the year.

The Women's Rumble was solid for being the first time they've done it. I've heard nothing but praise for how well executed it was.

This seems more like what would it take to impress you more than just some fans hyping something up. If women's wrestling isn't your bag, then I totally understand. Big brawlers bore me to tears. But if this is a question as to why people have taken to it lately, it's fairly obvious.

Fair points, I guess the women's matches is not aggressive & hard hitting enough to enjoy as much as a lot of the men's matches. I'm sure some fans share my opinion.

I guess some fans are able to invest the women's matches/feuds as much the same way they do with the men's matches/feuds. I admit that the women's division has improved since the Attitude Era.

 

[CyberPunk]

It's a fairly simple reason for me: women are wrestling and wrestling good matches. I could care less about the PR fodder that the women's revolution is, but I enjoy good wrestling programs. Also, there's a novelty in watching women wrestle in gimmick matches, which is why WWE is pushing them hard.

I don't remember watching wrestling for attractive women, just as I've never been interested in men's matches for their big muscles. That really depends on taste though. Watch some of Asuka's matches, and you'll find enough hard hitting stuff. Sasha Banks vs Bayley from NXT was one of the best women's feud ever in WWE in my opinion.

 

[Dagger Dias]

It's enjoyable now because they have several women who can actually wrestle. After Trish and Lita left the division became a complete total waste of time. Far too many were pushed with little more reasoning beyond them being attractive. There was a reason people would always refer to the divas matches as a chance to take a break before a more relevant match would come on. Then after AJ and Paige gave some hope of recovery for a dying division, we began seeing Divas Championship matches that were worth watching. Then others such as the four horsewomen, Alexa Bliss, and more came up to the main roster. The women had the best match of the night at Wrestlemania 32. History being made is also exciting. The first women's Hell In A Cell. The first women's Money In The Bank, disregarding the stupid ending. The first women's Royal Rumble. Now we will get the first women's Elimination Chamber. We get to see history happen AND the women are genuinely good in the ring as well as on the mic. The colossal improvement in quality for the division more than explains the sudden increase in interest for watching the women's division matches.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Honestly I do see the point the OP tried to make. Women's wrestling in WWE over the last year or so hasn't been too interesting.

On Raw, Sasha and Bayley have been horribly underused while Alexa has practically dominated the division. On Smackdown, not much of anything has really happened. I honestly can't remember hardly anything about their division over the last year.

Now with that said, the women's wrestlers in WWE are certainly capable of having good wrestling matches and just as capable as the men. However just like the males, they need the writing and booking to back them up. And unfortunately that hasn't happened.

 

[HeenanGorilla]

If you're not a fan of women's wrestling, then I guess you're just not a fan. It sounds to me like the OP simply prefers the old days when the women were really little more than *********ory fodder but I'm glad those times are gone. If you're able to put on entertaining matches and are someone that's able to make me care enough to invest my time in keeping up with what program you're doing, then I don't care if you're male or female. I just enjoy watching good wrestling. I have no interest in 2 minute filler matches, bikini contests, lingerie matches, pillow fight matches, dance offs or any of that other nonsense that made women's wrestling in WWE an industry wide joke.

Does sex appeal still have some impact? Sure, I imagine so. That would explain the hair extensions, make up and the skimpy outfits but I don't believe it has remotely the sort of impact it did once up on a time. As has been pointed out, with the easy access and virtually unlimited amount of porn online, the thrill of seeing hot women scantily clad on TV no longer remotely has the appeal it did 20 to 25 years ago. If you were a teenager during the 90s as I was, the pinnacle of cool was managing to get your hands on a copy of Playboy or Hustler.

You can jack your hammer to Hustler all you want, but you have no leg to stand on when saying what cool is. And invest your time? Anyone who follows your posts knows your time is spent watching wrestling and little else. That’s fine if you love it that much. But don’t act like you’d do anything else if the “program” wasn’t up to your standards. The women aren’t as entertaining to some as they are to others. You saying that not liking them means you’re not a fan is ridiculous. Go ahead and like whatever you want, but get off your wrestlezone forum high horse when trying to tell people what they like. Get over yourself.

 

[Trance Metaphor]

I personally never cared about women's wrestling in the past, because of how it was portrayed. It just wasn't taken seriously and it was all based around sexuality and gimmick matches. While women like Trish Stratus, Molly Holly, Victoria and Mickie James exemplified good wrestling, the focus was more often than not on women's sexuality rather than in-ring skills. If I wanted to see Sable showing off her assets, I'd just look up a bikini picture of her. I watched wrestling for the wrestling, not just for the sake of eye candy. Women's wrestling was really limited and so I never cared about it.

In present day, I care more about women's wrestling because it has moved away from emphasizing sexuality. However, when I mention the likes of Becky Lynch or Natalya, they're just criticized for being bland or boring. Bayley isn't being booked strong and she's another one who has the in-ring skills. Emma was released and she was my favourite. Paige is (probably) done. Asuka and Charlotte are the only other two I find to be top tier. There is nothing particularly interesting going on from what I've seen. If they could put these women in good feuds with good storylines, maybe I'd be more compelled to invest more time into their programs.

 

[tdmoon]

If you're not a fan of women's wrestling, then I guess you're just not a fan. It sounds to me like the OP simply prefers the old days when the women were really little more than *********ory fodder but I'm glad those times are gone.

When I think of women's wrestling in the old days, "*********ory fodder" is one of the last phrases that comes to mind. Sure, some of the ladies were attractive but most were just average looking people. It wasn't until the nineties that it seemed most were really good looking, at least in my eyes. On the whole, I believe the women wrestling now are far more attractive than in "the old days".

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I appreciate the OP's honesty, I get it in the sense that I don't watch the WNBA, but I struggle to understand why he/she would watch much WWE at all. I think most professional wrestling/WWE fans are watching for the drama, acting, storylines etc. as much as the wrestling. Yes, you occasionally get Brock/Braun but most of the action (Raw, SD, low/mid card PPV matches) is kind of subpar in comparison.

I enjoy this crop of women and a lot of the writing that has been done with them. They have a good bunch of actresses with a decent narrative. Not everything is good (e.g. the initial Divas Revolution, Bayley), but the women have been more interesting than the men for the last couple of years. Charlotte is terrific, Becky works her ass off and seems to have genuine emotion, Mickie James is fun, Alexa plays her mean girl part so well. Nia is more Big Show than Andre but still can do good work, Asuka has been slow but steady, Sasha is playing the crowd amazingly well, Carmella has her moments, and now the Rousey card flips everything upside down.

But I get it. It is not for everyone. For example, I wish I could enjoy the Cruiserweights but they feel like a copy of a copy of the men's division.

 

[King Patrick Star]

Women’s wrestling has improved vastly from the time I started, back in 1989, to today. Athletes in general, in all forms of sports and entertainment have improved vastly. Now if you’re watching for the wrestling, you’ll notice it. If you watching for the entertainment, you may not notice it, only because the storylines today are probably boring you, like me.

Until I see a Women’s Intercontinental Championship Title Belt, a Women’s United States Championship Title Belt, Raw Women’s Tag Team Championship Title Belts, and Smackdown Women’s Tag Team Championship Title Belts, the opinion / perception of inequality may never change. Imagine a Women’s Cruiserweight Championship Title Belt or a United “Queendom” Championship Title Belt, or NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Title Belts. Now that’s equality!!

 

[FromGlasgow]

Womens wrestling wasn't always about sex and bikini fights that was only during the attitude era, During the late 80's in the WWF, Women seemed to be featured quite highly they had the world and tag team titles during this time, Had their own match at first Survivor series and even Cyndi Lauper who was big in this period was involved. As years went on it seemed to fade but I've always enjoyed womens matches, If its a good match it doesn't really matter to me if its male or female, I do believe womens wrestling at the moment is the best its ever been and at some point in the near future they will headline a Wrestlemania.

 

[Trance Metaphor]

Yeah I completely forgot about that. My error. I've seen Luna Vachon, Alundra Blayze, Sensational Sherri during the late 80s and early 90s. I guess when I spoke about the past, I was reminded of the Attitude Era because that's what I was exposed to the most when it came to the women. I'm aware of the rich history of women's wrestling in the past with the likes of Fabulous Moolah, but that was before my time so I never saw.

 

[oneguy]

I absolutely agree with you. I find the women's matches to be long and boring. At least with the old Divas matches they were short and quick. The women's matches are just so slow that I always find myself fast forwarding through them.

 

[oneguy]

"If you are willing to put on an entertaining"
Except their matches are t entertaining. Their feuds are boring. Their matches are slow and long. Give me 2 minute time fillers because at least with those if you don't like them you can just take a quick bathroom break or check your Facebook account real quick and it's over.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

Wrestlemania will most likely hold the Asuka vs Charlotte match. This match will answer all your questions, so please watch it.

Outside of that, they are actually putting effort in the division and right now the Women's championships are on the top of my interest list, going into Wrestlemania. And it's fun. Watching the women in all those gimmick matches is different for me. Anything that's different I welcome it.

And if you think that some of the girls can't wrestle, you're fooling yourself. Mix up Asuka or Charlotte with any other good male wrestler and you could get a near 5 star match.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

However it's worth mentioning that TNA did many things first and did them better. The Knockouts division for example came almost 10 years before WWE's women's revolution.

That division got a lot of praise (especially Gail Kim), so if you also want to see some good women's wrestling, I guess that's the place to look into.

WWE wise you should check out anything that is related to women and NXT from 2013 and later, plus the Sasha vs Charlotte feud, plus the rise of Alexa Bliss, plus Asuka.

 

[Khalifa]

I’ve said this quite a few times and I’ll say it again, I just don’t care for the woman that much. I’m not denying how talented woman like Charlotte, Banks, Lynch and Asuka are but apart from the top 6 I won’t watch a match. Jax vs Fox? Yeah never gonna care. I usually skip most of their matches. I will say WWE has made me care more about them but their matches are genuinely filled with botches and it doesn’t have a nice flow for most of them, definitely looks more fake when the woman on the lower part of the card, I just can’t handle it.

I was a little unsure on them going for the first HiTC, MiTB, Royal rumble, Table and cage(?) matches all in like a year span, especially the MiTB. They just can’t take bumps like the men and they didn’t really try and adjust to a different style (in terms of the bumps) which they should’ve done. A lot of things I have just been skeptical about but they did pretty wel on all of them.

I don’t watch for the sex appeal because I do really like Banks, Carmella and Natalya (Carmella best theme in the WWE, as a straight man that feels weird to say) and will watch them all day but at the same time if I had to pick between the men and the women, just like every their sport I’m watching the men. The division will be awesome in a few years, I’m not denying that, it’s just not what I’m a fan of. I don’t like watching woman’s UFC so the same sticks for wresting.

I pretty much just went in circles in that post so in summary give me the men every day of the week, if I’ve got time I’ll watch the women, unless it’s the 3 I mentioned before.

 

[LibSuperstar]

However it's worth mentioning that TNA did many things first and did them better. The Knockouts division for example came almost 10 years before WWE's women's revolution.

That division got a lot of praise (especially Gail Kim), so if you also want to see some good women's wrestling, I guess that's the place to look into.

WWE wise you should check out anything that is related to women and NXT from 2013 and later, plus the Sasha vs Charlotte feud, plus the rise of Alexa Bliss, plus Asuka.

Heard that it was the highest rated segment of Impact's weekly show. But yeah, it was high time the biggest promotion got on the ball w/ women's wrestling if other promotions could succeed w/ it. Frankly, I partly blame Moolah b/c she set women's wrestling back decades.