'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
This week on RAW, a melee had broken out among the women of the company following a six-woman tag team match, before it was interrupted by RAW Commissioner, Stephanie McMahon.
McMahon went on to announce the first ever Women's Royal Rumble. The women in the ring broke character as they began hugging and celebrating this massive, landmark announcement. The reaction was a shoot, based on a report by Pro Wrestling Sheet.
In case you didn't know...
The women of WWE have gone from strength to strength since the Attitude Era, and are no longer seen as merely a sideshow anymore. Led by the Four Horsewomen of NXT, the women of WWE have been part of some historic matches.
Some of them include the first ever Women's 'Hell in a Cell' match last year, and the first ever 'Money in the Bank' ladder match this year. The Royal Rumble is a continuation of the legacy that a bunch of talented women from WWE have been pioneering.
The heart of the matter
According to Pro Wrestling Sheet, the announcement of the Women's Royal Rumble was kept so secret, that apart from Stephanie McMahon and a handful of key performers, nobody else was made aware of it.
So much so, that even some in the production team didn't know until the announcement was made by McMahon. This is why the reaction of the women in the ring was absolutely genuine. The reason for the same was to keep the news from leaking out to the dirt sheets.
What's next?
History will be made by a handful of women in January. One of them will go all the way to WrestleMania, to face whoever is the Champion. Things should get very, very interesting indeed.
Author's take
I'd criticized the women breaking character in my 'Best and Worst of RAW' post-show recap feature. I guess I can give the women some leeway following this bit of information.
In any case, congratulations to all the women involved, and all I want to say is that may the winner be pinned by Alexa Bliss at WrestleMania 34.
Send us news tips at [email protected]
