10 Dream Inter-Gender Matches in WWE

Throughout pro wrestling's lengthy history, for the most part, men have faced other men and women have competed against women. But, that has not always been the case. Even in the early days of pro wrestling where it was still part of the carnival sideshow, women would sometimes compete against men.

Often this would take the form of an 'Amazon', a large and strong female, taking on local challengers from the crowd. Because the sideshow performer was trained in catch-all wrestling, they often easily defeated their male opponents, who were hand-picked by the emcee to ensure an easy victory.

The name most people think of when you mention intergender wrestling is comedian Andy Kaufman. During the late stages of his acting career, he began to dabble in pro wrestling. Knowing that his physique was less than stellar, he focused on being a heel by trolling the crowd's sentiments toward feminism.

Kaufman eventually parlayed his intergender championship role into a match against Jerry Lawler--which didn't end well for Kaufman.

Andy Kaufman endures a surfboard stretch during an intergender match.

Over the years, there have been a smattering of intergender matches in all promotions, even in the WWE. However, in recent years intergender matches have become much more popular on the independent scene and even televised promotions like Impact wrestling.

Here are ten dream intergender matches we'd like to see in WWE.

#1 Lacey Evans vs. Lars Sullivan

Call this one a matchup of Beauty vs. the Beast. Intergender matches can be played up one of two ways. One, the woman can be treated as a physical equal to the male competitor. This is often the tactic taken by Impact Wrestling, which presents wrestlers like Tessa Blanchard as a legit threat to men like Glen Gilberti (Disco Inferno.)

The other way to perform an intergender match is to depict the woman as being at the mercy of the man's greater size and strength. This is the way a Lacey Evans vs. Lars Sullivan match would play out.

But, Lacey Evans is a former Marine and S.W.A.T team member with a strong background in self-defense. She might surprise Sullivan with her vicious streak, but no matter how you book this match it should end with The Freak getting the upper hand and the victory.

#2 Charlotte Flair vs. Roman Reigns

Our next match in the dream intergender count down pits two athletes who can legitimately make a decent claim for the top performer in the WWE.

Roman Reigns, AKA the Big Dog has struggled with a polarizing response from crowds but has still emerged as one of the top merchandise sellers and dominant champions in the WWE. After his recent bout with Leukemia and subsequent return, he has been getting wall to wall cheers.

Charlotte has the perfect genetics to be a wrestler; her father is legendary seventeen time champion of the world, the Nature Boy Ric Flair. To be honest, Charlotte is better than her father ever was, as she's capable of utilizing any wrestling style from power moves to lucha libre to submissions.

This match should play out with Roman Reigns--the quintessential good guy--not wanting to use his full strength on Charlotte. However, a few stiff chops and kicks later he should get fired up on all cylinders. Charlotte is strong enough to lift Roman Reigns for moves like suplexes, so her full repertoire would be on display.

We see this match going to a sudden, surprise pinfall like a crucifix or a school boy roll up, and Charlotte getting the win.

#3 Randy Orton vs. Nia Jax

Fans already got a teaser for this match-up at the Royal Rumble, and judging from the crowd reaction, it would be a solid draw for WWE.

Nia Jax is part of the legendary Anoa'i wrestling family which includes The Rock and Rikishi. Randy Orton is also a generational wrestler. His father is Cowboy Bob Orton, a WWE Hall of Famer.

Normally, the intergender matches play out with the female competitor as an equal at best. However, in this case, Nia Jax actually has some size on Randy Orton.

This could lead to a rare reverse of the normal way intergender matches are performed. Randy could be billed almost like an underdog against the Samoan Smashing Machine, Jax. Orton would have to rely on his superior speed and technical wrestling knowledge to overcome Jax's power game and vicious streak.

However, we see Randy walking away with the win after he hits the proverbial "RKO out of nowhere."

#4 Kairi Sane vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Kairi Sane and Shinsuke Nakamura. Friends today, foes tomorrow?

Kairi Sane was an actress and performance artist who got into pro wrestling due to her portrayal of a wrestling heel character at one of her shows. The Pirate Princess quickly established herself by virtue of top tier athleticism, fearlessness, and an ability to coordinate with virtually any wrestling style.

Shinsuke Nakamura briefly pursued an MMA career before joining the world of pro wrestling. His initial 'boring' character evolved into the crazy, strange ultra artist that he is today.

Shinsuke Nakamura and Kairi Sane are both Japanese nationals, and therefore have a certain degree of respect between one another. However, we would love to see that respect fly out the window in favor of a hard hitting, high flying contest.

Kairi Sane gives up a lot of reach, and she's not much faster than Shinsuke Nakamura. However, she's probably a more 'complete' wrestler than Nakamura and can use that and her high flying to her advantage. This match could go either way, with one Kinshasa or InSane elbow drop standing between victory and defeat.

#5 Alexa Bliss vs. Adam Cole

Alexa Bliss was a fitness model and cheerleader who struggled with an eating disorder. Once she defeated her personal demons, she signed a developmental deal with the WWE and has already established herself as a major force in women's wrestling in general and the WWE in particular.

Adam Cole rose through the ranks of the ultra-violent CZW promotion to earn a Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling contract. He wound up holding both the ROH Tag team Championships and the World Championship and was the leader of Bullet Club for a time before joining NXT.

In this match, it's Alexa Bliss fighting for her life against the larger and stronger Adam Cole. Cole is a supreme technical wrestler as well, and while Bliss has a deeper moveset than she often displays as her heel character, she's far and away outclassed by Cole.

What Bliss does have is agility and speed, which she can utilize to keep from being cornered by Cole. Most likely, Cole wins this one with a surprise Superkick, but Bliss has a chance for a quick roll up and one two three, or victory via Twisted Bliss.

#6 Johnny Gargano vs. Naomi

Johnny "Wrestling" Gargano is one of the last of the pure babyfaces in pro wrestling. He worked his way up through the indie scene, overcoming his lack of size with determination and supreme technical skill. He has become one of the most celebrated NXT stars in his relatively short time on the roster.

Naomi catapulted to stardom via her performance in the series Total Divas, but would leave the show to concentrate on her wrestling career. Incredibly gifted and athletic, Naomi often challenges perceptions of what a female wrestler is and what they are capable of.

It's true that intergender matches rely on spectacle more than in-ring performance to get a reaction from the crowd. With this match, however, fans are in for a treat. Both competitors have a wide array of offense, with Naomi being a bit flashier with more high flying moves while Gargano utilizes a submission game.

In the end, we see Naomi winning just because her unparalleled flexibility would make her difficult to tap out.

#7 Io Shirai vs. Ricochet

Io Shirai joined the world of pro wrestling along with her sister, Mio. Eventually, Mio would move on from wrestling while Io became one of the most celebrated performers, male or female, from the Land of the Rising Sun. Her nickname 'genius of the sky' is apropos, as anyone who tunes in to NXT can attest.

Ricochet has gone by a number of different names, most notably Prince Puma in Lucha Underground. However, the man needs no flashy mask or gimmick because he brings the flash himself. Ricochet moves with a liquid grace that sets him apart even from other Luchadores.

This match would be contested as much in the air as on the mat. With two of the most gifted high flyers in the game, the action would be fast, furious, and jaw-droppingly explosive. These two match up evenly on almost every level.

They've both been wrestling for over ten years, have both held championships in every promotion they've yet worked at, and they both have an insane work rate. This match might best be contested in a steel cage to give even more areas to jump off of for the two aerial artists.

#8 Nikki Cross vs. Demon Finn Balor

Nikki Cross is one of the most celebrated female wrestlers by the Internet Wrestling Community. After graduating from college and pursuing a career in personal fitness training, she joined the world of pro wrestling and never looked back. Cross has insane (no pun intended) cardiovascular conditioning and underrated strength. Her brawling style masks a surprisingly skilled technical wrestler as well.

Finn Balor seems as if he's been chiseled from stone. Built like a Greek God and capable of wrestling almost any style from high-risk offense to technical savvy, Finn Balor is one of the most decorated wrestlers active today, having held championships everywhere he goes, including the WWE where he is a 2-time Intercontinental Champion and former Universal Champion.

The booking for this match should initially involve Cross defeating Balor in a traditional match. Finn Balor, overwhelmed by the Scottish Psychopath's unconventional offense, would have to return at a later date as the Demon character. Then we get the real payoff, a falls count anywhere last person standing match, which Balor wins--barely.

#9 Shayna Baszler vs. Matt Riddle

Baszler and Riddle clowning around backstage at NXT.

Ronda Rousey might be the face of women's Mixed Martial Arts, but Shayna Baszler was doing it first and has more career fights under her belt than the Rowdy One. Baszler has fought all over the world in both MMA and pro wrestling and came within a hair's breadth of winning the inaugural Mae Young Classic as well as being a two-time NXT Women's Champion.

Matt Riddle was a competitor on the Ultimate Fighter reality series, and eventually landed a contract with the UFC. Fired by Dana White for recreational use of the profoundly popular herb marijuana, Riddle transitioned to pro wrestling quite smoothly, with a grace that belies his short number of years in the sport.

The Original Bro vs. the Queen of Spades would make an excellent, smash mouth, hard hitting bout that blurs the lines between pro wrestling and MMA. Both athletes are accomplished strikers, grapplers, and submission artists.

Riddle might have a slight edge in strength, but Baszler has the edge in experience. This match could go either way, but factor in the outside interference from the Four Horsewomen and we see Riddle taking the fall.

#10 Asuka vs. Daniel Bryan

Asuka is a former graphic designer who entered the world of pro wrestling after college. As the evil Kana, she was feared for her unpredictable offense. Now as Asuka, she is equally feared for her toughness, top tier striking, and submissions game in the squared circle. The holder of the longest undefeated streak in modern pro wrestling history, Asuka is a no questions asked star anywhere in the world.

Daniel Bryan is one of the most celebrated wrestlers of the modern era. His perennial underdog status made him a beloved babyface and highly decorated wrestler, winning championships everywhere he goes. Currently, he is the top heel on Smackdown and is in charge of booking his own character, a rare honor in the WWE.

This match would be hard-hitting, precise, and dramatic from start to finish. Asuka and Bryan are physically pretty evenly matched, with a slight reach advantage going to Asuka and a slight strength edge owned by Bryan. We see this bout having a slow burn pace, starting with technical holds and psychology and building up to stiff strikes and insane reversals.

In the end, we're betting that Bryan would book himself to lose cleanly to an Asuka shining wizard.

There you have it; Ten Dream Inter-Gender matches in the WWE. Questions or comments? Please leave them after the article and as always thanks for reading!