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WWE women’s revolution is taking leaps and bounds to its glorious future from a shadowy past. The division is presently a far cry from the days when women used to wrestle in bra and panties matches. The current women's division is provided with a fairly equitable treatment to the men's division: the rivalries keep on improving, the time slot is slowly increasing and the superstars are more than willing to deliver their best.
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With rumours floating around of women headlining WrestleMania 35, WWE have tried their best in the recent years to execute a number of first-ever matches. From an all women Royal Rumble to the first ever Women’s Money in The Bank, we have almost witnessed it all. Justifiably, WWE has reaped its rewards.
Today we look back at the most iconic of matches since the resurrection of the Women’s division from the Divas division that has defined the women’s revolution.
#1 First ever 30-minute Iron Woman Match
As in most cases in WWE, NXT was the harbinger of the Women’s revolution. On the September 16, 2015 episode of NXT, the general manager of NXT – William Regal announced that Bayley will defend the NXT Women’s Championship at NXT Takeover: Respect against Sasha Banks.
What followed was pure magic. From an amazing heelwork by Sasha Banks to the perpetual underdog Bayley eventually winning in a physical and emotionally charged bout, this match exceeded its impossibly optimistic expectations.
Even before the match started, chants of 'Women's Wrestling' and 'You Deserve It' broke out. The aftermath of the whole NXT roster and Triple H and Stephanie McMahon coming out to congratulate the pair was outstanding. It is worth mentioning that this was the first-time women headlined a WWE special event.
#2 Triple threat match for the new women's Championship: WrestleMania 2
When the butterfly-shaped Divas’ Championship was declared defunct and a new Women’s Championship was inaugurated by Lita at WrestleMania 32, it was done to signify a change in the WWE. A massive change in the women's division. The idea was to treat women wrestlers like ‘Superstars’ like their male counterparts and thereby ]providing them equal opportunities to succeed.
So, when Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and Charlotte (c) set foot in the ring in the AT&T Stadium, they set out to welcome this change with a show-stealer bout. In a fabulous match stretching to almost half an hour that showcased their wrestling prowess, they made sure that everyone knew why they deserved that spot.
The four horsewomen of NXT - Charlotte, Bayley, Sasha and Becky spearheaded the mission to change the perspective of women in the WWE. Thus, WWE decided to put three of the four women in a bout for the Women's Championship for admirable. They aptly ushered in a new era for the Women's division.
#3 Charlotte vs Sasha Banks (c) inside Hell in a Cell
When the first women’s Hell in A Cell was announced, many people were sceptic about it as they believed that women couldn’t execute the physical brutality that the match required. But when Sasha Banks defended her championship against the likes of Charlotte, these sceptics were silenced. The two women stepped in the Hell in a Cell to prove that anything men can do, women can do better.
The moment when the Hell in a Cell was lowered with the two competitors standing in the ring was goosebumps-worthy. The match had become brutal even before it began and by the time the final bell rang, the various dangerous spots and the mere brutality left fans in awe.
#4 First ever 30 Woman Royal Rumble: Royal Rumble 2018
Probably the biggest announcement on this list, its magnitude can be absorbed by the fact that barely five years ago, WWE had a Divas’ division for no real reason. The progress of this division was evident by the fact that the Women’s Royal Rumble was the main event of the pay-per-view.
The match was filled with great spots and incredible returns and it was a superb showcase for the current and future generation. Stars like Lita, Beth Phoenix and Trish Stratus returned to take part in this historic moment. Asuka was declared as the winner thus adding the cherry on the top. Also, perhaps the most popular female athlete on earth - Ronda Rousey - debuted on this night thus capping off a night of historical wonders.
The Women’s division has certainly grown to heights which could have been treated as improbable 10 years ago and it has been possible due to incredible efforts of this division’s members. We hope that someday the women’s division will be in the main event of Wrestlemania.
Honourable Mentions: First ever Women’s Money in The Bank match, First ever Women’s Elimination Chamber match, Sasha Banks vs Alexa Bliss for Raw Women’s Championship in the first Women’s match in UAE.
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