How Women’s Wrestling Has Grown More Influential Through the Years – Professional wrestling was a sporting entertainment form dominated by men for ages. Over the past three decades, it has undergone a revolutionary transformation as female competitors, each with unique attributes of their own, have brought feminine physicality, charisma, and performing styles to pro wrestling arenas around the globe.
For many years, the WWF (now WWE) limited females to a “Diva” role. They brought an “eye candy” appeal to the ring, usually as entrance companions for male wrestlers. They also competed in Bra and Panties matches, Pillow Fight matches, and even Bikini competitions – the idea of female wrestlers was to attract more spectators to a male-dominated entertainment form.
We’re going to look into how the growing influence of women in professional wrestling has since changed the sport. We’ll trace the journey of female wrestlers from pioneers to trailblazers, highlighting some moments that have evolved their roles and influence within professional wrestling.
Professional female wrestlers trace as far back as the mid-20th century. Women’s wrestling pioneers like Mae Young, Mildred Burke, and the Fabulous Moolah defied societal norms to enter a domain previously occupied only by their male counterparts.
These women laid a foundation for future generations of female stars by proving they could excel in the physical and often unforgiving world of pro wrestling. However, only when the WWE’s The Attitude Era started did women begin to receive the respect they deserved within professional wrestling circles.
In the latter part of 1997, the WWE ushered in The Attitude Era, which featured edgy storylines and more adult-oriented content, including the use of more profanity and female sexuality. Matches were more violent and bloody, and viewership figures and arena attendance soared.
Women were still mainly decorative players or used in sexually motivated matches, with WWE Divas like Stacy Keibler, Sable, and Sunny employed to draw more male viewers. As the months and years progressed, the WWE began incorporating top females with true wrestling talent to grow popularity and encourage more women to follow professional wrestling.
The reintroduction of the then-defunct WWF Women’s Championship brought a groundbreaking shift in how supporters viewed women in wrestling. Competitors like Chyna, Lita and Trish Stratus emerged as true wrestling icons over this period.
With the inventive addition of engaging storylines, their high-flying maneuvers and intense physicality meant these female wrestlers were instrumental in redefining women’s roles in professional wrestling while garnering added respect from viewers for their in-ring abilities. Beth Phoenix, Michelle McCool, Victoria, and the high-flying Mickie James later all enhanced the growing reputation of female professional wrestling.
The rapid growth of the digital age in the new millennium meant viewers started to make predictions and bet online, which further grew the popularity of professional wrestling worldwide. 2007’s TNA Knockouts Division highlighted female stars like Gail Kim, Madison Rayne, Angelina Love, and Velvet Sky as decent options for sports bettors.
In the 2010s, the emergence of the WWE’s Four Horsewomen grew the support for Women’s Professional wrestling even more, with bettors wagering record amounts on Women’s wrestling through offshore sportsbooks. Women’s matches no longer carried secondary status, often regarded as marquee attractions. They showcased compelling storytelling, technical proficiency, and athleticism levels previously reserved for their male counterparts.A groundbreaking main event at 2019’s WrestleMania 35 essentially levelled the playing field between men’s and women’s competitive wrestling forever. Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey became the first females to headline a Wrestlemania card, acknowledging women’s drawing power and shattering any remaining notions about the limited appeal of women’s wrestling.
How Women’s Wrestling Has Grown More Influential Through the Years
