4 WWE women who are the biggest superstars of Wrestlemania 2018
The fist-ever women's Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber marked a significant moment in
Till 2016, women performers in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) were referred to as divas. At Wrestlemania 32, the divas' championship was replaced with a women's championship and the WWE started calling their women wrestlers "superstars".
In the run up to Wrestlemania 34, which is scheduled to be held on April 8 in New Orleans, we have had the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber in 2018, marking a significant moment in "the evolution of WWE". Chief brand officer of the WWE, Stephanie McMahon, has said the move was long overdue. “WWE’s female performers are role models, inspiring and empowering women and girls to be confident and strong. They deserve their own match at Royal Rumble,” she said.
Lets give a big congrats to these women tonight. They were awesome and better continue to set history in WWE. Couple years ago you wouldn’t even imagine a female in a cage, but not only has their been a women’s Hell in a Cell, but a grueling Elimination Chamber match. #WWEChamber
— Justin (@JustinDelts) February 26, 2018
Here are the top women wrestlers who will make Wrestlemania 34 remarkable.
Alexa Bliss
Alexa Bliss won the first-ever women’s Elimination Chamber match defeating Sasha Banks, Bayley, Mckie James, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville. She will be going to WrestleMania 34 and there might be a match between Alexa and Asuka.
The 26-year-old American wrestler, who performs on the Raw brand, is also called “5 feet of Fury”.
She has been a participant in softball, track and kickboxing tournaments since her youth. She also became one of the youngest competitors to receive her IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness) professional status. Her original name is Alexis Kaufman.
She was signed by WWE in May 2013. In July, she made her first appearance and in August, she was added to WWE’s NXT roster page and was given the ring name, Alexa Bliss.
Asuka
Kanako Urai is the original name of this 36-year-old Japanese professional wrestler. In June 2004, she started her professional wrestling career in the A to Z promotion. In 2015, she signed a developmental deal with WWE. She won the first-ever Royal Rumble for women held in January this year. The wrestling match between Alexa Bliss and Asuka to win Raw Women’s Championship, if it happens, will be one of the most anticipated games in Wrestlemania 34.
Since her debut in 2015, Asuka, known as the Empress of Tomorrow, has never been pinned.
Charlotte Flair
Ashley Elizabeth Fliehr (ring name Charlotte Flair), daughter of 16-time World Champion Ric Flair, debuted in 2013. She is the Queen of the ring and a self-proclaimed “genetically superior athlete”. She has been one of the pioneers of the evolution of women in WWE events. Her fight with Sasha Banks in 2016 was the first-ever women’s Hell in a Cell match. It is speculated that Charlotte Flair will be there in Wrestlemania 34.
While the women’s division of WWE is creating some milestones one by one, so far there has been no women's match in the mains. Fans want to watch Flair versus Asuka.
Ronda Rousey
As speculated, former UFC Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey might have her first match in Wrestlemania 34. A lot of hype is being built around her dramatic appearance in the Elimination Chamber match where she tossed Triple H, the 14-time champion, through a table. She debuted in the Royal Rumble and it was said that she had signed a full-time contract with the company.
WWE has a history of mistreating women and making a spectacle of their bodies as in the '90s, there were women matches where the losers used to be stripped down to their underwear. In 2015, there was a fan-led hashtag movement #GiveDivasAChance to move WWE to ensure women wrestlers find space beyond few-minute matches.
While growing women viewership made WWE focus more on women's matches, the matches of women wrestlers are no lesser than those of men as far as storytelling and the sport are concerned.