Get Ready to Rumble

So, the first ever WWE Woman's rumble just happened this past Monday, and as a female in the wrestling industry I feel like I have a lot to say about it.

Firstly, I just want to say how grateful/excited/inspired I am by it. I didn't watch much wrestling growing up - it wasn't allowed in my home, so for me, my experience with woman's wrestling was led by Total Diva's.

Yes, I'm a reality TV fan. Bite me.

In fact, I only started watching wrestling in 2014 and that was largely due to John Cena's feud with Brock Lesnar.

When Paige debuted on the WWE main roster at Raw in April 2014, that was really the first time I paid any attention to women's wrestling. It was also the first time I felt real passion stir in my heart for this business.

Fast forward to today, with 4 years of love for wrestling and nearly 3 years of training as a wrestler, Paige is still my biggest inspiration as a wrestler. Of course I've gone back and consumed every bit of women's wrestling that I could since then, and I have other favorites too - young and old.

But let's face it, a lot of the history of women's wrestling is problematic as fuck.

To me, this is one of the reasons that the Women's Rumble was so important. Not just because "oh the girls are finally getting to do what the guys are doing," but because the women were finally being portrayed as Athletes, not eye candy.

And yes, there were a lot of 'Icons' used (Lita, Torrie Wilson, Molly Holly, Michelle McCool, Vickie Guerrero, Kelly Kelly, Jacqueline, Beth Phoenix, Mickie James & Trish Stratus) but just as they damn well should be. These women carved the way for what women's wrestling is today, and they did the best they could with the shitty time slots and story lines they were given at a time when the women's matches were considered the "piss break". For people who were fortunate enough to get involved with wrestling long before me, some of these women were their turning point, their "OH SHIT YES" moment - where the stars aligned and they realized wrestling was in their blood too. And why shouldn't fans of Lita or Kelly Kelly get to experience the same nostalgia of Rey Mysterio fans when they see their idol in the ring?

Oh yeah, that's right - there's no reason at all that they shouldn't be allowed to feel excited about their returns.

We also got 3 of our 4 Horse Women (Charlotte being champ was ringside for the event,) newly developed factions Riott Squad and Absolution (sans Paige due to injury), Twin Magic (the Bella Twins), the MYC winner Kairi Sane, the NXT Women's champion Ember Moon, Second Gen Tamina, Third Gen Natalya, Miss Money in the Bank Carmella, former 2x Smackdown Women's Champ Naomi, former plus size model (and cousin to The Rock) Nia Jax, Performance Center Graduates Dana Brooke & Lana, and winner of the first Women's Rumble Asuka; who not only holds the longest undefeated streak in the WWE but also won multiple titles outside the WWE Universe and was a Icon in her own right in Japan before ever signing on the WWE.

And all of these women deserved to be there.

Do I want to see other NXT talent rise the ranks and be called up to the main roster? Yes of course. What kind of stupid question is that? But the WWE isn't going anywhere, and Iconic Duo will get their call up sometime between now and Armageddon I'm certain.

But for now, I am happy with what I have been given, and excited to see the Women's Royal Rumble continue to exist.

And finally, Ronda Rousey.

Rousey is great, she has done amazing things for UFC, she is an Olympic medalist and has amazing star power. No one is denying that. I personally enjoyed seeing her humble Steph McMahon at WrestleMania 31, but I'm glad she didn't compete in the Rumble itself, and had I been in charge (will never happen, I know,) I would have done things differently.

What did Rousey's vague pointing to the WrestleMania sign mean? Was she issuing a challenge to Asuka when she said "See you there" before she left the ring? 

More clarity around this would have been fantastic.

I know that WWE like to leave us with cliff hangers so we have to watch the Raw* following a PPV, that's just good marketing, but pointing to a sign for what felt like the most ridiculous amount of time was annoying, and anti climatic.
*note that she didn't even appear on the following Raw show, so we all got played.

What would I have done differently you ask? (nobody asked, but I'll tell you anyway.)

I would have had Rousey come out right after Steph, have a little stare down/handshake and join opposite ends of the commentary table. 

I felt like Steph didn't do a lot of commentating in the second half of the match, so having Rousey there to bounce off in commentary could have added that extra 'oompfh'. Not only that, but it would have had every one on their toes about whether she would be doing a run in ( I know I thought Steph was going to do one the whole damn time.) 

Then post match, Rousey could have joined Asuka in the ring to congratulate her and they could have all pointed at the sign together til their hearts content.

I'm guessing that Asuka will pick her opponent for WrestleMania on Raw, I'm hoping that she doesn't pick Rousey, because the whole point of the Rumble is the Championship shot at Mania, is it not? But I totally see this being something the WWE would do. I have no doubt that Rousey will wrestle at Mania, and I'm kinda hoping for the Steph/HHH - Rock/Rousey pay off.

I could be completely wrong, who knows. But this is 2018, so I'm hoping everyone here is mature enough to read my opinion without the need to bark down my throat about just how wrong I am. 

A girl can dream right....

-Ash.