The WWE is well known for creating their own view of history. They’ll ignore anything that’s unpleasant or doesn’t make them look good, and they’ll create a new championship and display it as a step forward. The current WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship is one of those, but to many, it just comes across as pandering, much like changing the NXT Women’s Championship name.
This isn’t new, as the WWE’s all women pay-per-view Evolution was their best one of 2018, but they haven’t yet had a second one. Stephanie McMahon has stated the reason was because that time frame was taken by Lacey Evans and Natalya’s match in Saudi Arabia, and they hope for Evolution 2 in 2020. Considering the WWE can create a pay-per-view anytime they want, this falls flat.
Championship pride
Sasha Banks and Bayley are proud of being the inaugural Women’s Tag Team Champions, and they should be. As should the other teams that have held the title since its unveiling in 2019 (Vince McMahon announced it in 2018). It’s one of the greatest accomplishments any of them could have as it helps substantiate the title and shows how far the women’s division has come.
But it’s not the first.
For reasons we assume were to make a splash — similar to the 24/7 title being created instead of reactivating the Hardcore Championship — and promote their push to improve women’s wrestling and make it more mainstream.
The fact there was a previous WWF Women’s Tag Team Championship that was originally won by Velvet McIntyre and Princess Victoria on May 13, 1983. It was abandoned (deactivated) on February 14, 1989 due to not having enough teams or female competitors.
It’s from an era when the WWE could’ve been at the forefront of female wrestling but sabotaged it instead over payouts.
Forgetting their past
As usual, the WWE pretends certain aspects of their past didn’t happen.
The Original Screwjob came in 1985 when Wendi Richter had lifted the then WWF women’s division to new heights. She was every bit as popular as Hulk Hogan, yet was reportedly paid pennies on the dollar compared to the men.
When she started asking for fair pay, Vince McMahon hand her lose to the Spider (Fabulous Moolah) with a quick count despite Richter’s shoulders clearly being off the mat. Richter then quit the promotion and the women’s division was hampered for roughly twenty years due to one not willing to pay another.
Because of this, it’s understandable that McMahon and the WWE would like to forget/pretend it didn’t happen. By doing so, they’re giving themselves a second chance to correct a previous mistake.
But given their history and how they couldn’t find time for a second Evolution pay-per-view in 2019 and haven’t spoken on it until current superstars like Ember Moon and Alexa Bliss and others spoke out on it, gives off major vibes that they’re more interested in looking like they’re doing something. When we look at how they changed the NXT Women’s Championship after Becky Lynch spoke about women deserving a fair chance to compete, and then changing it back when she further explained her stance, also makes this feel like something more.
Hopefully, the two WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship runs will eventually be combined to share the same lineage so the women competitors of the 80s can get their due recognition as well. With any luck, the women’s division will get their own brand so we can see more of these tremendous athletes in action instead of only a couple here and there.
Until then, we wish Bayley, Banks, Bliss, Nikki Cross, and the rest the best and look forward to them continuing the fight into the future.
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