![]() ![]() They were having these long matches and main eventing things, and setting the NXT world on fire," said Triple H.īut while the Four Horsewomen were lighting up in the minors via NXT, similar opportunities weren't opening up in the big leagues: SmackDown and Raw. "Every time I gave them the opportunity to do it, they would knock it out of the park. ![]() Competing in brutal matches like the first-ever Iron Woman match between Banks and Bayley in October 2015, a battle to see who could land the most pinfalls in 30 minutes, they changed the audience's perception of WWE's female talent. With del Ray's expertise and Triple H's support, Banks, alongside Flair, Becky Lynch, and Bayley, delivered show-stopping performances that would earn them the moniker of the Four Horsewomen of NXT, a nod to the legendary Four Horsemen of the WWE. Being in the ring for four, five hours a day versus being in the ring for four, five minutes every day makes a huge difference." She's been such a great supporter of this women's division, helped it grow to what it is today." Fellow wrestler Charlotte Flair added, "Having a woman in the meetings saying, 'Hey, they need more time'. "She understands what we go through," said Banks. A renowned wrestler in her own right, del Rey offered up a much-needed female perspective when coaching the women - something the company had been severely lacking. Triple H didn't just recruit women on stage, but also behind-the-scenes: In 2012, he hired the WWE's first female trainer, an indie sensation by the name of Sara del Rey. "I came in wanting to change the definition of what it was to be a diva in the WWE." "I always wanted to be in the WWE but I never wanted to be what I saw on TV - someone who just did bikini matches or are only there for their looks," she said. That meant adding elite athletes to the roster like Sasha Banks, a long-time WWE fan who wanted to be more than what she saw growing up. they can do the job and can take this thing to another level, then I want them here and working with us," he added.Ĭharlotte and Sasha Banks, Hell in a Cell WWE It doesn't matter who they were, where they're from, whether they're male, whether they're female. "I'm always looking for people that can take things to that next level, no matter what the role is. Let's look for the best athletes in the world just like we would with the guys," said Triple H. "I understand why we weren't just recruiting the best athletes in the world. By 2012, NXT had a state-of-the-art facility in Orlando, Florida and more importantly, an influx of new female talent. After transitioning from full-time wrestler to backstage executive who oversaw the company's developmental talent and recruiting in 2011, Triple H established NXT as the WWE's official training league. McMahon's husband Triple H, a future Hall of Fame wrestler, had spent three years laying the groundwork for a massive shift within the women's division. ![]() While WWE writers embraced criticism and incorporated the movement into an on-air storyline with McMahon assuring fans that change was coming, they were only able to do so because behind the scenes, the stage was already set. A battle cry to the head honchos, the social media demand for longer matches and complex storytelling for their women competitors captured a groundswell that was already bubbling up within the organization itself. "That was the catalyst for how we started to rewrite our television programs to feature our women and to give them more opportunities," explained Stephanie McMahon, the WWE's chief brand officer. Taking their frustrations to Twitter, the fans started #GiveDivasAChance, which trended on Twitter for three days straight. In a three-hour show which saw their male counterparts compete in five out of the six matches on the card, these four women were given a mere 30 seconds in the ring, and fans weren't happy about being short-changed once again. But just as quickly as the match begins, it's over. With Emma and Paige ready and waiting in the ring, the Bellas make their way down the ramp for some tag team competition. It's Februand nearly 20,000 people have packed into the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee to catch the fallout from WWE's Fastlane pay per view on Monday Night Raw. ![]()
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