https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NeGOoyi6fM On Monday, February 10th, World Wrestling Entertainment announced the third inductee into the 2014 Hall of Fame Class. To the delight of the WWE Universe and women's wrestling enthusiasts everywhere, it was revealed that Amy Dumas (aka Lita) would be taking her rightful place in the Hall of Fame alongside other legendary performers The Ultimate Warrior and Jake "the Snake" Roberts. Unfortunately, there have been detractors in regards to Lita's career, even post-retirement. Some feel she was overrated and not nearly as fine-tuned in the ring compared to the likes of Molly Holly or Victoria. Then there are people who feel it is too early for her to be inducted and that other Divas (such as Miss Elizabeth, Luna Vachon, Sable, and Chyna) deserve induction first. While I don't disagree with this opinion, WWE has opted not to induct those ladies yet. It still doesn't change the fact that Lita deserves her spot. Here are six reasons why...
6. Popularity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVMn7pNgYVA Everyone can debate about Lita's wrestling skill all they want; it doesn't change the fact that Lita was the most popular Diva on the WWE roster from 2000 to 2005. From the moment the opening riffs of her entrance theme kicked up to the closing moments of her matches, she had the fans engaged. Even during her days as a valet for cruiserweight Essa Rios, she had the fans eating out of the palm of her hand. Lita didn't even need to be wrestling to get the fans to chant her name all over the arena, an act that was as consistent as Daniel Bryan's "YES!" movement and hadn't been achieved as easily by other Divas since the heyday of Sable. For many performers, time away from television greatly diminishes one's standing with the fans. In Lita's case, absence made the fans' hearts grow fonder and Lita always found herself welcomed to huge ovations if she was away from TV for any length of time. It also helped that one of Lita's greatest strengths was that she was herself and wasn't sexually over-the-top like Sable or cartoonishly strong like Chyna. Lita's down-to-Earth persona helped her connect with the fans on a personal level, making everything she did matter in the eyes of the WWE Universe. It's that kind of connection today's Divas severely lack with their audience and something they can learn from Lita.