10 Biggest Moments In WWE Women’s Wrestling History

3. Taking Over

Weeks after Sasha Banks had lit up the main roster, she threw herself into what she believed would be her NXT swan-song as the semi-main event of TakeOver: Brooklyn against ultimate underdog Title challenger Bayley.

It was, without hyperbole, the most important women's match in WWE history.

An evocative and exhausting battle, Banks and Bayley engaged in something resembling a the perfect blend of a Flair/Steamboat struggle and Austin/Hart tussle for the modern age. Forced to follow a seemingly never-ending stream of improving TakeOver women's matches, the pressure was huge on the pair as they took the stage for NXT's first flirtation with full-size arenas. 'Overachieving' would be the understatement of the century.

Like any truly beautiful pro wrestling match, consistent character work gracefully intertwined with the wider narrative arc. Bayley entered with a broken hand, wrapped in the polka dots of dearly departed mentor Dusty Rhodes. 'The Boss' spat at the sentiment and her opponents fragility, ripping away the protective material to zero in on the weakness. Forced to dig deep within herself, 'The Hugger' survived the ungodly onslaught, made worse when a 'Banks Statement' escape attempt resulted in the brutal stamping of her injured appendage.

The two shed tears alongside colleagues and friends Becky Lynch and Charlotte following Bayley's historic win. Within a year and a day of the match, all four would be the cornerstones of the main roster. Tellingly, none of the quartet have yet produced something quite as powerful. Though three of them came close...