10 Most Revolutionary Individuals In Wrestling History

For many years, some parts of the United States felt that women’s wrestling was taboo. In fact, both Madison Square Garden and the entire New York State Athletic Commission banned women’s wrestling altogether. Though we cannot say for sure what their exact motives were, the point was that they were ignoring a key aspect of pro wrestling history; one that had been revolutionized by Mary Lillian Ellison, a.k.a. Fabulous Moolah.

Moolah was one of, if not the most influential person in women’s wrestling since Mildred Burke. Her (allegedly-uninterrupted) 28-year reign as Women’s World Championship made her one of the most significant voices in women’s athletics, and it made her a considerable influence on other women who wanted to follow her in her footsteps.

That's why, in 1972, both Madison Square Garden and the NYSAC lifted their respective bans on women’s wrestling, and Moolah became the first woman in history to wrestle in MSG. That is a considerable achievement, considering the continued opposition and hostility many people expressed towards the very notion of women competing in a venue like MSG.

So for those who enjoyed the NXT Women’s Championship match at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, you should be thanking the Fabulous Moolah for fighting the orthodoxy of her day in order to pave the way for later generations of women who wanted to be treated as equals to male wrestlers.