10 Ways WWE Has Screwed Up Its Women's Division

Ronda Rousey was the shot in the arm that the women’s division needed. The former UFC fighter lent immediate credibility and mainstream media attention to women’s wrestling, something that had been lacking probably since Cyndi Lauper stepped between the ropes.

But Rousey’s tenure with WWE was brief, basically lasting a little more than a year. The company did a great job lining up its next huge mega-star in Becky Lynch, who had her crowning moment at WrestleMania 35, when she won both women’s titles in the main event.

The problem was, there was nowhere for Lynch to go afterwards. Ronda left WWE after Mania, so there was no rematch to be had. Her other WM opponent, Charlotte Flair regained the SmackDown Women’s Championship a month later, ending that feud and shuffling Becky back to Raw permanently, where she feuded with Lacey Evans in a momentum-killing rivalry that lasted into the summer. Evans clearly wasn’t ready, but she was blond and tall, so she got the nod.

It wasn’t until late August – more than four months into her reign – that Lynch had a rivalry befitting The Man, when she and Sasha Banks locked horns. Feuds with Asuka and Shayna Baszler followed, but wasting Becky’s first three-plus months as champion on Lacey really hurt, as did having Charlotte on another brand and losing Banks as a top-tier challenger out of the gate.