The Four Horsewomen are the Reason for WWE’s Highly Successful Women’s Division

Today’s WWE is an interesting mix of aging veterans and misused younger talents. Cruiserweights, British Strong Style and developmental stars that steal the main roster’s thunder, are all commonplace now.

But something else that’s commonplace is the women’s division. WWE’s recommitment to women’s wrestling is fully realized. The female Superstars of Vince McMahon’s company haven’t just carved out their own niche. They haven’t just conquered their corner of WWE. The women are taking over. At the center of it all are The Four Horsewomen.

Who’s to say if that was really the plan? WWE certainly designed the idea of the Women’s Revolution around Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and Bayley. They were surely meant to be integral parts of the movement. It could even be that they were the blueprint that WWE used from the beginning.

Or maybe they were the right stars for the right time. It was a perfect storm of exceptional talents filling a need and doing something that had never been done before. It was all about seizing the moment and that’s exactly what the four women did.

Watch Becky’s injury from Raw:

Becky Lynch injured in Raw invasion: SmackDown LIVE, Nov. 13, 2018

But how much doubt did WWE have that it could actually work? How many times did private conversations happen, in which the validity of pursuing women’s wrestling was questioned? Was the Women’s Revolution a sure thing, or was it the biggest gamble that the McMahon family had taken in years?

If it worked, then women would finally have a real chance in the all-male dominated WWE. Sure, women had always been part of the show. But they were window dressing at best and nothing more. They were the sizzle, not the steak. WWE didn’t need them to wrestle. WWE needed them to undress. That was the company’s idea of entertainment.

Of course booking an entire division of legitimate female wrestlers had its challenges. Suddenly WWE Creative had to put serious thought into the women. 30 second matches and throwaway storylines were a thing of the past. If the female Superstars of WWE were going to actually make an impact, then they needed the chance to truly get over. Without it, the company’s experiment would fail. 

The key here are The Four Horsewomen. Each one had to be capable of doing her part and each one had to have the ability to deliver when it mattered the most. They were being trusted to brith a revitalized division in what has to be the most cynical era that the pro wrestling business has ever known. One wrong move and the whole thing would fall to pieces. Yes, it was a risk. But it was a risk worth taking.

Watch Charlotte vs Sasha Banks at Hell in a Cell:

Sasha Banks fights back against Charlotte Flair: WWE Hell in a Cell 2016

Much like The Shield before them, The Four Horsewomen were put in a position to become top tier main event stars. But unlike The Shield, WWE’s new female Superstars were entering into unknown territory. When was the last time that four women walked into the main roster and took over the division? Was it even possible and more importantly, would anyone even care?

But they cared about Flair, Lynch, Banks and Bayley. Fans were intrigued by them because they were different. These four women didn’t care about being centerfolds. They wanted to wrestle. Photoshoots in exotic locations were not the dream. Working the main event was the dream. Proving that women deserved a shot at the big time regardless of anyone’s criticism? That was the dream as well. 

The Four Horsewomen dared to dream big. They looked at the newly reforming women’s division and didn’t ask why. They asked why not? The four did not shy away from the challenge but instead, they embraced it. None of this is foreign territory for the men. But then again, nothing is at this point. The fact that these four women believed in themselves and each other more than enough to succeed, is truly inspiring. The goal was to change the world. But at the end of the day, it was the opportunity that mattered the most.

Why focus on what made them different? Why not just accept them as wrestlers and get back to the fun? That was the real challenge because once that bridge had been crossed, then everything else was much easier. The fans had to recondition themselves to believe that women’s wrestling was not a novelty act. They had to believe that it was serious business. They did just that and more.

Watch Bayley attack Sasha on Raw:

Bayley obliterates Sasha Banks: Raw, June 25, 2018

The hottest Superstar in WWE today is not Seth Rollins. It’s not Dean Ambrose or AJ Styles. It’s Becky Lynch. Charlotte Flair is a top star in every sense of the word. Sasha Banks has confidence and ability beyond her years. Bayley is better and tougher than anyone dreamed possible. All four women stepped in and stepped up. The experiment not only worked, it set into motion a chain of events that has led WWE to this point.

The Elimination Chamber. The Royal Rumble. Hell in a Cell. Money in the Bank. Women worked these matches and now the same will happen at TLC. Women are accepted and most importantly, they have excelled. Evolution, the first ever all-women’s event, is proof positive of that. Could anyone have ever imagined that such an event would ever happen? Women working the main event of WrestleMania was once an impossible notion. But now? It’s almost a certainty.

But without the success of The Four Horsewomen, none of it would be possible. Ronda Rousey would probably not be onboard. The same is likely true of Shayna Baszler, Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke. What about Asuka? Alexa Bliss? How many women are currently working in WWE today because of the Women’s Revolution? How many more will come later?

It’s the division that Trish Stratus and Lita were hoping for but were unable to create because the company did not support them. But this was a group effort, with WWE at the helm, along with the fans who demanded change and got exactly that. However at the center of it all was Becky Lynch, Bayley, Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair. The Four Horsewomen are the reason for the revival and they’re just getting started.

 

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes,YouTube, iHeart Radio, boinkstudios.com and live every Friday at 12pm EST on Wrestling Rumors Facebook Live