WWE’s female stars have their chance to shine even brighter at Evolution

Exclusive: WWE stars Charlotte Flair, Lita and more talk to The Independent ahead of this weekend’s ‘Evolution’ event

WWE Hall of Fame duo Lita and Trish Stratus will feature at Evolution (WWE)

WWE’s female roster are preparing for the first ever all-female pay per view as Evolution airs tonight.

Current stars, including Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey, will be joined by legends such as Lita and Trish Stratus for the show in New York.

Ahead of the event, The Independent was given exclusive access to some of the key talent set to perform on the night.

To fully gain a true picture of the significance of Evolution for the sports entertainment world, it’s important to consider what’s gone before.

WWE was at its most popular in the mid to late 1980s, and again in the late 1990s with what’s known as the Attitude era. Neither period truly allowed women to establish a firm legacy. That’s not to say the company was bereft of female talent – far from it – but they were never the foundations on which WWE was built.

For that, the Attitude Era is most culpable. While Stone Cold Steve Austin was flipping the bird and dousing foes in countless beers as part of a brash, close-to-the-knuckle product that struck a genuine chord with its audience, the likes of Lita and Trish Stratus often played the roles of adulterers and bit-parts, featuring in the likes of Bra and Panties matches.

And yet the fact of the matter is that the athletes themselves were never at fault for that; they did what was asked of them and did so as best they could – but the chance to step between the ropes and put together a wrestling match came too few and far between.

“I want to get it clear that it wasn’t the case that previous performers weren’t talented,” says Lita, real name Amy Dumas, a former WWE Women’s Champion who makes her return at Evolution.

“But in three minutes you just can’t have that calibre of match.

“It’s not that [previous stars] didn’t want to contribute or weren’t capable of it, it’s that women are now probably being positioned in a way to be able to represent and be able to be proud of the work you’re doing and build on the time that you’re given.”

Charlotte Flair in action against Becky Lynch (WWE)

Dumas speaks of a new generation of female wrestlers and wrestling matches. It was an era ushered in by the 43-year-old at Wrestlemania, the company’s biggest show, two years ago. WWE had done away with its butterfly-design ‘Divas’ championship, in favour of the returning Women’s Championship.

She added: “When I announced we were getting rid of the ‘butterfly’ and that we were going to have this new title, it felt important and it felt special.

“It does mean a lot and I am proud of being even just a little part of that.”

Stratus, a memorable foe of Lita’s back in the early 2000s, concurs. The two teamed together and faced off on countless occasions over a four-year period and are fondly remembered by fans as two of the best that the era had to offer.

“I don’t think I would ever have thought about it happening,” says the 41-year-old Canadian, a WWE Hall of Famer, of the upcoming show.

“It was not even there to the point where we could even consider it. So we never thought this would ever come about.

“To have been asked to be a part of it… it means so much to me.

“It’s a great shout-out to the girls from before that our blood, sweat and tears are still part of the path that’s been laid now, for sure.”

The laying of a path is probably the most apt description possible of the work done by Stratus, Lita and countless others.

They share this unique stage not just with WWE’s current top talent, the likes of Flair and the current champions, Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch, but also stars of the future. A greater emphasis on women’s wrestling in the company has, understandably, increased the demand for more of the same.

Rhea Ripley is the WWE NXT UK Women champion (WWE)

WWE’s developmental territory, NXT, boasts its own women’s division just as the main roster, with a splinter UK-based division also featuring WWE NXT: UK Champion Rhea Ripley. The Mae Young Classic – the second annual tournament that sees its final held at Evolution, allows unsigned wrestlers to compete under the company’s umbrella.

Rousey’s transition into profession wrestling is particularly significant and, if it were needed, a reflection on the progress the company has made when it comes to truly sharing the spotlight with women.

So there’s little doubt that things have come a long way. There is nagging doubt, however. There are still uncertainties.

Back in April, WWE held The Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia. In keeping with the nation’s cultures, the company’s female talent had to stay home and the show went on without them. That saw intense criticism come WWE’s way, with company executive Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque telling The Independent at the time: “Just because you don’t agree with a certain aspect of it, it doesn’t mean it’s not a relevant culture.

“While, right now, women are not competing in the event, we have had discussions about that and we believe and hope that, in the next few years they will be. That is a significant cultural shift in Saudi Arabia.”

It is hard to doubt the company’s sincerity at the matter. But while Levesque hails WWE for being at the forefront of a women’s evolution in the world, the company surely has to be brave and bold enough to accept that, thus far, the majority of their accomplishments in this regard have taken place within the company’s own walls – Evolution a fine example of exactly that.

WWE are set to appear in Saudi Arabia again next week - and women will again not be involved. To be a true revolution, surely that has to change. Fans must be able to have faith that, in the coming years, these Saudi shows can take place with the likes of Flair and Rousey at the heart of them, or not take place at all. WWE in turn has to do whatever it takes to make it happen - just as they did in Abu Dhabi last year - and make it permanent.

If it can happen with any group of talented individuals, it’s this one.

Flair, who wrestles for the Smackdown Women’s Championship against Becky Lynch on Sunday, is regarded as the finest of her generation and, perhaps fittingly, has the last word on the matter.

The Independent touched upon the idea of women featuring in the Saudi shows, with ‘The Queen’ reflecting: “I never thought there would be this much [female] depth but there is depth on Raw, Smackdown and NXT and it takes a lot of talent to get somewhere.

“I don’t want to sound corny and say ‘there is no limit’ but, because of the Mae Young Classic and that filtering on to the main roster with Evolution, who knows what’s possible?”

WWE’s women’s evolution is to be applauded and commended and their female stars deserve their chance to shine brighter than ever this weekend.

WWE Evolution is available to stream live on WWE Network from midnight in the UK. For more details visit wwe.com