Former WWE Womens Champion Victoria has revealed that she feels honoured after Trish Stratus paid homage to her during WWE Payback.
WWE Hall Of Famer Stratus battled ‘The Man’ Becky Lynch inside the confines of a solid steel cage in the show’s opener, with the Canadian eventually defeated in a hard fought battle after Lynch landed her signature ‘Manhandle Slam’ from the top rope to secure the win.
During the bout, Stratus paid tribute to her former foe by delivering a vicious Widow’s Peak to her opponent, a move favoured by Victoria during her nine year career with WWE.
Victoria, real name Lisa Marie Varon, took to social media site ‘X’ after the match to reveal her delight at the homage:
“I can’t tell you how happy this made me. I am so honored. Thank you @trishstratuscom
for being such a huge and inspiring friend. I love you so much.”
I can’t tell you how happy this made me. I am so honored. Thank you @trishstratuscom for being such a huge and inspiring friend. I love you so much. https://t.co/LIDiYdK00T
— Lisa Marie Varon (@REALLiSAMARiE) September 3, 2023
Victoria and Trish Stratus were involved in a heated feud after the former’s arrival in WWE in 2002, a rivalry that led to Victoria claiming her first WWE Women’s Championship from Stratus in a hardcore bout at WWE Survivor Series 2002, held at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Stratus would go on to reclaim the title on the grandest stage of them all, defeating Victoria and Jazz in a triple threat match at WrestleMania XIX in Seattle in March 2003.
Victoria would reclaim the gold a year later in a hair vs hair match with Molly Holly at WrestleMania XX, also head in New York City. It would be the final time she would hold the illustrious title during her WWE run and it was Stratus again who would dethrone the Califronia native, this time in a fatal four-way at Bad Blood 2004 also involving Lita and Gail Kim.
Despite the epic rivalry, it would appear the pair are on good terms now, evidenced by Victoria’s gleeful reaction at the recent tribute.
What was the first ever womens cage match in WWE?
Victoria participated in the first ever womens cage match in WWE, defeating WWE Hall Of Famer Lita in the groundbreaking encounter on the 24th November 2003 edition of WWE Raw.