Skip to main content
Inside The Ropes
  • News

    WWE News

    AEW logo for their Dynamite TV show

    AEW News

    IMPACT Wrestling logo

    IMPACT News

    New Japan Pro Wrestling

    NJPW News

  • Features
    Poster for WWE Royal Rumble ft Roman Reigns

    WWE Royal Rumble 2023 Predictions

    NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17

    NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 Predictions

    WWE Superstars With The Most Wins In 2022

    WWE Superstars With The Most Wins In 2022

    Breakout WWE Superstars In 2022

    Top 10 Breakout WWE Superstars In 2022

  • Interviews
    20 Questions Deonna Purrazzo FI

    20 Questions With Deonna Purrazzo

    Rick Boogs

    Interview With Rick Boogs

    JONAH

    Interview With JONAH

    Rosemary Interview

    Interview With Rosemary

  • Podcasts
    What’s Going Down #99 – Austin Theory, Bray Wyatt & Tyrus

    Listen
    What’s Going Down #98 – SmackDown Main Event, Crown Jewel & More

    Listen
    Jeff Jarrett stands in-ring on AEW Dynamite 2022

    Listen
    Power Slam Podcast #264 – Steve Austin Comeback, Full Gear Preview & More

    Listen
  • Quizzes
    Play Word Rumble

    Play Word Rumble

    WWE logo

    Can You Name Every WWE Pay-per-view?

    WWE Survivor Series sole survivors quiz

    Can You Name All The WWE Survivor Series Sole Survivors?

    WWE Smackdown logo

    Can You Name Every Wrestler That Competed On The First SmackDown?

  • Live Tours
  • Shop
    Magazine
    Clothing
    Accessories
    Collectibles
  • Trending
  • Follow us:
    • Facebook Facebook
    • Twitter Twitter
    • Instagram Instagram
  • Watch us on YouTube:
    • YouTube YouTube
  • Subscribe to the Magazine
  • Play Word Rumble
WWE News

William Regal On Two Stars Who Kickstarted The Women’s Revolution

By Sondra Ruth. Published 23rd June 2022.
William Regal NXT

William Regal spoke highly of two women he believes helped kickstart the Women’s Evolution in WWE.

Before the Four Horsewomen and before NXT TakeOvers came into fashion, Paige and Emma (Tenille Dashwood) helped establish the NXT women’s division as something to watch. After Paige was crowned the inaugural NXT Women’s Champion after facing off with Emma in the finals of a tournament, the two became the talk of the town with their February 2014 rematch at NXT ArRIVAL in the first women’s match to be aired live on the WWE Network.

Paige was again victorious, but Emma proved her talent as well, even eliciting chants of “better than Batista” when she delivered a sitout powerbomb to her opponent. In a time when Divas’ matches on the main roster rarely went longer than three minutes, the two drew eyes to the NXT women’s division as a place where women were given the chance to properly wrestle.

A few short months later, the enchanting raven-haired lady arrived on the WWE main roster when she confronted AJ Lee the night after WrestleMania 30 and won the Divas Championship in just a few second, ending Lee’s record-breaking title reign.

Speaking on his Gentleman Villain podcast (available early via AdFreeShows), William Regal praised both NXT ArRIVAL participants for their contributions to women’s wrestling in WWE, speaking about the anti-Diva’s debut on the main roster and Emma’s role in the match at ArRIVAL.

“Paige came into the ring as the WWE Divas Champion at the time. And, you know, I’m going to, so we don’t have to go into this again, I’m gonna have to give Paige an Emma the highest compliment I can give them is that they were the two people before the four horsewomen and everybody else they, Paige and Emma were the people, the two ladies that set all that in motion as far as being where everything went from then onwards.

“And it’s weird to see that TakeOver, because if you’d have asked me, I wouldn’t have thought Paige had gone to the main roster by then. You know, it’s just, that’s how quick all the time goes. And I remember being there the first night she debuted, we were in New Orleans and I remember talking to her afterwards and going oh this is it. But you know, the rides about to start whatever you’ve just done in NXT the rides about to start now.

“But we’re probably not gonna get to that until another episode but I’m saying it right now. Paige and Emma were the foundation of whatever came out of the incredible run of ladies that came through NXT and all that the happenings afterwards. They were the two starting ladies that sort of got attention on everybody.”

Related

WWE Star Reveals Ruptured Breast Implant Kept Them Out Of Action

Continuing, the former NXT General Manager made note of the incredible fact that neither woman took part in any of the NXT TakeOver specials as NXT ArRIVAL took place before the advent of TakeOvers to the brand.

“And they never got to do a TakeOver. You think they would have done right? You think they were part of that but it was before their time? I mean, sorry, it was after their time was before the TakeOver started. But Paige was actually on the main roster as the Divas Champion. That’s incredible.”

Because Paige won the WWE Divas Championship in her main roster debut, she was soon forced to relinquish the NXT Women’s Championship as then-General Manager JBL didn’t believe she could properly defend both titles. The first ever NXT TakeOver on May 29th, 2014 and saw Charlotte crowned as the second NXT Women’s Champion when she defeated Natalya in the finals of a tournament.

Paige took to social media on June 10th, 2022 and confirmed that her time with WWE had come to an end. Now going by her real name of Saraya, she is already announced to make an appearance at Starrcast as well as returning to her family’s promotion, World Association of Wrestling.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Gentleman Villain and link back to this article with a h/t to Inside the Ropes.

  • Facebook
    Share
  • Twitter
    Tweet
  • WhatsApp
    Send
  • Share

Popular Stories

  1. Ric Flair Confirms Liv Morgan’s Relationship With Fellow WWE Star
  2. Dark Side Of The Ring Season 4 Subjects Revealed
  3. Jim Cornette Brutalises Bray Wyatt’s Pitch Black Match At WWE Royal Rumble
  4. Vince McMahon Was “Never Onboard” With WWE Dream Match
  5. “I Need Some Uce Juice” – Hulk Hogan Wants To Join The Bloodline In WWE [Video]
  6. Vince McMahon “Clearly” Has A Pending WWE Sale
  7. WWE Hall Of Famer Teases In-Ring Return
  8. Cody Rhodes Finally Reveals The Real Reason He Left WWE In 2016
  9. Dave Bautista Reveals Bizarre Food-Related Contract Clause
  10. Ex-WWE Star Calls Out Logan Paul, Claims He’d Fall “Flat On His Face” Without Legend’s Help
Inside The Ropes
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Podcasts
  • Magazine
  • Write For Us
  • Facebook Facebook
  • Twitter Twitter
  • Instagram Instagram
  • YouTube YouTube
© 2023 ITR Digital Media Limited. Read about our privacy policy.