WWE Wrestlemania 41’s Most Anticipated Women’s Matches

World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) Wrestlemania, the biggest pro wrestling event of the year, is on April 19 and 20 and will host the most anticipated women’s matches including a triple threat match between Rhea Rhipley, Iyo Sky, and Bianca Belair for the Women’s World Championship and, for the first in Wrestlemania history, a non-title women’s singles match without a stipulation when Jade Cargill faces Naomi!

With such talented women athletes gracing the 41st edition of Wrestlemania, it’s hard to imagine a time when the WWE presented them as anything less than part of the main attraction. However, it wasn’t too long ago that women’s wrestling was relegated to bikini contests, pillow fights, mud wrestling, and the ultra-degrading bra-and-panties matches that were so prominent in the early 2000s. 

Thankfully, the WWE’s women’s division had a major shift in 2015 as the “divas,” what they were then known as, put on undeniable bouts that were often more entertaining than the men’s but received three to five minutes of T.V. time compared to their male colleague’s five to 30 minutes. With major support from the WWE fans, #GiveDivasAChance became a worldwide trend on X, demanding more respect and opportunity for the women wrestlers.

LGBTQ+ athletes were also demeaned throughout the history of professional wrestling. In the WWE, men with the most flamboyant gimmicks like Velveteen Dream and Goldust were automatically given villain roles. In 2002, the tag team of Chuck and Billy were the original queerbaiters of pro wrestling as they presented a running joke of, “are they a gay couple or not?” Despite oiling each other up in the ring, gyrating their bodies together, and even holding a wedding ceremony with each other, they admitted they were indeed not gay at all. 

Coinciding with the women’s revolution, LGBTQ+ wrestlers felt more comfortable being “out.” In 2018, Sonya Deville became the first out lesbian to wrestle at a Wrestlemania event and proudly wore rainbow apparel. Darren Young became WWE’s first openly gay wrestler. Toni Storm, the number 1 rank on the Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) top 250 female wrestlers list in 2024, came out as bisexual and continues to be one of the most compelling characters in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). 

WWE fans advocating for the women’s revolution led to historical shifts in pro wrestling. In 2019, Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair were the first women to headline a Wrestlemania. Two years later, Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks became the second women’s match to headline and made even more history by being the only main event featuring all-Black competitors (regardless of gender). This year will showcase one of the most compelling storylines that don’t involve a championship as Jade Cargill looks to get revenge on Naomi for injuring her in a backstage ambush months ago. 

Though LGBTQ+ wrestlers haven’t quite had their watershed moment in pro-wrestling like the women’s revolution, the next generation is showing just how queer wrestling can be. Wrestlers like Nyla Rose, Sonny Kiss, Gabbi Tuft, and “Speedball” Mike Bailey are gender nonconforming athletes who have seen incredible success on the national level, while competitors like Kidd Bandit, Dark Sheik, and Effy are growing increasingly popular on the independent circuit.

There are now even promotions such as Alliance For All (AFA) that exclusively present LGBTQ+ wrestlers and allies at their events like their Over the Rainbow show. Effy hosts his event Effy’s Big Gay Brunch for the Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) promotion. There’s even a brand new Los Angeles-based event, T Boy Wrestling, that showcases trans men putting on shows that have reached incredible success in drawing over 800 fans each time!

The professional wrestling world has come a long way from vilifying LGBTQ+ athletes and degrading its women. Thankfully, we now have historical bouts like Cargill vs. Naomi and sure-to-be supremely athletic clinics like Rea Rhipley vs. Iyo Sky vs. Biance Belair taking place at Wrestlemania 41 on April 19th and 20th exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. and on Netflix internationally. It is going to be an incredible showcase of talent, years of hard work, dedication to their craft, and the next step in the women’s revolution. 

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