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The men’s Royal Rumble first took place at a house show in 1987, with the inaugural event following in 1988. Chyna made history in 1999 as the first woman to participate in a Rumble match, eliminating Mark Henry before being thrown out by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. However, it wasn’t until 2018 that WWE launched the first Women’s Royal Rumble match, three decades after the men’s version.
This debut Women’s Rumble included superstars from Raw, SmackDown, and NXT, along with fan favorites like Jacqueline, Lita, Kelly Kelly, and Trish Stratus. Notably, Sasha Banks (now Mercedes Möhn in AEW) made a strong showing, lasting nearly an hour before being eliminated by the Bella Twins. Ultimately, Asuka made her entrance at number 25 and became the first woman to win the Women’s Royal Rumble match.
The question arises: What if WWE had introduced the Women’s Royal Rumble earlier? In this analysis by Wrestling Inc., they explore potential outcomes had the match occurred in 2014, the first year WWE started to support a women’s Rumble.
2014: Paige
In 2014, key female wrestlers included Aksana, Cameron, Tamina, Layla, Natalya, Summer Rae, and Kaitlyn. WWE would have needed to utilize its NXT roster to fill the 30 spots, potentially including talent like Paige, Emma, and the Four Horsewomen. Paige, having made waves as the NXT Women’s Champion, could have indeed debuted early to win the first Women’s Royal Rumble, defeating AJ Lee for the Divas Championship at WrestleMania XXX, mirroring her real-life success.
2015: Brie Bella or AJ Lee
In 2015, the women’s roster featured many of the same names, with NXT welcoming new talent such as Peyton Royce, Billie Kay, and Asuka. This year is tricky because the Divas title wasn’t defended at WrestleMania 31, where AJ Lee and Paige instead took on the Bella twins in a tag match. Brie winning the Royal Rumble could have led to an intriguing sister-versus-sister battle against Nikki Bella, capturing the audience’s attention. Alternatively, AJ Lee could have won, allowing her to challenge Nikki for the title, potentially changing the landscape of women’s wrestling.
2016: Sasha Banks
By 2016, NXT saw additions like Bianca Belair and Ember Moon, while female talent on “Raw” and “SmackDown” flourished. Sasha Banks, having won the NXT Women’s Championship, would have been an ideal candidate to win the Royal Rumble and later challenge for the Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 32. Though she would also compete against Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch in a championship match, claiming the Rumble victory could have solidified her status as a top contender.
2017: Naomi
As 2017 progressed, the WWE women’s roster diversified significantly with the arrival of new talent in NXT. Naomi captured the SmackDown Women’s Championship at the Elimination Chamber in February, despite losing it shortly due to injury, but she regained it at WrestleMania 33. Given her momentum and championship history that year, winning the Royal Rumble would have made perfect sense.
Fan Take: This analysis is essential for wrestling fans because it sparks discussions about the evolution of women’s wrestling and the potential unrealized scenarios. Understanding what might have been could provide greater context for today’s women’s divisions and their growing prominence in WWE.
