First off, let me start with this; when I was growing up watching wrestling, it was the end of the "New Generation Era" and the beginning of the "Attitude Era" of course I heard of legends and knew of moments by big names like Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, etc. but I started during the era of Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Undertaker, Razor Ramon, Diesel, and many other current legends but really getting into things during the era of Stone Cold and the Rock.
All that aside the women of the Attitude Era & Monday Night Wars were either the Nitro Girls shaking their ass on WCW Monday Nitro or the women of WWE being demeaned in every way. Whether it was the shit writing the piece of shit Vince Russo produced or the absolute shit "wrestlers" WWE or WCW got for their women's division it was absolute garbage, atrocious, and painful to see. WWE and WCW basically degraded women for years, the only solid women's wrestling division outside of the indy circuits at the time was in TNA. Now fastforward to 2017. In recent years we've seen some of the most talented wrestlers period in WWE, some of them were women, so the company said "let's not make the division seem awful, get rid of that garbage butterfly Diva's Title, get women like Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair a proper Women's Championship". I'd like to think it also has a lot to do with Triple H taking more of a lead role around the place because say what you want about him as a person, as someone who knows the business and wants to properly nurture these kids into big talent he's amazing. All that said, with this being a huge change we've seen HUGE changes to the company. 5 star matches by female competitors putting each other through the ringer in NXT and on the main roster, the first women's Hell In A Cell match which headlined that PPV, now the first women's Money In The Bank Ladder Match.
Which was won.....by a man.
Yes, WWE for all its impressive strides forward to making legit stars and talent out of these ladies absolutely belittles their talent by making the biggest joke in WWE, since the Gobbledy Gooker, James Ellsworth grab the briefcase from the top of the ladder and hand it to the woman he "manages" Carmella. Ya know what, if Carmella won on her own, fine. I'd be okay with that like I said in my predictions she was my #2 behind Becky Lynch, who should have won, so yes if Carmella with all her might grabbed that case and became a solid heel briefcase holder. Sweet. But no, a man won the Women's MITB match. Sure, lots of people can and will argue that it draws huge heel heat on Carmella but there's easier ways to do that then by undermining the division you are trying to nurture. I know it's more than likely just a shoot interview but I think there is a legit bit of real upset in Becky Lynch's voice when she was talked to post match.
Exactly, he handed it to her and that's exactly what it feels like WWE is doing giving handouts to the women from the men the 180 degree opposite of this divisions backbone. These women are talented athletic competitors, whether wrestling is predetermined or not, these women are athletes out there putting a lot on the line climbing ladders and pulling off risky moves to get a shot at cashing in on a SmackDown Women's Championship shot. Talent in the match that is quickly overshadowed when some dumbass with no chin to speak of gets the briefcase for a woman and goes here you are miss, good day. A lot of talent it took Carmella to be handed that win. So as a shoot interview I legitimately bought Becky's frustration, I was frustrated, a lot of people were. It was a dumb decision on the companies part to not let a woman win a women's match, if you want Carmella to win, pull the trigger and let her win but don't do this.
That PPV left everyone with just a bad taste in their mouth about what happened in that match, it was a lackluster show to begin with so that controversy didn't help at all. Everyone wanted to see if anything would be done on SmackDown Live.
Something did all thanks to returning General Manager Daniel Bryan. All night the women said, "listen Daniel fix this" and I was like okay well they all seem half hearted about talking to him there isn't as much rage as I expected until Becky talked to him and she was generally upset like an emotional wreck, bringing the kind of character I expect along with her wrestling skill that I dote praise on her. I knew Daniel would address it but how he did was fantastic.
I'm glad it worked out this way in the end.
Last part of my article. I called it. Baron Corbin is the Money In The Bank winner for the men's side of things and has already gone after Jinder Mahal letting him know he's watching him. Corbin is the top heel on SmackDown, if not for a lame business decision he would be too but right now they have to tote their champ Jinder as the #1 heel. Listen, I'll the guy credit when he's gotten as much experience in the main event as Corbin, Mahal said himself on "Talking Smack" that when Corbin works harder than Mahal he'd gladly hand it over. Hand it over then. Baron Corbin will be the WWE Champion at some point and I'll be glad.
Oh and again, I called it !!