In an upcoming interview with Women’s Wrestling Talk, Maria Kanellis Bennett unveiled what she was told in regards to another Evolution pay-per-view event.
The one and only women’s pay-per-view event that has had many fans wanting a second one was told to Maria that it would never happen again. She was told this by former Senior Director of Talent Relations, Mark Carrano.
“So I was told it is never happening again, and that was from Mark Carrano. I mean now I’m sure because now there’s such a buzz about it, I’m sure they’re gonna try and find a way to do it again. But as far as I knew when I left the company, Evolution was never happening again. I think the reason why they did it the first time was more of a PR stunt than it was a real action. A real statement about women in wrestling. It was more for PR and I think until that changes, until it’s not ‘oh we got the one women’s match on the show, you know because we have to’ and it becomes more like of course there’s gonna be women’s wrestling on the show. Yes, there will be this many men’s matches and this many women’s matches…why? because it should be equal. Until that changes you won’t see another Evolution, at least truly.”
Earlier this month, Maria spoke on Stephanie McMahon in a different interview where she said she felt McMahon’s advocacy for women’s rights seemed promotional.
This isn’t the first time that a former WWE talent has mentioned the dismissal of women being elevated within the company. After Mickie James was released in April, she divulged what she was told by someone in power within the company that she had been pitching ideas to.
James was told that women’s wrestling doesn’t sell along with the idea of an all-women’s brand never happening. Included in this she was told that Evolution was the lowest rated pay-per-view event in the history of WWE pay-per-view events. James did not disclose who it was that told her this.
During the time of James discussing this, she had received her possessions returned to her by WWE in a garbage bag. Although not stating who did this, social media postings by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon explained that the person responsible for this had been fired and was no longer with the company. That person was believed to be Mark Carrano who was released from the company during that timeframe.
Kanellis-Bennett is currently the Board of Directors for the women in Ring of Honor. She has been at the forefront of rebuilding the women’s division for the promotion and has ushered in Women’s Division Wednesdays that airs on YouTube every Wednesday. The company is building towards a women’s tournament to crown a new champion this summer.
The full interview between Maria and TK Trinidad of Women’s Wrestling Talk will drop tomorrow.
