Triple H spoke today on a media call promoting this weekend’s TakeOver: In Your House event.
During this discussion, he responded to Inside the Rope’s Gary Cassidy when he questioned about Mickie James’ comments about wanting the best women’s wrestlers to appear at NWA regardless of contractual status. He was further asked if any from WWE would be allowed to participate or if they had any plans for their own all-women’s events.
“Haven’t we already done them? It’s a funny thing to me. Equality is equality. Equality is not ‘I want my own show.’ Equality is not ‘we have to have our own program.’ If I told you that I was making an all men’s program and didn’t want women on it, it would be criticized.”
Triple H continues, “I’m not saying that’s right or wrong. I think it’s funny when people go, ‘I want the best in the world regardless of contractual status.’ From a business standpoint, why do we have contractual status? It doesn’t make any sense. If you want to wrestle the best women in the world, come to WWE. That’s where they are. If you want to go elsewhere and say that they are, that’s an opinion, and you can. I’m all for it and one of the biggest drivers of it.”
As for if WWE/NXT will do another all women’s event in the future, Triple H’s response was that it was possible, but it is not a must-have at the moment.
“Will we do another all-women’s event down the line? Possibly, but it’s not a must-have at the moment. I think we do an amazing job of displaying our female athletes. Is it perfect? No. Will it always be in flux? Yes, but we do a pretty good job. In my opinion, the best female performers in the world are in WWE and if they are not, they want to be.”
This is ironic after releasing numerous female wrestlers in the past two months.
WWE has been highly criticized recently in regards to how they have been treating their female talent. Mickie James and Maria Kanellis have been two former WWE talents that have been highly critical over how WWE has handled the “Women’s Evolution.”
Kanellis has been very vocal saying that WWE and more specifically Stephanie McMahon have done what they have done for the women out of a PR reason and that McMahon’s advocacy for women seems “promotional.” Both James and Kanellis are working towards promoting women’s wrestling in their respective companies of NWA and ROH.
Former NWA World Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa responded to the idea that Triple H presented that all the best female talent is in WWE. She tweeted out the following:
Rosa has been seen frequently as well on AEW and is currently sitting at the top of their women’s rankings. She also has her own women’s promotion named Mission Pro Wrestling which has an event this weekend titled Keep Em Talkin’.
As for the news that NWA will be having an all women’s pay-per-view, she had the following to say in regards to wanting the event to be all-inclusive and all-embracing. Also she is tired of the money grabs and the novelty bullshit.
On GAW TV, James said:
“I’m building a brand. Billy Corgan has been kind enough to work with me and partner with me with the NWA brand. The beautiful thing is no more golden handcuffs for Mickie James. I don’t need or want a contract. I have an opportunity to build something fresh, new, and exciting. A place where — when you were in the Indies, all you needed was that one chance or that one person who believed in you — I was so excited when I get that chance to debut on Ring of Honor and when Jeff Jarrett called me to go in for TNA pay-per-views. ‘This is my chance.’ Out of all that, it led to my next chapter and developed me. How cool is it for females to sit and learn under the tutelage of the women who have been there and done that? I want to change the way we look at women’s wrestling in a real aspect, no more novelty bullshit. #MoneyGrabs. The real respect women deserve and that the women before us deserve. Now that we’re getting it, it’s an opportunity for us to step back and we’re in it to win it. I want this to be all-inclusive and all-embracing. The only way it’ll be successful is for all of us to come together for one purpose. I’m sick of the men always running the table and ‘good ol’ boys.’ The business has evolved and wrestling has always been 10-20 years late to the party. That’s over.” [h/t – Fightful]
James has stated she has no intention in wrestling for the event, however, she is looking across all promotions to build the card that will take place on Aug. 28.
“I’m reaching out. I’m calling in favors, I’m calling in friends. You know I’m calling you [Victoria]. I think there’s a way to do good business across all the brands. I want to unite and do something fucking magical,” she said.
“There’s a huge opportunity to get some diamonds in the rough. A few people who haven’t quite had the chance to really breakout. I look at the division now and it’s so thick and vast. Even women that I wouldn’t mind tangling up with. In every company. Deonna [Purrazzo] is killing it at IMPACT, Britt [Baker] is killing it at AEW. Maria [Kanellis] with Women of Honor. There seems to be an energy around the women. It’s time to do something magical and lift everyone up.”
What are your thoughts on what Triple H had to say? Thunder Rosa’s response? Mickie James on building NWA’s all women’s event? Leave what you think in the comment section below.
