Natalya Neidhart: Celebrating five years of the Women's Evolution (2024)

It’s exciting to look back on the past five years of the Women’s Evolution in WWE and see all that has been accomplished. I feel like we’ve come such a long way in WWE’s women’s division and broken so many barriers that we never thought were possible.

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When I got hired by WWE in 2007, I came into the company at a challenging time for the women’s division. It wasn’t the edgy “Attitude Era” anymore and at that time we certainly weren’t where we are today in terms of women getting a lot of time on TV with strong storylines and being a part of historical, groundbreaking matches. The women in WWE were fighting to show what we could do in the ring, on the microphone and with merchandise sales if we were given a chance.

Not soon after, the stars aligned for the women in WWE and by the summer of 2015, the Women’s Evolution was in full swing in WWE. After #GiveDivasAChance trended for three days on social media, the WWE Universe got their wish to see the women get equal opportunities to show what we could do. In just five years, the women of WWE have accomplished so many “first ever moments” and many of those historical moments I’ve been privileged to be a part of, such as the first women’s Royal Rumble, the first women’s Money In the Bank Ladder match, the first women’s Hell in a Cell match, the first all-women’s PPV event named Evolution, the first Iron Woman match, the first women’s main event of WrestleMania and the first women’s match in Saudi Arabia.

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I have so many fond memories of the past five years. I remember when it was announced that there would be a women’s Royal Rumble. Royal Rumble is my favourite WWE events of the year because it’s the start of WrestleMania season. I remember finding out about all of the amazing female talent who would be in that match like Torrie Wilson, Michelle McCool, Trish Stratus, Lita and Molly Holly to name a few. I was so excited to be in the ring making history with them, and when I learned that my best friend Beth Phoenix was also in the match, I felt like I was making my dreams come true with my best friend. It has been many years since Beth had retired from WWE but in one magical night, it was like she had never left and we were right in our element once again.

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I also vividly remember being in the first women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match in 2017. Initially, I was very intimidated because I have never been a match with ladders before. I didn’t want to get hurt because I was smart enough to know that 12-foot-tall steel ladders could hurt! Once I was in the match, I was having so much fun because we were allowed to be so creative and do things that we’ve never done before in the ring.

Being a part of the first women’s match in Saudi Arabia with Lacey Evans was a moment I’ll never forget, and it was a historic moment for our Women’s Evolution. For women to compete in Saudi Arabia was bigger than myself, Lacey or WWE. It was a groundbreaking moment for women everywhere because Lacey and I were opening a door that had never been opened before. When it was showtime, I remember walking through the curtain in Riyadh, heading down the ramp and looking out into a sea of people who had never seen women wrestle. I felt like everything I had ever worked for to get to that moment was so worth it and when the match was over, Lacey and I hugged in the middle of the ring as tears filled both of our eyes. I saw hope and joy in the eyes of so many women in attendance. A little girl sat in the front row and I walked over to her and she asked me to take a selfie of us with her phone. In that moment I said to myself, one day this little girl could be inspired to be a WWE Superstar because of this match. Now she has hope and hope can change everything.

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I want to thank so many women who came before me for helping pave the way for our Women’s Evolution in WWE. I’m so excited for what’s to come and I can’t wait to watch all of our women make even more history. Here’s to the next five years and beyond.

Tweet your questions to@natbynature

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