Women's wrestling has been a huge part of WWE for many decades. While wrestling is considered a male-dominated sport, women have shown they're just as good as the men. From the days of Trish and Lita to the Four Horsewomen, fans have watched these ladies proved their toughness inside the ring.
While a Women's Revolution has been going on for years, behind the scenes it's sometimes a different story. From campaigning for storylines to possible real-life feuds, there have been plenty of reports circulating about WWE's female stars. So let's take a look at some backstage stories that have emerged about WWE's women's division.
10 Vince Refused To Change Lita's Retirement Angle
At the Survivor Series 2006, Lita wrestled in her final match for WWE. Being a heel at the time, Lita lost her Women's Championship to Mickie James in her retirement match. While Lita had no problem losing to James, she did have an issue with the following segment of Cryme Tyme coming out to sell her stuff.
Prior to the show, Lita begged Vince to cut the segment, but he refused. Like Lita, fans were upset with the angle and thought it was a horrible way for WWE to treat their top female wrestler.
9 Sable Had A Big Ego
Sable was one of WWE's most popular Divas during the Attitude Era. Fans fell in love with the blonde beauty and she became a fixture in the media. However, as the Women's Champion push increased, so did her ego. Throughout the years, stories have emerged about Sable having a big ego.
One tale said that she refused to rehearse with Luna Vachon for a match. Sean Waltman stated that Sable's attitude was so bad she alienated most of her co-workers and most of the guys pulled pranks to get back at her.
8 Reason For Mickie James' Release
Following the retirements of Trish Stratus and Lita, Mickie James became the top wrestler in the women's division. She was in the midst of a feud with LayCool when she was released in April 2010. Fans were stunned and speculation began over the reason for her release.
Reports suggested James' prior relationship with John Cena may have been an issue. There was also a rumor that she showed up late to the bus on a European tour. Mickie was never given a reason for her release, but the star returned to WWE six years later.
7 Molly Came Up With Head Shaving Match
In 2004, Women's Champion Victoria was in a heated feud with Molly Holly. Their rivalry led to a Hair vs Title match at WrestleMania XX, which saw Molly get her head shaved as a result of her loss. According to Molly, she and Victoria were going to be left off the card because there wasn't enough room for another match.
Wanting to be part of the show, Molly pitched the head-shaving match to her bosses. They loved it and made the match official. Molly's idea shows the lengths some WWE women go in order to get airtime.
6 Charlotte Was Upset Arn Said Sasha Was Better
Upon signing with WWE in 2012, Charlotte was out to prove she was more than Ric Flair's daughter. As she continued improving in the ring, it was obvious that she'd be one of the stars of NXT's women's division.
However, when family friend Arn Anderson was working as a WWE producer he visited the Performance Center to give a pep talk to the performers. He said Sasha Banks was the best wrestler in NXT. The comments didn't go over well with Charlotte, who called her father to tell him what Arn said.
5 The Bellas Blocked Other Divas From Returning
After a year hiatus, Nikki and Brie Bella returned to WWE in 2013. The sisters were given a big push and were set to star in the upcoming reality show Total Divas. Other Divas such as Maryse, Kelly Kelly, and Maria Kanellis were also set for WWE returns.
According to Maryse, the five of them made a pact that they would negotiate deals so they could all return together. However, the Bellas reportedly broke their promise and signed with WWE. They then used their backstage influence to block the other Divas from returning.
4 AJ Lee Almost Had A Storyline With Dean Ambrose
Throughout her career, AJ Lee worked with top male stars such as John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, and Daniel Bryan. But AJ could've had the chance to work with WWE's rising star Dean Ambrose. According to former WWE writer Kevin Eck, he pitched the idea of AJ and Dean being paired together.
The storyline would've had AJ being written off television by having her committed to a mental institution. While at the institution she would meet Dean, and bring him with her upon her return, where they'd create chaos for everyone in WWE.
3 Beth Intentionally Injured Michelle
Accidents happen in the ring sometimes leading to injuries. However, there's one Diva that has been accused of intentionally hurting another wrestler. Michelle McCool explained the first time wrestled Beth Phoenix, she ended up with a concussion.
She said that when it came time for Beth to perform the Glam Slam, she didn't unhook Michelle's arms before faceplanting her. Years later Phoenix made a comment about the incident saying there are two sides to every story. McCool believed Phoenix intentionally hurt her but has never learned the reason for the Glamazon's actions.
2 Nikki Was Supposed To Be Smackdown Women's Champion
After the brand split in 2016, a new women's title was created for the Smackdown roster. At Backlash, a six-pack elimination match took place to crown the inaugural champion. The contest featured Becky Lynch, Naomi, Natalya, Carmella, Alexa Bliss, and Nikki Bella.
At the end of the match, Carmella tapped out, leading Becky to become Smackdown Women's Champion. However, Becky may not have been the original choice to win the title. Reports surfaced that Nikki was supposed to win since she had recently made her comeback following neck surgery.
1 Michelle And Melina Were Told To Tone It Down
While WWE is now putting more of a focus on women's wrestling, it wasn't always the case. Women struggled with creative issues and getting airtime. They were also told not to outshine the men. Michelle McCool recalled an incident following her and Melina's match at the 2009 Night of Champions PPV.
McCool stated that the next day, she and Melina got in trouble with officials because their match was good. The officials explained that while the match was good, they couldn't have the women's matches looking better than the men's bouts.