TheWWEcurrently has more titles than they have ever had before for the women’s division. Both Raw and SmackDown have individualWorld Championships for the women, whileWWE recently introduced midcard titlesfor the women’s roster, implementing new Intercontinental and United States Championships. Meanwhile, the women’s tag team division has a title as well.
Although WWE has plenty of titles to go around the women’s roster, there remains astruggle to book non-title women’s storylines. It seems as though unless a woman is fighting for a title, they aren’t positioned in valuable spots onscreen, or aren’t seen onscreen at all. Case in point,this past Monday’s Rawsaw Rhea Ripley insert herself into the World Championship storyline, rather than WWE book a non-title WrestleMania feud for Mami.
WWE has proven themselves capable of knowing how to book compelling women’s storylines, but lacks the confidence to commit to them for PLE-level spectacles, and it’s wasting the depth of the women’s roster.
WWE Refuses to Book Women’s Storylines Outside of Title Feuds
Unless They Have Championships, Most Women Remain Offscreen
The depth and versatility within WWE’s women’s roster runs deep, but most audiences wouldn’t know it considering howso many women are absent from televisionat the moment. Those who are on television are either chasing titles or have titles. The few non-title feuds for the women on television usually occur briefly for a few weeks, if even that, and usually are reserved strictly for television, never getting a Premium Live Event match out of it like the title feuds.
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WWE’s men’s divisiondoesn’t have the same issue. Wrestlers like Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest continue to pursue storylines at the top of the card and have high-profile matches without either being champions. In the same respect, Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk is one of the more marquee matches going into WrestleMania, even speculated topotentially main event WrestleMania 41’s first nightdespite not having a title on the line. Meanwhile, someone like Natalya, arguably WWE’s best technical wrestler, male or female, hasn’t been on television nor had a significant storyline in months.
… while the men seem to maintain relevance and awesome storylines without the need for a championship, WWE more often than not opts to keep the women off television if they aren’t involved anywhere near a championship.
Mia “Michin” Yim disappeared from SmackDown once her feud with U.S. Champ Chelsea Green ended. Alba Fyre was M.I.A. herself before aligning with Green’s Secret Her-Vice with Piper Niven, who likely would be just as M.I.A. if she didn’t revolve around the champion. The same can be said for Nia Jax once she stopped trying to regain her Women’s Championship from Tiffany Stratton. The examples are endless, but the point is that while the men seem to maintain relevance and awesome storylines without the need for a championship, WWE more often than not opts to keep the women off television if they aren’t involved anywhere near a championship.
Why Can’t WWE Book Rhea Ripley Away from the Title?
This Issue Started Long Before WWE WrestleMania
Upon her return from injury heading into SummerSlam 2024, Rhea Ripley started chasing Liv Morgan for the WWE Women’s World Championship.She did not pivot away from this title feuduntil defeating Morgan for the belton the January 6 Netflix premiere. That’s six months with Ripley in the title picture without the slightest attempt of WWE trying to book her in a non-title feud. WWE had another opportunity for the latter after Iyo Sky’s shocking upset win over the champion.
Bianca Belair vs. Iyo Sky was set for WrestleMania 41, yet Ripleyremains interlocked in the title pictureas all signs point to a triple threat. Rhea Ripley is certainly popular enough to justify keeping her in the title picture, but even male top stars take some time to pivot from the title picture. When Stone Cold Steve Austin wasn’t challenging for the World Title, he kept himself busy with foils like Mr. McMahon and Triple H. Presently, Reigns hasn’t challenged for the title since losing it at WrestleMania 40, and has feuded with the Bloodline instead, as well as Rollins and Punk.
Before Iyo Sky shockingly defeated her for the Women’s World Title on the March 3 episode of Monday Night Raw, Rhea Ripley’s second reign with the belt lasted 56 days.
Oftentimes, WWE would at least briefly pivot their top stars away from the title picture to keep them feeling fresh to audiences without overexposing them to the main event. WWE is doingthe opposite with Rhea Ripley, and it’s starting to lose her fans who fear she’s being shoved down their throats. Perhaps fans wouldn’t feel this way if Ripley at least briefly embarked on a feud away from titles. The insistence on booking Ripley in title feudsspeaks to the larger issueof WWE booking women as if they can only be relevant or captivating if they are in the title hunt or are champions.
WWE Needs More Non-Title Feuds for the Women’s Division
Some of the Most Compelling Women’s Feuds of the Past Weren’t for a WWE Championship
It’s a shame that WWE isn’t confident in pushing non-title stories for women, because in the past, some ofWWE’s most compelling storylines were women’s non-title feuds. One current exception to the rule is the feud pitting Jade Cargill and Naomi, wherethe mystery of the former’s attackwas revealed to be the latter’s doing. It’s madeJade Cargill’s run a lot more interestingwhile allowing Naomi to shine in a spectacular promo. Still, though, Cargill seems to be taking a break from one of WWE’s best ongoing storylines by feuding with Tag Champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez because, again, WWE is hesitant to book women’s storylines without champions.
Most interestingly, WWE’s third brand,NXT, has been far more willing to let women shine in non-title storylines. One of 2024’s dark horse contenders for feud of the year was Jaida Parker’s blood feud against Lola Vice, which culminated in a brutal Underground match. Currently, multiple women are involved in non-title storylines. Before her inevitable call-up to tie loose-ends withBayley, former champion Roxanne Perezhad been feuding with newcomer Jordynne Grace. Meanwhile, Sol Ruca is trying to turn Zaria into a gentler beast and friend, while Karmen Petrovic is involved in a romance angle with Ashante “Thee” Adonis.
This is especially impressive considering that NXT has no Tag Team Championship for the women’s division. The only women’s titles in NXT are the NXT Women’s Championship and the NXT North American Championship.
The difference in women’s storylines between WWE’s main roster shows and its developmental program is like night and day, and perhaps Raw and SmackDown canlearn a thing or two from NXT. The silver and black brand showcases exactly how to showcase and elevate its top women’s stars without the need for them to constantly circulate around either of their titles. The brand finds creative ways to keep its women’s roster relevant and occupied outside title matches.WWEis more than capable of crafting awesome non-title women’s storylines, they just have to commit to the art of doing so.
