Tiffany’s WWE RAW Takes: The State Of The Women’s Division

On the go-home show for WWE SummerSlam, how are the women of WWE getting ready for some of the biggest matches of The Biggest Party Of The Summer?

Monday was definitely a night of odd bedfellows wrestling. RAW Women’s Champion, Becky Lynch, teamed up with former best friend, Charlotte Flair, to take on two of Canada’s finest, Natalya and Hall of Famer, Trish Stratus.

I have to admit that I didn’t get the connection between Natalya and Trish until it hit me that they’re both from Canada because my brain isn’t functioning this week. I loved that Becky and Nattie were going for the submission holds to hype them having a Submission match at SummerSlam, which I BELIEVE is a first for WWE in terms of the Women’s Division. It’s a statement to the talent of all four women that you could switch who Trish and Nattie were facing and still have exciting, compelling matches.

I love that WWE reminded us throughout the match that Charlotte and Becky still despise each other and didn’t ruin last year’s amazing storyline by having them suddenly being buddy buddy. I don’t know if we’ll ever have Team Tea Party back on the same page, but it’s nice to see some story continuity.

I’m going to guess that they’re saving Trish for Sunday because she did very little, but I loved her being the…big sister of the group and stopping Nattie when it was clear Nattie wasn’t fighting fair. Still disappointed we didn’t get SOMETHING for Charlotte and Trish.

Wow. @RealMikeBennett went there, and @RonKillings & @CarmellaWWE ACTUALLY WENT THERE!

Sorry, @MariaLKanellis. #RAW #247Championship pic.twitter.com/ThqXFib9Pm

— WWE (@WWE) August 6, 2019

I’ve been pretty vocal about how much I HATE the Mike and Maria Kanellis storyline as it is right now. The idea that WWE would think it’s okay to take a strong, no-nonsense woman and make her into a verbally abusive bitch is sickening to me. Maria’s gimmick has worked well in every promotion she and Mike have been in for almost a decade because Mike was able to back it up, taking it and making Maria verbally abusive hurts both of them and sends a terrible message about what WWE thinks of women who take no shit. Normally, I would HATE a man pinning a woman for a title, but Mike regaining some resemblance at self-respect was good. Yes, to powerful women, no to abusing and emasculating men to do it. Also, R-Truth is champ again, all is well.

I love that the story building between Nattie and Becky didn’t stop at their match at the top of the show. I don’t think Nattie is going to win at SummerSlam, despite the myth that Canadians aren’t allowed to lose in Canada, but I fully expect a great match. Also, does Nattie have a personality beyond being a member of the Hart family, because that seems to be the only thing you really hear about her and it’s sad.

.@WWE_MandyRose and @SonyaDevilleWWE have been eliminated! It's all down to The Kabuki Warriors and @AlexaBliss_WWE & @NikkiCrossWWE! #Raw #TagTeamTitles pic.twitter.com/uzHUBk2MDC

— WWE (@WWE) August 6, 2019

I think it’s safe to say that the Women’s Tag Team Division has been very frustrating. With Sasha Banks being gone and Nia Jax being out due to knee injuries, it feels like WWE lost interest in the division, which has left The IIconics looking like paper champions. The match was pretty good–and over 20 minutes long–but I’m puzzled by Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross winning the titles over actual tag teams like Asuka & Kairi Sane and Mandy Rose & Sonya DeVille. However, since we seem to be building a Bliss/Cross feud, I guess giving them the belts makes sense, but it definitely feels like WWE doesn’t understand that if a superstar needs a belt to justify their spot, there’s a problem with that superstar.

I know there’s been a lot of complaints about how WWE’s treated the Women’s Division since WrestleMania, but I will say that they’ve given the women a lot of time on RAW this week and all of the matches and segments have been good. Hopefully, SmackDown will be just as good for the Women’s Division heading into SummerSlam.