Resiliency is what took Becky Lynch to the 'Big Time'
They say everyone has a date with destiny. For Becky Lynch, that date was November 18, 2017, when she literally got hit right in the face by fate.
Destiny didn't just come calling for her; it kicked down her door.
At the time, the current RAW Women's champion was already one of the most popular female performers in the company, but that night was a big factor in what lifted her to new levels of respect from the WWE Universe.
During the annual battle for brand supremacy known as Survivor Series, Lynch was a member of Team Smackdown at the time. On the RAW side stood the massive and powerful Nia Jax. During a melee leading into the big event, Jax got a little loose with her hands and accidentally busted the Irish star open.
That singular moment re-defined Becky Lynch in the eyes of the audience. Despite broken bones in her face and a concussion, she showed no signs of weakness or injury.
From then on, she wasn't just a proficient pro wrestler. She was a fearless fighter.
And more importantly, the WWE Universe couldn't get enough of her swagger. Becky-Mania had arrived, and the Irish Lashkicker took the ball and ran with it. She embraced this new slice of her character and her drawing power and merchandise sales went through the roof.
It was a phenomenon never before seen in pro wrestling -- where a female performer was arguably the #1 face of a major wrestling promotion. It was literally history in the making, all right before our very eyes.
The next three years were a roller coaster ride for Becky Lynch, highlighted by main-eventing WrestleMania 35
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History was made in so many ways that night, as it would be the first time ever that women would close WrestleMania. No doubt much of that can be credited to the incredible star power of former UFC star Ronda Rousey, but the steady prominence of Charlotte Flair and the meteoric rise of Becky Lynch made it even more of a marquee match-up.
Lynch once again put her name in the history books by capturing both the RAW and Smackdown women's titles in that match. Suddenly, she was 'Becky 2 Belts', and the most famous figure in female fighting.
Fast forward to today, and it's hard to imagine Becky Lynch anywhere but at the top of the marquee.
The version of the superstar prior to 2018 was one of an upper-level contender and sometimes champion. Always destined to play second fiddle to bigger stars like Ronda Rousey or Sasha Banks and, more often, being the bridesmaid than the bride.
Instead, she became an icon; one who still stands at the top of WWE today
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As a six-time world champion, worldwide celebrity and one of the most iconic female figures ever, there's no doubting that Becky Lynch is a surefire Hall of Famer. All of that has been written. All of that is done.
But what cannot be quantified with statistics or stored away in a cabinet is how Becky Lynch got here. That night on Smackdown wasn't the first time she fought back from adversity.
Lynch battled through injury and adversity before she even signed with WWE. She was once forced into a lengthy hiatus from the ring due to those accumulated injuries.
When she came to America, she was told her Irish accent would likely prevent her from ever becoming a star. When she finally got to NXT, she was saddled with a silly and stereotypical gimmick, before finally emerging as the person and performer we see today.
All of those roadblocks, and Becky Lynch knocked every single one of them down.
At WWE Day 1, Big Time Becks will defend her RAW Women's Championship against the precocious Liv Morgan. Like an old-time gunslinger, Lynch will walk down that aisle and lay it all on the line. Just like she has so many times before.
Whether she wins or loses, she will walk out a warrior. One who always lives to fight. And that's what fans respect about Becky Lynch the most: her resiliency.
What do you think of Becky Lynch's run as the most popular female in WWE today? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.