“We want catfights and wardrobe malfunctions” - WWE Producer on what was wanted for female matches
WWE Producer Fit Finlay has revealed that the company didn't want female wrestlers competing like the male Superstars in the past. He claims they preferred catfights and wardrobe malfunctions in matches involving women.
Finlay performed in WWE from 2005 to 2010, and during his tenure in the company, he enjoyed a run with the United States Championship. He was hired as a Producer in 2012 and played a huge role in the evolution of women's matches from bra and panties to traditional in-ring competition.
Fit Finlay was recently interviewed on Sitting Ringside with Dave Penzer, where he spoke about his role in presenting women's wrestling in WWE.
“I was assigned to the girls and I was there when they had to do bra & panties matches and lingerie matches and pillow fights and Thanksgiving dinner matches. The whole thing. This really was not in my wheelhouse and was not who I am. I did it and tried my best at it. The girls were doing good, but I was getting embarrassed telling the girls how to strip each other off on a sunset flip. Eventually, I got the girls and sat most of them down and I was like, ‘Hey, I don’t know how you feel about this, but I’ll tell you how I feel," said Finlay.
"I told them I was embarrassed about, not the job, but about how to talk to a girl and tell them how to take their clothes off in a wrestling match. It was degrading to them. We all agreed, hugged, and had a plan to teach them how to wrestle. That’s what we did. I got my wrist slapped and was told, ‘This is not what we want, we don’t want girls wrestling like guys. We want them pulling hair and having catfights and wardrobe malfunctions.’ I would back off for a day or two and then we’d go back to wrestling. Stubbornly, I kept plugging on. Then, of course, they decided that they did want a women’s wrestling division, and it’s their idea, right? I sparked the flame, I guess.”
Finlay is one of the most respected individuals backstage, and many wrestlers have praised him for his support. Former WWE Women's Champion Natalya described Finlay as an incredible wrestler and patient coach who treats everyone equally and brings out the best in the wrestlers.
The evolution of women's wrestling in WWE
Women's wrestling in WWE has come a really long way, from squash matches to critically acclaimed bouts.
Today, the women of WWE are offered the same opportunities as their male counterparts. Superstars such as Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair have created history and changed the landscape of the entire wrestling industry.
Not only can female WWE Superstars compete in longer matches, but they can also headline PPVs and participate in stipulation-based matches such as Hell in a Cell, which used to be strictly reserved for male Superstars.
(h/t to Fightful for the transcription)