WWE referees Jessika Carr and Aja Smith make history at WrestleMania 38
WWE referees Jessika Carr and Aja Smith made history at WrestleMania 38 when they became the first female referees to officiate back-to-back matches on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Carr officiated the Drew McIntyre vs. Happy Corbin match on 'Mania Saturday, while Aja Smith (real name Daphanie LaShaunn) was the referee for The Miz & Logan Paul vs. Rey & Dominik Mysterio.
Carr took to Instagram today to post an inspirational message about her historic night. She also used the platform to shout out Aja Smith:
"Empowered women, empower women," wrote Carr. "Don’t want to let it slip under the radar. For the first time ever, Wrestlemania at that, two matches were refereed by two women back to back Saturday night! @ajasmithwwe I’m incredibly proud of you and so grateful you’re just as hard working and passionate as I am.The sky is the limit, there are no ceilings. This is the first of many sister, let’s keep enjoying the ride and being the best we can be!"
Smith made history of her own as she became the first black woman to officiate a match at WrestleMania.
WWE's Women's Evolution broke plenty of barriers for female performers in the company. Now it seems that the revolution has moved beyond the wrestlers to include the referees as well.
Jessika Carr was WWE's first full-time female referee, and the first to officiate a match at WrestleMania
Jessika Carr was the first ever full-time female referee signed by WWE. She was signed in 2017 and made her debut in the first May Young Classic. Carr was initially invited to WWE tryouts at the Performance Center, but she wasn't signed as a wrestler. Instead, then-NXT General Manager William Regal suggested that she should become a referee.
Apart from becoming the first full-time female referee to officiate a match at WrestleMania, she was also the first woman to do so in Saudi Arabia. At WWE Crown Jewel 2021, she was the referee for the Hell in a Cell match between Edge and Seth Rollins.
The Ultimate Opportunist seems to have a preference for her to officiate his matches, as she was also the ref for his SummerSlam 2021 bout with Rollins.
What are your thoughts on history being made at WrestleMania 38? Sound off in the comments section below!