Who is the real face of WWE's Women's Division?
The Women's Revolution that started in 2015 has come leaps and bounds due to the added focus on the talents of female wrestlers inside the ring and on the microphone.
This year's WrestleMania will break new ground when the Triple Threat match for the RAW Women's Championship goes on to main event the annual sports entertainment extravaganza. But who is the flag bearer of this boom period in women's wrestling?
Let's take a look at each competitor and their case to be called 'the face of the Women's division'.
Becky Lynch
To the surprise of nobody, there is no shortage of controversy surrounding the main event. It all started in the lead-up to Survivor Series 2018, where Becky Lynch adopted the moniker of 'The Man' and took it upon herself to branch out of Charlotte Flair's shadow.
With a match against RAW's champion Ronda Rousey in her sights, Becky was all set to break the proverbial 'brass ring' and become a perennial main-eventer after Survivor Series. Even so, the plan was for Rousey to face Charlotte at WrestleMania.
Injury forced Becky to relinquish her match against Rousey to Charlotte, but it fit perfectly into the overarching story, where Charlotte once again reaped the fruit of Becky's labor. But Becky played the anti-hero to perfection and displayed her growing charisma every week on SmackDown, forcing her way into the championship match and garnering the approval of the audience on her way to becoming the babyface phenomenon she is now.
Her Royal Rumble win cemented her status as the most popular face in not just the women's division, but the whole company.
Ronda Rousey
After taking the world by storm in her WWE debut at the 2018 Royal Rumble, Ronda Rousey showcased her skills inside the ring and climbing the ranks all the way to championship glory when she beat Alexa Bliss at SummerSlam 2018. She has been WWE's biggest draw, bringing sizable star power to the division and also surprisingly good wrestling skills.
Rousey headlined the first-ever all women's pay-per-view event Evolution, retaining her title against Nikki Bella. Having been a worthy champion, Rousey turned heel for the first time last week on RAW after ruthlessly attacking a defenseless Becky Lynch. Throughout her run, Rousey has had a rivalry with Stephanie McMahon, whom she has attacked physically and verbally on several occasions.
In her promos, Rousey has highlighted her powerful status saying that she cannot be fired because of how much money she brings in for the company, thereby giving her free reign to play by her own rules - which is what she has been doing in recent weeks.
Easily the most recognizable star on a global scale, Rousey brings in an aura of legitimacy to every match she competes in - WrestleMania will be no different.
Charlotte Flair
Charlotte Flair is a seven-time world champion - the highest number of championships held by any female wrestler ever - a record she shares with the legendary Trish Stratus. She looks primed to make a run at her father, Ric Flair's tally of 16 world championships. However, that is not the only reason she finds herself in the biggest match in the history of women's wrestling yet.
It is easy to brush off many of her achievements as the product of her last name, but at every turn, Charlotte has been the most reliable and consistent performer for the company - something that also makes her the beneficiary of a constant presence at the main event level.
Charlotte was part of the first Women's Hell in a Cell match (with Sasha Banks) and Last Women Standing match (with Becky Lynch). When Becky was injured before Survivor Series, Charlotte took her place in the match against Rousey. Charlotte was the one to break Asuka's 914-day undefeated streak in a main-event-worthy match at WrestleMania 34.
Charlotte has been given plenty of opportunities and has thrived in those spots, which is why WWE continues to shine the spotlight on her. That is why Becky Lynch, despite winning the Royal Rumble, has to 'earn' her spot in the Wrestlemania Triple Threat yet again, while Charlotte is there without having earned it in kayfabe.
At the recent WrestleMania 36 press conference, Charlotte Flair represented WWE's women's division, in spite of her heel character; in spite of Becky Lynch being the most popular star in the company; in spite of Ronda Rousey having more mainstream appeal.
The way things stand, Charlotte Flair is still the face of the women's division.