WWE's 10 best women's matches of 2018
2018 truly was the "year of the woman" in WWE. The women's division was easily the main roster's hottest ticket this year. It was a dramatic bounce back from a disappointing 2017.
What made the ascendancy of the women even more remarkable is that throughout much of the year, despite a hot start with the first women's Royal Rumble match, the division was cold, suffering under the doldrums of Alexa Bliss' Carmella's, and Nia Jax's title reigns.
Things got back on track at SummerSlam, and it's been nothing but a blistering pace since. The first women's pay per view, Evolution, easily exceeded the men's-only Crown Jewel event in quality and the women's division is now at the forefront of most fans' thoughts as WrestleMania season approaches. The division has earned the right to main event the Show of Shows this year.
WWE had some very good women's matches in 2018, but these were the best of them.
#10 Io Shirai vs. Rhea Ripley (Mae Young Classic, October 24th)
We saw the future in this match, and the future looked bright. Io Shirai's arrival in WWE heralded great anticipation, but Rhea Ripley looked like a shining star in this match against arguably the best female wrestler on the planet.
Improving vastly from her 2017 Mae Young Classic performances, Ripley took Shirai to the limit, displaying her overwhelming power against her much smaller opponent. Shirai, for her part, demonstrated that she could play the imperiled babyface as much as she could the wrestling machine of her shining reputation.
Shirai would ultimately put Ripley away after a long, drawn out battle. Her speed and experience had served her well.
Ripley would become the inaugural NXT UK Women's Champion about a month later.