Tag: Stratus

No one has helped revolutionize women’s wrestling more than Trish Stratus, the WWE Hall of Famer and record seven-time WWE Women’s Champion. Stratus, along with her greatest rival, Lita, were the first women to main event Monday Night Raw and showed that women could, and would, grapple as well as the men, and were more than just pretty faces on the screen.

In an exclusive interview with ScreenRant ahead of the Royal Rumble, Stratus spoke about the introduction of the Women’s midcard championships, her thoughts on the inaugural champions, Chelsea Green and Lyra Valkyria, and how it’s helped the women’s division become just as dominant as the men’s roster. When asked what advice she’d give to the new champions, Stratus had some strong advice for Green.

I would tell Chelsea Green to stop being such a b*tch. That might help. You know, people really dislike her, and sometimes in life, you won’t get far if you’re disliked, you know? You may become US Champion but a lot of people don’t like you and people want friends. So Chelsea Green, if you want friends, stop being a b*tch.

Could Stratus Strong Words For Chelsea Green Set Up Rumble Drama?

Not Sure If It Was Advice Or A Warning, To Be Honest

Could those be fighting words? The Rumble is as much about micro-narratives as it is about the showcase itself, and the most memorable moments add a greater level of emotional depth than flashy spots. With rumors of Stratus’ potential participation in the Royal Rumble match, her comments set up the tantalizing prospect of one of those mini-storylines during the 2025 tentpole. According to WrestleVotes, Stratus’ participation in the Royal Rumble has been discussed, which would mark the Hall of Famer’s first appearance since her match with Becky Lynch at WWE Payback in 2023:

I know it’s been discussed. I know she will be in Indianapolis, I know WWE is bringing her in. I don’t know specifically if it is for a Rumble appearance, but I know it’s been discussed. There’s only so many women’s legends they can call on, especially those that can still do it, and she’s one of them.

Such conflict would represent something of a cyclical moment for Green, whose WWE debut was intended to build towards a copycat storyline that would have emulated how Stratus was booked with Micke James 15 years earlier. Reports from Fightful Select confirmed Green had filmed segments with James before plans changed at the last minute:

The story had a pretty solid plan and we’re told that several in creative were very excited about it, but it inexplicably got scrapped. The story that we’ve heard would have had Mickie James put in Trish Stratus’ shoes from 15 years ago.

It went a lot further than a pitch. We’re told that Mickie James and Chelsea Green had actually filmed content to start the angle. Everything was a go, and plans were abruptly changed only hours before it was set to air. Green didn’t appear on TV for months after.

In a notably different tone, Stratus also revealed her thoughts on Lyra Valkyria:

And Lyra is awesome, and I’m so excited to see her get this opportunity. I feel like she came in with a bang and I was waiting for the momentum. It felt like it stopped a little bit. I think this is a great way to catapult her and just continue the momentum that she deserves.

Stratus Loves The New Women’s Midcard Titles

She Sees Them As Another Building Step In The Women’s Division

In 2024, WWE introduced two new Women’s championships to the division, giving exposure to their rising stars who weren’t in the main event picture just yet. Stratus sees this as a win for the division, and that the women can finally be seen as equals to their male counterparts in WWE.

“[I] Love it, and it’s just things that – I’ll tell you what, me being back at this present time around and seeing it all happen is everything we wished for back in the day. So [I’m] seeing it and [it’s] still in my time, it’s happening. Even when I got to go back and dip my toes in the water of the current landscape was very special to me, like even to be in a cage match, something I would’ve never thought could have been a possibility.

So to see now, like we are – and I used to say, ‘man, if we could be just equal with the men…’ It’s not even about the length of the match or anything like that, it’s just like viewed equally, equal contributors to the show as a whole. I think you’ll see more exposure for the women, more opportunities for the women, and I think it’s fantastic.

Stratus’ comments actually echo those of Chelsea Green, who recently spoke to “The Sports Agents” to reveal how Paul Levesque’s tenure as WWE’s driving force has changed the culture for the company’s female stars:

I come to work, I love my job, I feel safe, I feel supported. Triple H makes women specifically feel absolutely equal to men,” Green commented. “We are out there main eventing WrestleManias now, something that unfortunately that previous era didn’t get to experience but they set the table for us and now we’re sitting at it. We’re enjoying these amazing meals, and I couldn’t be happier.

WWE‘s 2025 Royal Rumble takes place on Saturday, February 1st from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN, with an earlier start time of 6pm ET/3pm PT on Peacock and Netflix around the world. Check your local listings for start times in your area.