Jim Ross recently talked about a wide range of topics on his Grilling JR podcast.
During it, the WWE Hall of Famer looked back on when WWE talent was furious when Trish Stratus and Lita main evented Monday Night Raw back in 2004. This was the first-ever women’s main event in WWE history.
“Rhea Ripley is a big star,” Ross stressed. “You know, I watched the Trish vs. Lita WWE Rivalries episode on A&E, and I felt very moved by all that because I signed them both. They weren’t on top of anybody’s list, they weren’t five-star prospects, and they had not become superstars in the Indies. I met them [at] different times and places when I was EVP of [WWE] Talent Relations, and we brought them in, and the rest is history. They were the first females to main event Raw, which I thought was great,” Ross continued. “That’s a lot bigger deal — even today — than people give it credit for.”
Ross stated there were “many pissed-off wrestlers with testicles” who were upset when they found out about the main event.
“What the hell is going on here?” Ross recalled a reaction from an unnamed wrestler. “They [Lita and Stratus] deserved the opportunity, and they delivered.”
Ross stated Lita and Stratus paved the way for someone like Ripley to become a big star.
“What encourages me about [Rhea’s growth] is that we have some females in AEW that are this close to breaking out and climbing over that barrier. I believe that, between now and the end of the year, it is going to be one of the most eye-opening times in pro wrestling history.”
H/T to Wrestling Inc