ESPN Reveals Full List Of WWE Stars And Air Dates For Stephanie McMahon's 'Stephanie's Places'

The premiere date for the newest ESPN Original Series has now been set. Stephanie’s Places, produced by Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions in partnership with ESPN and WWE, will debut Wednesday, March 26 on ESPN+.

The 10-episode series will follow Stephanie McMahon as she explores the pockets of America that helped shape the journeys of some of the most famous names in WWE history. Names like CM Punk, John Cena, Roman Reigns, Rhea Ripley, Stone Cold Steve Austin and the reigning WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.

"WWE has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” said Stephanie McMahon. “I’m looking forward to having viewers join me as we visit some of the most iconic stars of past and present, in places of meaning for them, and hear how they overcame adversity to become who they are today.”

“The world of WWE has never been more popular and exciting than it is right now,” said Peyton Manning. “There is no one better than Stephanie to tell the stories of WWE’s greatest stars and uncover the moments that shaped them.”

New episodes of Stephanie’s Places will premiere every Wednesday at 12 a.m. ET on ESPN+ and will also be available to stream on Hulu and Disney+ for Disney Bundle subscribers.

April 2 - The Return of CM Punk

Stephanie McMahon visits her husband and WWE Chief Content Officer, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, at the new WWE Headquarters before she heads to Cleveland for SummerSlam, where she meets up with CM Punk who reflects on his shocking return to the WWE after nearly a decade away from the ring.

April 2 - Cody Rhodes Takes Center Stage

Stephanie meets with “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes at the historic Center Stage Theater in Atlanta, the former home of the WCW. Cody shares his unique path to WWE stardom and what he envisions as his legacy.

April 9 - Rhea Ripley’s Rise

Stephanie visits the WWE Performance Center in Orlando where she meets up with Rhea Ripley and the WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels to discuss how the next generation of stars are trained. Later, Rhea surprises Stephanie with a dramatic makeover to prepare for a wild entrance.

April 16 - Stone Cold Rides Again

Stephanie spends a day with Steve Austin at Broken Skull Ranch to learn about how he became ‘Stone Cold’ and life after the WWE. The two end their day with Stephanie experiencing Steve’s newest adventure: off-road racing.

April 23 - The Evolution of Charlotte Flair

Stephanie meets up with the “Queen”, Charlotte Flair at Nassau Coliseum to discuss the origins and evolution of women in the WWE, before they take a helicopter to MetLife to relive her epic WrestleMania 35 arrival.

April 30 - Roman Reigns and The Bloodline

Stephanie hits the open waters of Miami on a yacht with Roman Reigns and “The Bloodline” to discuss the Anoa'i family's wrestling legacy. Stephanie then enjoys some traditional Samoan cuisine alongside the family, including a unique delicacy.

May 7 - Pat McAfee Can’t Be Stopped

Stephanie sits down with Pat McAfee to find out how the art of a WWE “promo” helped him become one of the biggest names in sports and entertainment. A visit to Indianapolis allows Stephanie to pick Pat’s brain and hear his unlikely journey from NFL punter to podcaster and his dream job at WWE.

May 14 - Digging Deep with Undertaker

Stephanie heads to Madison Square Garden, the location of the first WrestleMania, and meets up with The Undertaker. They discuss his career and his own iconic moments at the Garden.

May 21 - Triple H’s Perfect Entrance

Stephanie and Triple H examine the power of an iconic WWE entrance, later they head to Las Vegas to get a first-hand look at the pageantry and spectacle that can only be found at WrestleMania.

May 28 - John Cena’s Final Round

Stephanie meets up with John Cena as he reflects on his incredible 20-plus year sports entertainment journey. She gets a tour of his personal gym and sees how one of the most decorated WWE Superstars of all time stays at the top of his game as he winds down his incredible career.

Sports Illustrated's 10 Greatest WWE Women's Wrestlers Of All Time

Women's wrestling is more popular than it has ever been in WWE. Some of the biggest stars, matches and moments are now centered around the talented ladies on the roster.

Throughout WWE history, many female stars have stood head and shoulders ahead of the pack. Whether it be dominating every other woman or moving over to compete against the men, these ladies have defined what it means to excel in the company.

Based on their career accomplishments in the company, match quality, promos, character work, impact, influence and legacy, here are the 10 greatest WWE women's wrestlers of all time.

10. Alundra Blayze/Madusa
9. Bianca Belair
8. Asuka
7. Chyna
6. Bayley
5. Sasha Banks
4. Lita
3. Trish Stratus
2. Charlotte Flair
1. Becky Lynch

*Honorable mentions: The Bella Twins, Mickie James, Beth Phoenix, AJ Lee and Victoria

Ric Flair Appears At NWA 73

Former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair returned home at tonight's NWA 73 event in St. Louis.

Flair thanked a number of people including Vince McMahon, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, and Steve Austin. He told Vince McMahon, "I love you. That’s why I’m here" and said that as long as he is alive he will never let people forget about the NWA which made him a star back in the day.

Flair mentioned that Vince knows this is where he belongs. He thanked Triple H for not giving up on him during his time in WWE and mentioned the NWA Title is hanging in Triple H’s office. Flair said Shawn Michaels and Taker carried him at the age of 59. Flair said that Steve Austin always asks him to tell NWA stories.

He went on to tell a Harley Race story and mention some of the greats of NWA. He also thanked Randy Orton and Bob Orton and wants Randy to one day to break his prestigious title record. He also mentioned his kids.

Flair also had praise for NWA owner Billy Corgan and joked about how he thought the company wanted him to challenge Worlds Champion Nick Aldis.  Flair hit the ropes and then did his strut and said that Corgan only wanted him to talk and not get back in the ring.

Ric Flair and Steve Austin Play Word Association

The next “Broken Skull Sessions” episode on the WWE Network will air this Sunday with WWE Hall of Famers Steve Austin, the host, and Ric Flair.

Stone Cold played “word association” with The Nature Boy. Austin gave Flair several names of Superstars and Hall of Famers, and here are his replies:

* Randy Orton – Unbelievable

* Triple H – Not only a great worker but a great executive

* Ricky Steamboat – The greatest of all-time

* WWE NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair – The G.O.A.T. for the women’s division

* Sting – One of the greatest guys I’ve ever known

* Shawn Michaels – The greatest in-ring performer of all-time (Austin agreed)

Record Number Of Fans Switch To WWE NXT After AEW Dynamite For Charlotte Flair Vs. Bianca Belair End

A large number of fans made the switch after AEW Dynamite on TNT to WWE NXT on the USA Network to catch the end of the Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair main event last Wednesday night.  

The closing segment of the Revolution go-home edition of Dynamite, which was the Jon Moxley vs. Chris Jericho weigh-ins, drew higher than the Flair vs. Belair match, but more than 227,000 viewers switched from TNT to the USA Network after Dynamitewent off the air, to catch the end of Flair vs. Belair in the overrun, according to Wrestling Observer Radio.

This was the largest switch from TNT to the USA Network since the Wednesday Night War began.

While more than 227,000 fans tuned in forthe final 5 minutes of Flair vs. Belair in the NXT overrun, there was reportedly a "giant switch" back to TNT for the AEW "Countdown to Revolution" special when Miz & Mrs. came on the USA Network.

Dynamite ended up drawing 865,000 viewers on TNT, topping the 717,000 viewers garnered by NXT on the USA Network by 21%. You can click here for last week's Dynamite vs. NXT viewership report, and you can click here for the report on the Countdown vs. Miz & Mrs. viewership.

WWE "Fight Like A Girl" Series Details With Stephanie McMahon And Various Superstars

WWE has announced new details on their "Fight Like a Girl" series with Quibi.

It was announced today that individual episodes will be lead by RAW Women's Champion Becky Lynch, The Bella Twins, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss, Sonya Deville, Paige, Nia Jax, and Natalya.

WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon will be featured in each episode as she pairs a WWE Superstar with a young woman struggling with personal issues. The episodes were filmed at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. Stephanie is also an Executive Producer of the series.

"This strong cast of Superstars are leaders and role models who each have personal stories of challenge, perseverance and triumph," Stephanie said in the announcement. "We are thrilled to have them on board to help young women find both their inner and outer strength and overcome adversity in their lives."

Below is the full announcement issued by WWE today:

QUIBI AND WWE ANNOUNCE SUPERSTARS IN FIGHT LIKE A GIRL

LOS ANGELES, CA and STAMFORD, Conn., January 15, 2020 - Quibi and WWE today announced the WWE Superstars participating in the transformational series Fight Like a Girl. Leading individual episodes of the upcoming series are WWE Superstars Sasha Banks, Brie Bella, Nikki Bella, Alexa Bliss, Sonya Deville, Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, Becky Lynch and Natalya.
In each episode of Fight Like a Girl, Stephanie McMahon pairs a WWE Superstar with a young woman struggling with a personal issue that has been holding her back. The WWE Superstars draw from their own life experiences to help their trainees overcome obstacles and become tougher, stronger and healthier versions of their former selves inside and out.

"This strong cast of Superstars are leaders and role models who each have personal stories of challenge, perseverance and triumph," said Stephanie McMahon, WWE Chief Brand Officer. "We are thrilled to have them on board to help young women find both their inner and outer strength and overcome adversity in their lives."

Shot at the world-famous WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, each episode features a stunning transformation and heart-pounding reveal as the women change their lives forever.

Produced by WWE Studios and Critical Content. Executive Producers are Stephanie McMahon, Susan Levison and Ben Zierten for WWE Studios, and Tom Forman, Jenny Daly and Jon Beyer for Critical Content.

WrestleMania to feature first-ever women's main event

For the first time in WWE history, a women’s match will be the main event of WrestleMania as the Raw Women’s Championship Match featuring Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch will take place on Sunday, April 7, in front of a capacity crowd at MetLife Stadium and streaming live on WWE Network around the world.  

Ronda Rousey is the current Raw Women’s Champion, Olympic medalist, the first female UFC Champion and the first woman to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. She is also an actress and New York Times bestselling author. Charlotte Flair is a seven-time Champion in WWE, a former Division 1 volleyball player, philanthropist and author. She is the daughter of two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair. Becky Lynch is the 2019 Women's Royal Rumble winner, a two-time SmackDown Women's Champion and was named Wrestler of the Year by both Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports in 2018. She was also the first woman ever to top ESPN’s WWE Power Rankings.

At WrestleMania 32 in 2016, WWE re-branded the Divas Division the Women’s Division and unveiled a new Women’s Championship title. Since that time, the women’s evolution has placed a greater spotlight on WWE’s female Superstars, including more prominent storylines and deeper character development that showcases their athleticism, charisma and star power.

Last October, WWE held it’s first-ever all-women’s pay-per-view event, Evolution, in front of a sold-out crowd and millions more watching on WWE Network.

Charlotte Flair To Appear In ESPN's Annual Body Issue

SmackDown Live superstar Charlotte Flair will appear in ESPN's 10th annual Body issue, celebrating the athletic form when it hits newsstands June 29. 

Flair will appear with fellow athletes from various sports, celebrating athletics and healthy bodies by posing in tastefully naked poses. 

Taking to Twitter, the former Women's Champion said it was a huge honour to be selected.

RAW superstar Ronda Rousey posed for the magazine in 2012, during her time with UFC.

The announced athletes taking part will be:

Charlotte Flair (WWE superstar)Saquon Barkley (American Footballer, NY Giants)Adam Rippon (Olympic Figure Skater)Megan Rapinoe (American Soccer Player, Seattle Reign)Breanna Stewart (Basketball Player, Seattle Storm)Sue Bird (Basketball Player, Seattle Storm)Jerry Rice (Retired American Footballer)Greg Norman (Golfer)Jessie Diggins (Cross Country Skier)Tori Bowie (Track and field Athlete)Karl-Anthony Towns (Basketball Player, Minnesota Timberwolves)Dallas Keuchel (Baseball player, Houston Astros)Yasiel Puig (Baseball player, Los Angeles Dodgers)Laura Chamberlain (Softball player)Crystal Dunn (American Soccer Player)Zlatan Ibrahimovic (European Football player, LA Galaxy)

Triple H Talks Sending The Rock A Photo Of Himself From WrestleMania This Year, Rock's Response

Triple H was among a panel of WWE stars interviewed by Stephanie McMahon during the WWE FYC (For Your Consideration) event in North Hollywood, California. The event was held for the purposes of campaigning for a 2018 Emmy Award nomination under the industry of entertainment.

Stephanie asked Triple H about how it is transitioning from WWE superstar to heading the talent relations and creative department in WWE.

"I think that when you're a WWE superstar, obviously the greatest part of what we get to do, putting smiles on people's faces," Triple H said. "We're doing all this stuff, but there's this, it's hard to even put it into words. There's a picture of me out front from WrestleMania this year. I noticed when I walked in today. And, what I noticed about the picture, with HD television and camera work now, I noticed that it's a shot of Steph and I from WrestleMania, and my legs are covered with goosebumps. I immediately took a snapshot of it and sent it to The Rock to say, 'dude, look at my legs.' We used to talk about this all the time, the passion for what we do when you have that moment in front of 80,000 people where your whole body, it's electric. There's no other way to describe it, but it just goes into automatic and you're covered with goosebumps and it's just this insane adrenaline thing.

"Rock sent me a note back like two seconds later and was like, 'oh my God. If it wouldn't be totally weird, I would blow this up right now and put this on my trailer wall as an inspiration.' I said, I know, that's why I trimmed it a certain way just to show my leg, 'cuz it was cold at WrestleMania (smiles), but [Rock] said that nobody can understand that like we can, it's something of the WWE. So at that point in my life, nothing greater than that. I can honestly say that step into where I am now, that pales in comparison to seeing a person with a dream."

Triple H used Charlotte – who was also on the panel – as an example as someone who came to him "lost" and looking for an opportunity to having Ric Flair calling her for inspiration and inspiring a generation of young women to achieve their dreams.

As far as NXT, Triple H calls them his "kids," and said that leading the NXT brand has been the greatest part of his WWE career so far.

Triple H On Vince McMahon's Thoughts On Charlotte And Sasha Banks Headlining HIAC

Triple H recently spoke with the Gorilla Position podcast after making an appearance on this past episode of Raw. Here are some of the highlights:

Sasha Banks and Charlotte in the Hell in a Cell main event:

"We didn't give them the main event, they earned the main event. They earned it by knocking the ball out of the park each and every night. Vince [McMahon] had to have confidence that Charlotte and Sasha could close out Hell in a Cell inside Hell in a Cell, for the first time ever and make that entire event deliver."

The evolution of women's wrestling:

"We changed the business with a handful of girls in NXT - Paige, Emma, Natalya and Charlotte and then Sasha and Bayley. I am so proud of them. I feel like a dad - I am more nervous than when I walk out at WrestleMania. I have watched them become stars and represent themselves so well in interviews. When you build something from nothing and they deliver to that level it makes you so proud. They have come so far, so fast and will continue to get that opportunity because they deliver."

Charlotte / Sasha Banks / Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 32:

"You had all these things happening where women in athletics were becoming more prominent and accepted - Venus and Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, the US women's soccer team. It was a perfect opportunity to put our athletes, who I argue are among the best in the world, out there in that manner - it made my job easy knowing they had the ability to steal the show."

Triple H also discussed his progression from full-time performer to working in a backstage role. You can hear the entire interview by clicking here.

Rolling Stone Ranks The 10 Best WWE Wrestlers Of 2016

Rolling Stone recently published their list of the 10 best WWE Superstars of 2016:

1. AJ Styles
2. Charlotte Flair
3. Chris Jericho
4. Sasha Banks
5. Bill Goldberg
6. Kevin Owens
7. Heath Slater
8. The Miz
9. Seth Rollins
10. Enzo & Cass

First-Ever Hell In A Cell Match for the WWE Women's Division

Last week, Wrestling Observer Radio reported that Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks for the WWE RAW Women's Title at Hell In a Cell would take place inside the Cell structure. Sasha issued a Cell challenge on tonight's RAW and the challenge was accepted. This is the first-ever Cell match for the women's division.

Rumor Mill - Details On Bo Dallas Being Kicked Off Plane, Seth Rollins Heat With Airport Gate Agents

There was an incident with Bo Dallas at the Dallas Fort Worth airport this past Friday. The details were first posted on Twitter by Steven Bell, who hosts The Late Shift podcast.

Uh oh. It would appear as though Bo has been kicked off the plane for being too intoxicated.

— Steven (@StevenFnBell) August 26, 2016

Bell told wrestlinginc.com that his wife called him from the airport to tell him that there were a bunch of wrestlers at the airport, like Roman Reigns, Bayley and Rusev. While he was talking to her, she told him that Charlotte, Bo Dallas and one of the Usos were hanging out at an airport restaurant. She said that their flight was delayed, so they were there for a few hours. In the background while talking to his wife, he could hear Bo Dallas singing a song from The Lion King as the wrestlers were leaving the restaurant to go board.

Bell said that his wife was not on the same plane as the wrestlers, but she saw Bo Dallas being escorted off the plane by the pilot. A flight attendant told Dallas that he couldn't board because of his condition. Bo was trying to get back on and was denied, and he told the pilot to "f--k themselves." He also told gate agents to "f--k themselves" before walking off.

Staff were apparently attempting to book him on a later flight when he blew up on them. Wife said he was being really loud and belligerent

— Steven (@StevenFnBell) August 27, 2016

When asked about his tweet about Seth Rollins being "a d-ck." He said that his wife overheard gate agents saying that Rollins was a d-ck.

Confirmation from boarding staff that Bo was booted for being drunk. And apparently Rollins is a dick.

— Steven (@StevenFnBell) August 26, 2016

Police arrived at the scene, but it is not known if Bo actually got arrested. Bo was arrested for drunk driving in 2013, however there are no arrest records for him from over the weekend.

Oh shit. Police have arrived at the terminal and are going off with the managers to look for the very disruptive Bo Dallas.

— Steven (@StevenFnBell) August 26, 2016

Bo was scheduled to compete at last night's WWE live event in Puebla, where he was slated to team with Curtis Axel to face The Usos. Bo was not at the event, and Jey Uso faced Axel in a singles match instead, with Jimmy Uso in Jey's corner.

The Four Horsewomen of WWE

WWE is undergoing a massive change, thanks, in no small part, to the Four Horsewomen—four preternaturally fierce and gifted wrestlers who frequently outshine their male counterparts. Meet Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Bayley, who are quickly ushering in a new era...More?

source: gq.com

Recap of Triple H's Facebook Q & A

The following are the highlights of Triple H’s appearance on Facebook Live following the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II event.

-Cathy Kelley interviewed Triple H backstage at Barclays Center. They both raved about the live special. He said that changing the entire industry last year and to come back and do this tonight shows that NXT is on fire and is getting bigger and bigger. Kelley raved about how NXT sold out Barclays two years in a row.

-Hunter also spoke with pride about taking NXT to Australia and New Zealand. He said WWE Network is everywhere so they can go anywhere. He said they are at a point where they have to pick and choose.

-Kelley asked what Asuka defeating Bayley means for Bayley. “I guess we will see,” Hunter said with a smile. He said Brooklyn is Bayley’s city and she could be the honorary mayor. He said whether she wins or loses, she lights the place on fire. He said the crowd gave her a standing ovation and the people went crazy for her. Hunter said Asuka is on a different level right now and he doesn’t seen anyone touching her in the NXT women’s division anytime soon.

-Kelley mentioned Shinsuke Nakamura becoming the new NXT Champion and how he and Asuka are international talents who hold titles. Hunter said it speaks to the brand. He said everyone wants to be in NXT. “In my opinion, it’s the hottest brand going right now,” he said.

-Kelley asked about the various wrestlers who have been called up to Raw and Smackdown and how it affects NXT. Hunter said that if you look at last year’s show in Brooklyn, the wrestlers who were on it are the main roster of WWE today. He said you’ll see the first NXT Champion Seth Rollins face the longest reigning NXT Champion Finn Balor at SummerSlam. He also mentioned Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte. He said he watched those wrestlers come through NXT and put it on the map. He said he couldn’t be more proud of all of them. He said that when you look at what NXT did this year, it was a completely different group of people. “The talent pool here is as deep as it’s ever been and will continue to be that because we’re going to continue to create the future and the future always evolves,” he said. Hunter said the secret of NXT is that they will always deliver something “new, fresh, and exciting.”

-Hunter went out of his way to mention the Nakamura entrance. “Who would have predicted a violin player, at a WWE event, just lighting the place up?” he asked. Hunter said it was amazing and Nakamura is “just one of those once in a lifetime athletes who can come in and captivate the world.”

Ric Flair Talks Charlotte Losing the Womens Title, Randy Orton’s WWE Return, Batista’s Success, Triple H, His Run with Evolution and More

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair recently spoke with Ted Gruber of Fansided.com and below are some interview highlights:

Evolution was based on the 4 Horseman in sense when it was introduced to the WWE in 2003. Looking back at that stable, was it something that the WWE needed at the time?

“It was an amazing time and I enjoyed every second of it. All the respect to Triple H who put us all together. It was a little more conservative than the 4 Horseman but equally just as fun. It was a great opportunity for me to have a good time, and I always do.

Randy is back and looks like a million dollars. Dave has a brand of his own that has taken off. And look at Hunter who is virtually running the company. I am proud of all three of them for improving their wrestling careers and other opportunities outside of the wrestling business.”

Your daughter recently dropped her Women’s Championship to Sasha Banks a couple of weeks ago. What does that mean to you after watching that match and seeing her passing on the title that she held for a very long time?

“She didn’t lose anything. She proved to everyone in the world that she is the greatest athlete in the WWE and the greatest women’s champion of all time. There’s no disgrace losing to Sasha. She had it for 307 days which is such a long time in a sport that is so very competitive. I’m so proud of her and she has such a positive attitude. She’s looking forward to the rematch and so am I.”

New WWE Champs How'd We Celebrate??? Sushi & Miller Lite!!!

Newly crowned WWE champs Roman Reigns and Charlotte Flair are about to answer the most important question about being a brand new champion ... WHAT DO YOU EAT TO CELEBRATE?!

We got the duo leaving NBC in NY and tossed the question ... and the Wrestlemania 32 conquerors both fessed up immediately ... although they were on totally opposite ends of the spectrum.

Check out the clip -- Roman played the part of the simple man while Charlotte -- yes, Rick's daughter -- talked about the fancy food she ate on the jet to NYC (Nature Boy would be proud).

Congrats.

source: tmz.com

A Redefining Moment

Stephanie McMahon wrote the following for The Players Tribune:

For three straight days, during February of 2015, #GiveDivasAChance was a trending topic.

Three. Straight. Days.

The message from our fan base around the world during those 72 hours was resounding: They wanted to see our female performers in more prominent storylines, with deeper character development, and they wanted to see them compete in longer matches. This sentiment resonated so strongly throughout WWE that our Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon responded with a tweet of his own, “We hear you, keep watching #GiveDivasAChance.”

“Divas” is how WWE branded our female performers starting in 2008, in an effort to give them a more prominent role. As a point of reference, our male performers are known as Superstars. It was so successful, it led to the creation of a WWE reality show, Total Divas, and launched the careers of those who have become household names, like the Bella Twins, Natalya, Paige, Alicia Fox and Eva Marie.

Now, fast forward to Monday Night RAW on July 13, 2015. That night, when my music, “Welcome to the Queendom,” hit the arena, I strode to the ring with my shoulders back and head held high (versus my character’s normal villainous strut) because I knew I was about to make a historic announcement.

I began by speaking about the revolution around women in sports, referencing Ronda Rousey’s breakthrough success as the first UFC women’s champion, Venus and Serena Williams’ overwhelming popularity transcending tennis and the United States Women’s National Team’s World Cup-clinching victory garnering more viewers than any other soccer game in history. I made it clear that our female performers were going to have that same opportunity in WWE.

This “movement” became known as the Divas Revolution, and the truth is, it began long before I made that announcement. I simply had the privilege of bringing it to life by introducing to WWE’s main roster three of the four women who had been stealing the show as a part of our third brand, NXT, with their unrivaled athleticism, their ability to captivate the audience and their undeniable charisma. As I said their names, the crowd erupted and jumped to their feet. They were Charlotte, the daughter of WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair; the “Irish lass kicker” Becky Lynch; and “The Boss” Sasha Banks.

These were the same three women who competed tonight in front of a record crowd of more than 100,000 at our biggest event of the year, WrestleMania, in a triple threat match for the championship.

Only, they didn’t compete for the Divas Championship. Instead, they competed for the Women’s Championship. This blockbuster announcement was made, as a surprise to our audience, tonight at WrestleMania by WWE Hall of Famer Lita.

Lita made reference to all of the pioneers who have led the way for this transition, including “The Great” Mae Young, Fabulous Moolah, Wendi Richter, Sensational Sherri, Trish Stratus and recent Hall of Fame inductee Jacqueline. She spoke of her pride in the Divas Division, the evolution of the Women’s Division, and then she revealed the physical symbol of this transition: a brand new WWE Women’s Championship belt with the same aesthetics as the male WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt. This title belt represents the pinnacle of achievement in pro wrestling — and shows that in WWE, it isn’t about gender, race or ethnicity. It is simply about being the best at what you do.

The role of women in WWE has continued to evolve. For the first time in WWE history, Sasha Banks and Bayley became the first women to main event an NXT pay-per-view, and they tore the house down. In fact, their match the month before at NXT TakeOver was voted “match of the year” by our fan base. And earlier tonight, at WrestleMania, Charlotte, Sasha and Becky competed in a triple threat match, which ultimately saw Charlotte leave as the champion.

Our female performers are world-class athletes, actors, public speakers and philanthropists. They’re role models, inspiring and empowering women and girls to be confident and strong. They dedicate themselves to WWE, achieve great success and earn the same respect as their male counterparts.

Therefore, from this point forward, all of our performers – male and female – will be known as “Superstars.”

WWE Announces WrestleMania Week TV Appearances For John Cena, Stephanie McMahon, The Flairs, Others

WWE takes over the airwaves starting March 24 with Sheamus appearing on "Conan" on TBS at 11/10 p.m. C.

Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair and his daughter – WWE Divas Champion Charlotte – will appear on the March 25 episode of "Boomer & Carton" on WFAN and CBS Sports Network starting at 6/5 a.m. C.

The Celtic Warrior will also appear on the March 28 episode of "Men in Blazers" on NBC Sports Network and NBCSports.com at 11/10 p.m. C.

On March 27, WWE Chief Brand officer Stephanie McMahon will be featured in a special segment on "CBS Sunday Morning" at 9/8 a.m. C.

John Cena returns to NBC's "TODAY' as co-host during the 9 a.m. hour for three days beginning on March 28. Cena will also appear on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" on Tuesday, March 29, at 11:30/10:30 C on NBC.

Also, starting on March 28 with an appearance by Brock Lesnar, WWE will be featured on ESPN throughout WrestleMania Week, including appearances by Stephanie McMahon, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Triple H, Shane McMahon and The Undertaker.

Eva Marie will appear on Hallmark Channel's "Home & Family" on March 28 at 10/9 a.m. C.

Check your local listings for exact times and channels.

WWE Diva Natalya: 'NXT has given hope to women on the main roster'

Digital Spy recently interviewed Natalya to promote the current season of Total Divas, which airs every Tuesday at 9pm on E!. Below are a few highlights:

Possibly headlining a WWE pay-per-view:

"Especially with the direction the Divas are going in, and how much they've been investing in the Divas lately with the whole Divas Revolution and all, I could totally see myself and Charlotte having a main event match. WWE is really starting to take notice of the women - much as a trend that the rest of society is taking notice of what Ronda Rousey has done."

The evolution of women's wrestling:

"You look at Bayley and Sasha at TakeOver: Brooklyn and the Iron Man Match [at TakeOver: Respect]. I've told both girls that both those matches were so good because it got you emotionally. It wasn't just about Bayley or Sasha doing cool moves. They made you care, they made you feel something. When people make you feel something, you don't forget it. That's why I have to say that NXT has really helped give the girls some hope. Now we're being allowed to do the same thing on the main roster. A lot of us - from myself, to the Bella Twins, to Alicia Fox, Paige, Naomi, Tamina - we all want to have the same opportunities that the NXT girls have. The fact that Triple H has spearheaded it is cool."

Natalya also discussed how WWE has changed for women since she started, Triple H helping make change, wanting to regain the WWE Divas Championship and more. You can read the full interview by clicking here.