William Regal Praises Two Stars As The Foundation Of Women’s Revolution

William Regal has heaped praise on two competitors who feels were the ones to kickstart the women’s revolution in WWE.

Being crowned inaugural NXT Champion, Paige had an extended rivalry with Emma (now known as Tenille Dashwood) who she defeated to win the title. The pair would also go on to face each other again at NXT Arrival, in the first women’s match aired on the WWE and one in which Paige was once again victorious.

This encounter in particular acted as a flagship match, since it was given plenty of time as part of the show rather than the few minutes which was typical of a women’s contest on the main roster at the time.

In a discussion on his Gentleman Villain podcast, William Regal has had plenty to say on the influence Paige and Emma had on the current state of women’s wrestling in WWE.

Paige came into the ring as the WWE Divas Champion at the time. And, you know, I’m going to, so we don’t have to go into this again, I’m gonna have to give Paige an Emma the highest compliment I can give them is that they were the two people before the four horsewomen and everybody else they, Paige and Emma were the people, the two ladies that set all that in motion as far as being where everything went from then onwards.

And it’s weird to see that TakeOver, because if you’d have asked me, I wouldn’t have thought Paige had gone to the main roster by then. You know, it’s just, that’s how quick all the time goes. And I remember being there the first night she debuted, we were in New Orleans and I remember talking to her afterwards and going oh this is it. But you know, the rides about to start whatever you’ve just done in NXT the rides about to start now.

But we’re probably not gonna get to that until another episode but I’m saying it right now. Paige and Emma were the foundation of whatever came out of the incredible run of ladies that came through NXT and all that the happenings afterwards. They were the two starting ladies that sort of got attention on everybody.

William Regal went on to note the fact that neither woman was involved in a TakeOver event, with Arrival taking place before TakeOvers became part of the NXT schedule.

And they never got to do a TakeOver. You think they would have done right? You think they were part of that but it was before their time? I mean, sorry, it was after their time was before the TakeOver started. But Paige was actually on the main roster as the Divas Champion. That’s incredible.

Paige held the NXT Women’s Championship up until her debut on the main roster, confronting AJ Lee on Monday Night Raw after WrestleMania 30 and winning the red brand’s title. At this point she was forced to relinquish the NXT title, which was won in a tournament by Charlotte Flair.

Paige has recently left WWE, with her first appearances on the independent scene starting to be confirmed.

With thanks to Inside The Ropes for the transcription.