WWE found themselves in some hot water this week when they announced the first-ever Women’s Battle Royal at the upcoming WrestleMania 34 event would be named after the highly-controversial Fabulous Moolah.
Thanks to a wave of backlash on social media and a public statement from event sponsor Snickers, WWE made an abrupt change within 48 hours of the original announcement, renaming it the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Stephanie McMahon was asked about the change by PWInsider during the WrestleMania 35 announcement press conference on Friday, and claimed she and the WWE officials were happy to make the change.
“I love that the WWE audience expressed their opinions, whether they are positive or negative,” McMahon said. “I think that it is our responsibility to listen to our audience and do our best to give them what they want. Clearly, they did not want to name the Women’s Battle Royal after The Fabulous Moolah. We were really proud that they spoke up and we were really happy to make that change.”
She was also asked if any other female wrestler had been chosen to replace Moolah in the match title, and she assured that the title WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal would be the official title going forward.
The match’s announcement was made in a video package on this week’s Monday Night Raw, with multiple current and former WWE female wrestlers talking about the great legacy Moolah left behind without acknowledging some of the questionable reports about her legacy.
In a statement regarding the name, Snickers’ parent company Mars Wrigley Confectionary US wrote, “We were recently made aware of the World Wrestling Entertainment Inc’s (WWE) decision to honor a former wrestler during the upcoming WrestleMania 34 event. As a principle-based business that has long championed creating inclusive environments that encourage and empower everyone to reach their full potential, this is unacceptable. We are engaging with the WWE to express our disappointment.”
McMahon thanked the fans for their vocal opinions via Twitter once the name change was announced.
Thank you @WWEUniverse for using your voice. What remains most important is that the “@WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal” will be a historic match and is part of @WWE’s unwavering commitment to our Women’s Division. #WomensEvolution #ChangeTheName
— Stephanie McMahon (@StephMcMahon) March 15, 2018
“We are very pleased that WWE has decided to proceed with the name ‘WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal,’” McMahon wrote.
The match is the third announced women’s bout for the WrestleMania 34 card, which already includes SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair taking on Royal Rumble winner Asuka and Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle taking on McMahon and Triple H in a mixed tag match.
