WWE will add the Royal Rumble match to the list of firsts for the women’s division in 2018.
WWE chief brand officer Stephanie McMahon announced Monday night that the 2018 Royal Rumble on Jan. 28 will see an all-women’s Royal Rumble match for the first time in WWE history.
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“Just two weeks ago, women competed inside the ring in the Middle East for the first time in WWE for the women’s championship match,” McMahon said.
“The chant was ‘this is hope’ and you saw tears in the eyes of little girls ring-side because all of you have inspired people all over the world with your courage, with your passion, with your unbridled talent. But that’s not enough,” McMahon told the women in the ring.
“What do you say ladies? You make history once again. Do you people want to see these women make history once again,” McMahon asked the roaring crowd.
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McMahon continued, announcing, “on January 28 the road to Wrestlemania kicks off in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and we will have for the very first time, an all-women’s Royal Rumble match.”
The announcement came as a surprise to the women in the ring which included Asuka, Nia Jax, Raw Women’s champion Alexa Bliss, Dana Brooke, Paige, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Sasha Banks, Bayley and Alicia Fox who were seen celebrating and even shedding a few tears.
Stars from both Raw and SmackDown LIVE are expected to be part of the contest, with the winner earning the right to challenge either show’s women’s champion.
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“Every time our women have had the chance to perform and headline, they have over-delivered, and I have absolutely every confidence that they will do the same thing at the Royal Rumble on Jan. 28. I think that it will be incredibly memorable, I think that they will over-deliver, and I think that fans will get more than their money’s worth,” McMahon told ESPN.
Many women of the WWE took to Twitter to celebrate the news.