Gender Disparity in Professional Wrestling Blog
In this section, we celebrate heritage and recognition months by introducing you to some amazing wrestlers. Blogs by Martin Bueno.
Black History Month: Black Women Wrestling Stars - Feb 2025
Jacqueline Moore
What makes her one of the best black women wrestlers of all time:
Jacqueline Moore’s influential career in WWE is marked by her groundbreaking accomplishments and role in advancing women’s wrestling. As one of the most formidable competitors, she broke barriers with her in-ring prowess and became the first African American woman to hold the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. Her versatility, strength, and ability to inspire future generations of wrestlers have cemented her legacy as a trailblazer in the industry.
Jacqueline Moore’s Greatest Achievements in WWE:
- Became the first African American WWE Women’s Champion
- Captured the WWE Cruiserweight Championship in 2004
- Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016
Jazz
What makes her one of the best black women wrestlers of all time:
Jazz’s career in WWE is marked by her commanding presence and powerful in-ring style, which set a new high standard for women’s wrestling during the early 2000s. Known for her intensity and resilience, she helped pave the way for future generations of Black female wrestlers. Her fierce rivalries and championship victories proved her as a dominant force, establishing her legacy as one of the greats in women’s wrestling.
Jazz’s Greatest Achievements in WWE:
- Won the WWE Women’s Championship twice
- Successfully defended the Women’s Championship in a high-profile triple-threat match against Trish Stratus and Lita at WrestleMania X8
- Secured a second reign as WWE Women’s Champion by defeating Trish Stratus at Backlash 2003
Mercedes Moné AKA Sasha Banks
What makes her one of the best black women wrestlers of all time:
Sasha Banks’ career is marked by pioneering moments, such as becoming one of the first women to headline a WWE pay-per-view and participating in historic matches that redefined women’s wrestling. Her magnetic charisma and exceptional in-ring abilities have earned her numerous accolades and the admiration of fans worldwide. Banks, alongside Bianca Belair, made history as one of the first Black women to headline WrestleMania, solidifying her legacy in the industry.
Sasha Banks’ Greatest Achievements in WWE
- Won the WWE Raw Women’s Championship five times
- Made history as part of the first women’s Hell in a Cell match against Charlotte Flair in 2016, headlining the event and the first-ever women’s match to headline a PPV event
- Became a WWE Women’s Grand Slam Champion
- Current AEW TBS Champion, NJPW Strong Women’s Champion, and REVPRO Undisputed Champion
International Women's Month: Mexico and NYC - March 2025
Happy International Women’s Month To All
For March’s International Women’s Month, I wanted to show everyone an all-female wrestling card by CMLL (Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre). For International Women’s Day eve, the promotion CMLL decided to run an all-female card, which was great. The talent is phenomenal, and the matches were amazing. If you are a paid subscriber to CMLL on YouTube, you can watch the whole event or catch the highlights on their channel. Regardless of that, this card reminded me of another show and why I decided to delve into the world of gender disparity in professional wrestling.
Below is the NYC-based wrestling promotion BCP (Battle Club Pro) and their annual WCW (Women Crush Wrestling) event back in 2023, which I attended. (I still have my ticket stub.) This event played a significant role in my studies of gender disparity in professional wrestling. It marked the first event I attended with an all women’s card, including non-binary wrestler Edith Surreal (Get well soon). Some video highlights are still on my phone; there is so much to say and write about this card. Sumie Sakai is now retired, but I am blessed to have seen her wrestle with Masha Slamovich (BCP trainer/founder).
I don’t expect all wrestling cards to be like this, but there should be a balance—the equality of professional wrestling. It doesn’t have to be just once a year like CMLL or an independent promotion like BCP. Professional wrestling should be a balance of all things and wrestlers. Regardless of gimmicks, there will be a time when we can all enjoy it and not have to question ourselves, “Why are there more men on the card than women tonight?”
Autism Acceptance Month: Will Ospreay - April 2025
For April’s Autism Acceptance Month, I wanted to describe how wrestlers with autism thrive in professional wrestling. What better way to show acceptance and awareness than by introducing you to a person with autism who is a professional wrestler?
Though many wrestlers state they have been diagnosed with ADHD, there is one wrestler who has been capturing championship gold across the globe and has been diagnosed with autism: The Billy GOAT, Will Ospreay. Professional wrestler Will Ospreay has publicly stated that he is autistic. He has spoken openly about his diagnosis, sharing that it has helped his wrestling career by giving him a unique perspective and focus on the sport. Ospreay has also said he is proud of his autism and considers it a “superpower.”
Will Ospreay is an English professional wrestler known for his high-flying, risk-taking style and athletic prowess, often called the “Aerial Assassin.” He has achieved significant success in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), All Elite Wrestling (AEW), and various other promotions, including Ring of Honor (ROH) and Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro). Ospreay is a former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion, IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion in NJPW, and a two-time AEW International Champion. He is also known for his influential style, drawing inspiration from the Assassin’s Creed video game series. Will Ospreay currently has over 50, 5 or more star matches. In professional wrestling, a “5-star match” describes a game that has received a high rating from the influential wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Meltzer has been assigning star ratings since 1982, and a 5-star rating or higher is considered a significant achievement. However, some fans don’t agree with the opinion of one man. The 5-star system helps gauge whether a match is worth watching.
I recommend looking up at any of the multiple 5-star matches. I recommend Will Ospreay vs Swerve Strickland at Forbidden Door 2024. Why? Because I was in the front row, it was hands down the best match I’ve ever seen.
This month, we highlight Will Osprey as a wrestler who isn’t just a wrestler, but a wrestler with a disability that everyone has come to accept in the wrestling world. He is only 31 years old but has the world ahead of him.
Missing Accomplished ... i guess? (Final Post for now) - May 2025
It’s been a while since the last post in April, and a lot has happened since then. GDPW presented their project at the CUNY GC showcase and completed extensive writing to summarize the end of the Spring 2025 semester. A lot has happened, but one thing that stands out is that WWE has announced the return of the Pay-Per-View event Evolution, an all-women’s wrestling event scheduled to take place on July 13 in Atlanta, Georgia. This marks the second all-women’s wrestling event by the wrestling behemoth WWE; the first one took place in 2018 in Uniondale, NY. After seven long years, they have finally decided to hold an all-women’s wrestling event. Is it a coincidence that shortly after the conclusion of GDPW, this event was announced? Maybe, but I do enjoy seeing that change is happening in women’s wrestling and hope it’s the beginning of equal opportunity for all wrestling, regardless of gender.
This event reminds me of an upcoming all-women’s boxing event to be held on July 11, 2025, also at Madison Square Garden. This marks the first time an all-women’s event will be held at MSG. The all-women’s boxing and wrestling events, which are happening within two days of one another, are showing a shift in the world of sports. This shift could be more than just a trend; it could also be a sign. A sign that women are deserving and capable of drawing audiences who want to see them perform on the same level as their male counterparts. We will find out on July 11. Will I be at these events? No, it’s costly. But I will be watching from home. If there is anything to report on these events, I will post about it here. But for now, this is Martin Bueno signing off. It has been a pleasure.
(Below are images of the upcoming all women’s events in wrestling [WWE Evolution] and boxing [MSG ])
