WWE changes name of Fabulous Moolah battle royal

[cero2k]

Source: f4wonline.com

There will be a women's battle royal on the WrestleMania 34 card, but it's not going to be named after the Fabulous Moolah.

WWE issued a statement this afternoon announcing that they've dropped the "Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal" name from the match: “After further consideration, we believe it’s best to proceed with the name ‘WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal.’ What remains most important is that this historic match is part of WWE’s unwavering commitment to the Women’s Division.”

The battle royal was first announced in a video that aired on Monday's episode of Raw, with it portraying Moolah (real name Lillian Ellison) as a pioneer for women's athletics, someone who challenged gender norms, and a trailblazer for women's equality. But the announcement was immediately met with backlash due to Moolah's history of mistreating her trainees.

Jeannine Mjoseth, who trained with Moolah and went by the names Mad Maxine and Lady Maxine in pro wrestling, described some of that mistreatment when asked for comment by Pro Wrestling Sheet: "A lot of women paid to train at her school and then went out on the road. They risked life and limb in their matches and she repaid them with the worst kinds of abuses. She skimmed their money, she ignored women who were badly hurt, she pimped women out to creepy men and on and on. She was not a mother figure. She was more like Kali, the Indian Goddess of Destruction. I met her in my early 20s and I had never met such a monstrous person."

Though the backlash online was instant, WWE re-aired the announcement video on Tuesday's SmackDown before reversing course and announcing the change today.

The battle royal will feature women's wrestlers from Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. WWE has yet to confirm how many participants will be in it.

[cero2k]

also, worth sharing

Wade Keller on Sam Roberts' Wrestling Podcast: One woman in WWE DMed me this morning and said she didn't know about Moolah's history until yesterday

these kids not doing their history homework

[Big Red Machine]

The worst part about all of this is that WWE knew, and they knew that fans knew, but they figured they could get away with it anyway. Everyone should go read David Bixenspan's article on this, where he basically says that everyone else they could have used was almost certainly rejected for "image issues" (Chyna did porn with a McMahon Family incest angle and died of an overdose, Sheri and Luna both died of overdoses)... so they chose to go with an abusive, exploitative pimp (never mind the fact that Moolah was the one who created the style that turned women's wrestling from a sport into hair-pulling), and that people wouldn't make a stink out of it? It all speaks to their insane belief that they can control what fans know and think. Well this time, they've got to eat that sh*t.
Hopefully any media focus this gets (and you'd hope that all of the promotions that covered Ronda signing with WWE when they otherwise wouldn't give a sh*t about WWE [and in some cases about MMA as well] simply to appear more progressive/woman-focused would pick this up in order to actually prove that they actually give a sh*t about women's issues rather than the more likely case of them being involved in a quid pro quo with WWE) will show the media that WWE's bullsh*t narratives deserve scrutiny and that wrestling fans are a lot smarter and more conscious than they want to think we are.

[Big Red Machine]

also, worth sharing

Wade Keller on Sam Roberts' Wrestling Podcast: One woman in WWE DMed me this morning and said she didn't know about Moolah's history until yesterday

these kids not doing their history homework

My guess would be it was one of the model/bodybuilder types, even someone who was a casual fan like Bliss or Morgan. I'd be shocked if it was someone who had been in the business a long time and was a hardcore fans like Banks or Bayley, or someone from a wrestling family who didn't know.

[cero2k]

The worst part about all of this is that WWE knew, and they knew that fans knew, but they figured they could get away with it anyway. Everyone should go read David Bixenspan's article on this, where he basically says that everyone else they could have used was almost certainly rejected for "image issues" (Chyna did porn with a McMahon Family incest angle and died of an overdose, Sheri and Luna both died of overdoses)... so they chose to go with an abusive, exploitative pimp (never mind the fact that Moolah was the one who created the style that turned women's wrestling from a sport into hair-pulling), and that people wouldn't make a stink out of it? It all speaks to their insane belief that they can control what fans know and think. Well this time, they've got to eat that sh*t.
Hopefully any media focus this gets (and you'd hope that all of the promotions that covered Ronda signing with WWE when they otherwise wouldn't give a sh*t about WWE [and in some cases about MMA as well] simply to appear more progressive/woman-focused would pick this up in order to actually prove that they actually give a sh*t about women's issues rather than the more likely case of them being involved in a quid pro quo with WWE) will show the media that WWE's bullsh*t narratives deserve scrutiny and that wrestling fans are a lot smarter and more conscious than they want to think we are.

yeap pretty much. The other would be to go for people like Mildred Burke, but she was never really 'WWWF/WWF' so they just like to keep it under their own created history. So it's either that or people that are still alive.

[Big Red Machine]

The worst part about all of this is that WWE knew, and they knew that fans knew, but they figured they could get away with it anyway. Everyone should go read David Bixenspan's article on this, where he basically says that everyone else they could have used was almost certainly rejected for "image issues" (Chyna did porn with a McMahon Family incest angle and died of an overdose, Sheri and Luna both died of overdoses)... so they chose to go with an abusive, exploitative pimp (never mind the fact that Moolah was the one who created the style that turned women's wrestling from a sport into hair-pulling), and that people wouldn't make a stink out of it? It all speaks to their insane belief that they can control what fans know and think. Well this time, they've got to eat that sh*t.
Hopefully any media focus this gets (and you'd hope that all of the promotions that covered Ronda signing with WWE when they otherwise wouldn't give a sh*t about WWE [and in some cases about MMA as well] simply to appear more progressive/woman-focused would pick this up in order to actually prove that they actually give a sh*t about women's issues rather than the more likely case of them being involved in a quid pro quo with WWE) will show the media that WWE's bullsh*t narratives deserve scrutiny and that wrestling fans are a lot smarter and more conscious than they want to think we are.

yeap pretty much. The other would be to go for people like Mildred Burke, but she was never really 'WWWF/WWF' so they just like to keep it under their own created history. So it's either that or people that are still alive.

Burke would be the right choice, but as Bix says in his article, she has never been part of the WWE narrative. Alundra Blayze might be a good choice, but she's still alive so it's hard to have a "memorial" battle royale for her.

[Earth Child]

It was hard to watch that promo they did for it and hearing the current female wrestlers praise Moolah when you know they know what she did.

[Big Red Machine]

It was hard to watch that promo they did for it and hearing the current female wrestlers praise Moolah when you know they know what she did.

Yeah. That was definitely the most striking part. Everyone knows Steph is full of sh*t, but I think we all assumed that someone like Nattie would have found a way to avoid getting forced to do this.

[Bob-O]

Let's be clear that the ONLY reason they pulled Moolah's name off of this is because one of the sponsors (Snickers) had an issue with it.

I really don't understand the uproar. She was an old-timey promoter! Of course she was a piece of shit! THEY ALL WERE BACK THEN! While Moolah was pimping her girls, Vince McMahon was pumping his talent full of steroids and Pat Patterson was exchanging "favors" for pushes! I'm not saying it should be celebrated but that's what went on, and the Moolah stuff - like the WWF closet skeletons - isn't brought up, but it's never been a secret.

Anyone that would have a "memorial" match is the same time-bomb! How long before somebody decides that womanizing alcoholic with the glandular disorder who wouldn't put people over unless he felt like it shouldn't have a memorial either?

I'd say their only 'safe' bet would be Trish Stratus if they wanted to name it after anyone, she doesn't have to be dead, just slap her name on it and have her "present" the match.

Or, how about "The Molly Holly Memorial Battle Royal"? Nobody has dirt on Molly, and nobody remembers her either!

[Big Red Machine]

Or, how about "The Molly Holly Memorial Battle Royal"? Nobody has dirt on Molly, and nobody remembers her either!

No one remembers Molly Holly? Sir, I'll have you know that Molly Holly was the key ingedient in the best Swimsuit Challenge segment of all time!



Molly. F*cking. Holly.

[Big Red Machine]

Let's be clear that the ONLY reason they pulled Moolah's name off of this is because one of the sponsors (Snickers) had an issue with it.

I really don't understand the uproar. She was an old-timey promoter! Of course she was a piece of shit! THEY ALL WERE BACK THEN! While Moolah was pimping her girls, Vince McMahon was pumping his talent full of steroids and Pat Patterson was exchanging "favors" for pushes! I'm not saying it should be celebrated but that's what went on, and the Moolah stuff - like the WWF closet skeletons - isn't brought up, but it's never been a secret.

Anyone that would have a "memorial" match is the same time-bomb! How long before somebody decides that womanizing alcoholic with the glandular disorder who wouldn't put people over unless he felt like it shouldn't have a memorial either?

You're not wrong in your overall point (although I will point out that 1. Andre was rarely asked to put someone over and I've never heard a story of him refusing to do so, and 2. I've never heard of Pat Patterson exchanges favors for pushes. I've heard such things about Victor Quiñones and Jim Kettner, but never about Pat)... but that's not the issue here. The issue is that knowing this WWE chose to take someone known to have been a horrible exploiter of women (and in much worse ways than WWE ever has) name their name their battle royale for women as part of their big marketing gimmick designed to show how well they treat and empower their women after her. If it was, for example, Mae Young- who merely ran a gang of women who would pose as prostitutes and solicit married men, then beat them up and steal their wallets (with the logic being that going to the police and explaining what happened would also mean admitting to trying to cheat on their wives and thus married men wouldn't do it) then there probably wouldn't be as much uproar.

[cero2k]

i've heard the Pat Patterson thing. And you're also right, this is because sponsors brought it up, not because 'WWE heard the fans'

I see both your points. I just see it as yet another hypocrisy from WWE, they write their own history. Snuka and Hall are Hall of Famers, get memorial videos, Benoit is written off history, so it's ok to kill one person, but two is too much. They condemn men on woman violence, yet the glorious Stone Cold used to beat up his wives every other sunday and they put Tyson into the HOF, who was in JAIL(!!) for rape.

[Big Red Machine]

i've heard the Pat Patterson thing. And you're also right, this is because sponsors brought it up, not because 'WWE heard the fans'

I see both your points. I just see it as yet another hypocrisy from WWE, they write their own history. Snuka and Hall are Hall of Famers, get memorial videos, Benoit is written off history, so it's ok to kill one person, but two is too much. They condemn men on woman violence, yet the glorious Stone Cold used to beat up his wives every other sunday and they put Tyson into the HOF, who was in JAIL(!!) for rape.

I think their attitude is that they're not going to run around undoing the past because, as Bob-O said, you'll find faults in everyone. They won't kick people out of their HOF, but they will (in most cases) stop making a big deal out of that person when it becomes an issue (when was the last time you heard someone talk up Hogan, Snuka, Trump, or Tyson?). it that self-serving? Absolutely. But it is understandable due to the sheer workload that would have to be involved in kicking someone out every time. If they kick Hogan out for saying the N-word, why should Andre stay in when he was known to regularly say it? And are you really going to have a WWE Hall of Fame without Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan? The flaw comes in the idea that putting someone in their Hall of Fame is an endorsement of the person, but WWE's own political machinations have basically made that the case.
Yes, Moolah is already in the Hall of Fame. Let her stay. But don't do anything else for her, especially hold her up as a paragon of female empowerment because the only female she ever set out to empower was herself. When they get into trouble is something like Warrior or Moolah where the issue is well-known and they try to do it anyway because they think they can get away with it.

[Bob-O]

i've heard the Pat Patterson thing. And you're also right, this is because sponsors brought it up, not because 'WWE heard the fans'

I see both your points. I just see it as yet another hypocrisy from WWE, they write their own history. Snuka and Hall are Hall of Famers, get memorial videos, Benoit is written off history, so it's ok to kill one person, but two is too much. They condemn men on woman violence, yet the glorious Stone Cold used to beat up his wives every other sunday and they put Tyson into the HOF, who was in JAIL(!!) for rape.

That's exactly my point.

It was hard to watch that promo they did for it and hearing the current female wrestlers praise Moolah when you know they know what she did.

Yeah. That was definitely the most striking part. Everyone knows Steph is full of sh*t, but I think we all assumed that someone like Nattie would have found a way to avoid getting forced to do this.

My point being, I don't think anyone was forced to say anything. She's still The Fabulous Moolah, while garbage, she ALSO was the most decorated and recognizable women's wrestler of all time. There's a good chance that she did some good along the way as well, there's a 100% chance that she actually did inspire some of today's ladies to become who they are!

Moolah, as with most people in our Carny Sport's history, was a piece of garbage person. I think we can all agree that a pro wrestling Hall Of Fame of people that didn't fall into some category of modern day hot button issue could probably fit into a broom closet. That goes for almost any sport. With any type of celebrity comes fame, resulting in money, resulting in ALL the stuff we don't want to hear about our heroes doing. The NFL would be crazy not to push for Peyton Manning to go into their Hall of Fame, but you can bet they're going to be PRAYING his college exploits don't resurface in the process...

Luckily, we're wrestling fans, and we can usually get around this by honoring and celebrating THE CHARACTERS and not necessarily the people portraying them, which is all WWE is doing when they do stuff like this.

Terry Bollea is a garbage human being, but as far as I'm concerned, the worst thing Hulk Hogan ever did was turn his back on his fans at Bash at the Beach and I'm quite alright with him being in our fake and scripted Hall of Fame honoring all his fake and scripted accomplishments.

[Big Red Machine]

i've heard the Pat Patterson thing. And you're also right, this is because sponsors brought it up, not because 'WWE heard the fans'

I see both your points. I just see it as yet another hypocrisy from WWE, they write their own history. Snuka and Hall are Hall of Famers, get memorial videos, Benoit is written off history, so it's ok to kill one person, but two is too much. They condemn men on woman violence, yet the glorious Stone Cold used to beat up his wives every other sunday and they put Tyson into the HOF, who was in JAIL(!!) for rape.

That's exactly my point.

It was hard to watch that promo they did for it and hearing the current female wrestlers praise Moolah when you know they know what she did.

Yeah. That was definitely the most striking part. Everyone knows Steph is full of sh*t, but I think we all assumed that someone like Nattie would have found a way to avoid getting forced to do this.

My point being, I don't think anyone was forced to say anything. She's still The Fabulous Moolah, while garbage, she ALSO was the most decorated and recognizable women's wrestler of all time. There's a good chance that she did some good along the way as well, there's a 100% chance that she actually did inspire some of today's ladies to become who they are!

Moolah, as with most people in our Carny Sport's history, was a piece of garbage person. I think we can all agree that a pro wrestling Hall Of Fame of people that didn't fall into some category of modern day hot button issue could probably fit into a broom closet. That goes for almost any sport. With any type of celebrity comes fame, resulting in money, resulting in ALL the stuff we don't want to hear about our heroes doing. The NFL would be crazy not to push for Peyton Manning to go into their Hall of Fame, but you can bet they're going to be PRAYING his college exploits don't resurface in the process...

Luckily, we're wrestling fans, and we can usually get around this by honoring and celebrating THE CHARACTERS and not necessarily the people portraying them, which is all WWE is doing when they do stuff like this.

Terry Bollea is a garbage human being, but as far as I'm concerned, the worst thing Hulk Hogan ever did was turn his back on his fans at Bash at the Beach and I'm quite alright with him being in our fake and scripted Hall of Fame honoring all his fake and scripted accomplishments.

The difference is that the WWE Hall of Fame isn't a hall of fame so much as a PR vehicle. That thinking permeates every level of the decision-making, from who gets inducted to who gets to be the headliner (hence why Nash headlined the year Macho Man was inducted: because they always try to make sure that the person who goes on last is still alive and hasn't had major drug problems). It's why they have their policies of (at least) one woman and one African-American per year, which have often led to sub-par inductions, and the Caucasian male wrestlers have often started to feel like they're hitting that point two (Bossman? Hillbilly Jim?). And if this thing is a PR vehicle, and you're trying to use it to put over your Divas'/Women's R/Evolution PR vehicle, then to pick someone who so completely clashes with that message is tasteless, and that pisses people off.

[cero2k]

The difference is that the WWE Hall of Fame isn't a hall of fame so much as a PR vehicle. That thinking permeates every level of the decision-making, from who gets inducted to who gets to be the headliner (hence why Nash headlined the year Macho Man was inducted: because they always try to make sure that the person who goes on last is still alive and hasn't had major drug problems). It's why they have their policies of (at least) one woman and one African-American per year, which have often led to sub-par inductions, and the Caucasian male wrestlers have often started to feel like they're hitting that point two (Bossman? Hillbilly Jim?). And if this thing is a PR vehicle, and you're trying to use it to put over your Divas'/Women's R/Evolution PR vehicle, then to pick someone who so completely clashes with that message is tasteless, and that pisses people off.

so i don't know if you agreed or not, if it's a PR vehicle, then people like Abdullah and Tyson shouldn't had been allowed since their allegations came in before they were inducted. I can understand not removing people. The matter of the fact is that sponsors didn't argue about either and so nothing changed. Tons of fans argued about Snuka, but since no sponsors did, nothing changed. I'm sure Hogan hasn't returned just because some sponsors think it's a bad idea. I think everything WWE does is a PR stunt, literally everything they do. The reality here is that they don't care what or who they promote as long as one of the BIG investors says anything. WWE doesn't care if it's tasteless as long as it doesn't hinder their income.

[Big Red Machine]

The difference is that the WWE Hall of Fame isn't a hall of fame so much as a PR vehicle. That thinking permeates every level of the decision-making, from who gets inducted to who gets to be the headliner (hence why Nash headlined the year Macho Man was inducted: because they always try to make sure that the person who goes on last is still alive and hasn't had major drug problems). It's why they have their policies of (at least) one woman and one African-American per year, which have often led to sub-par inductions, and the Caucasian male wrestlers have often started to feel like they're hitting that point two (Bossman? Hillbilly Jim?). And if this thing is a PR vehicle, and you're trying to use it to put over your Divas'/Women's R/Evolution PR vehicle, then to pick someone who so completely clashes with that message is tasteless, and that pisses people off.

so i don't know if you agreed or not, if it's a PR vehicle, then people like Abdullah and Tyson shouldn't had been allowed since their allegations came in before they were inducted. I can understand not removing people. The matter of the fact is that sponsors didn't argue about either and so nothing changed. Tons of fans argued about Snuka, but since no sponsors did, nothing changed. I'm sure Hogan hasn't returned just because some sponsors think it's a bad idea. I think everything WWE does is a PR stunt, literally everything they do. The reality here is that they don't care what or who they promote as long as one of the BIG investors says anything. WWE doesn't care if it's tasteless as long as it doesn't hinder their income.

Tyson and the like's inclusions show that society has changed. They wouldn't happen now. It shows that society has changed that people are making a bigger deal about such things now, and that sponsors have been given financial incentives (in terms of avoiding bad PR, leading to boycotts) to demand such things of the products they are choosing to associate themselves with.