Posted on by bdamage1
Brian Damage
The WWE date the start of their ‘Women’s Evolution’ as starting on July 13th, 2015. While that might be when women’s wrestling was more accepted in that company….the reality is the evolution began a few years earlier. A huge credit doesn’t go to the McMahon family, but an Irishman we all know as David ‘Fit’ Finlay.
Fit Finlay is a third generation wrestler whose father and grandfather competed inside the squared circle. Finlay started his career out at the young age of 14 years old. He was a substitute for a no show on one of his dad’s show’s. He didn’t have his own trunks or boots, so the young Finlay borrowed them from his father. That would be the start of a 38 year career as a pro wrestler.
A career that has taken him all throughout the world wrestling in places like England, Austria, Japan and the United States. While a big star in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe, Finlay got his first big exposure when he joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as ‘The Belfast Bruiser.’ He would win the WCW television title and have stiff, hard hitting matches with the likes of Steven Regal and David Taylor. Finlay would also win the WCW Hardcore Junkyard Invitational Tournament.
When WCW went under, Finlay joined WWE in 2001. He was first used to help train younger, upcoming wrestlers like John Cena and Batista. As a matter of fact, Batista credits Finlay for much of his success as a pro wrestler. Finlay would find some success himself as a wrestler, winning the United States heavyweight title. While he had a decent WWE career, Finlay’s biggest accomplishment came as a road agent and producer for the company.
He was put in charge of guiding the women or “Divas” in WWE. According to Finlay, at first WWE management wanted him to simply babysit the female talent and made sure they were prepared for their matches that consisted of bra and panties and pillow fights. In the beginning, Finlay went along with what management wanted, but his old school mentality was telling him that these women could do better.
In between, the women being scantily clad, Finlay started actually training the women wrestling moves and in ring psychology. Before long, the lazy catfights that the company was accustomed to seeing was becoming a little more physical and hard hitting. Management scolded Finlay and told him that they preferred half naked girls with unexpected wardrobe malfunctions. Finlay took the lectures and did what he wanted anyway.
The end result was a much improved female wrestling product that wasn’t just for men to ogle at or go on bathroom breaks. Fans were starting to take notice of them as actual competitors. The women were starting to get recognized for their efforts and slowly, but surely fans began wanting to see a little more than just skin…but competition. It ultimately culminated with a Give Divas a Chance campaign and that led to the women’s revolution to the women’s evolution. New stars were brought in and the rest as they say is history.
While David Finlay may not get the credit he deserves or even perhaps seeks…there is no question that if Finlay didn’t be the first to give Divas a chance….the landscape of women’s wrestling in WWE may be very different or may not exist at all.