Was Chyna influential of women's wrestling?

[agent817]

So I was discussing with a friend today, as well as reading threads on other forums like Wrestlezone and it made me wonder about Chyna. Some people believe that she helped pave the way for women's wrestling, others had some different perspectives on it. She was the only female Intercontinental champion, the only woman to take part in the KOTR tournament, and the first woman to be in the Royal Rumble. With that being said, she was over back then, especially when being a woman who took on the guys. However, I had also read that she didn't want to work with female wrestlers, considered it a demotion (on her end, anyway). I know she was women's champion towards the end of her run but I had read that she didn't want to be that to begin with. Okay, so she was muscular at that time, did that mean she was on par with male wrestlers? I'm not trying to sound sexist here, but even later on you had some muscular women who didn't wrestle men, like Beth Phoenix, Natalya, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Trish Stratus, etc. I mean yes, you had a lot of fit women, but when talking about the ones who I just mentioned, I really don't think that just because some of them were jacked that meant that they were on the same level as male wrestlers, which is why I see that there are divisions for a reason, although I have seen and enjoyed intergender matches, but that's a topic for another discussion.

So what do you think about this?

[Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby]

She was influential if only because of women who got into wrestling because of her. Not something I've kept track of, but quite a few wrestlers have mentioned that Chyna was their gateway drug - and that she absolutely influenced the intergender wrestling scene on the indies today. The intergender wrestling scene itself has been huge for women's wrestling, since it's allowing a lot of women on the indies to get more bookings, more reps, and more variety of opponents - all things that are vital to growing as performers and getting future bookings.

Hell, even if the only thing Chyna inspired was many of the events of LuFisto's career, that had a huge effect on women's wrestling since that's a lynchpin of the 00's indy scene who got where she got thanks to Chyna-like booking in many promotions.

[Mozenrath]

She was influential in being a big star and a woman, but as for in women's wrestling, not especially. She spent so little of her career really wrestling other woman since she viewed it as a massive demotion, even when she probably could have been even more valuable to WWE during the Playboy and onwards period if she embraced it. She got increasingly arrogant, Lita and Trish took off, and WWE decided to just roll with them instead.

[cassonova]

I would argue that she did more for women in wrestling or intergender wrestling rather than women's wrestling. She did not spend much time wrestling other females. However, say what you will about her ring work, she was booked in a way that she could go with the men and be successful.

[4real]

Absolutely yes but I feel Lita, Trish & Mickie were probably more influential to today’s roster and Women’s wrestling in general.

[nisidhe]

Women's wrestling? No.

She did open the door for intergender wrestling and the idea that women could do that and win, so that she did increase the interest in seeing women wrestle. But it's important to remember that Trish and Lita were the ones making women's wrestling an exciting product in itself; that Ivory had been at it since her days in GLOW, while Jacqueline had worked the territories in the late 80s and early 90s before her stint in WCW then WWF.

Chyna was a unique specimen in WWF; that brought her, and only her, a set of experiences and accomplishments that haven't really been repeated since, nor are they likely to be.

[Parker Stiles]

i feel the opposite, she might of set it back.

Trish, Lita were more so because they showed women can actually wrestle.

[I'm Team Bayley and Indi]

IMO when Lita hit the moonsault on Gillberg in her debut, she did more for women's wrestling then Chyna did in her full run in the company

[Bo Rida]

Foley first book mentioned guys not wanting to sell for her because she was a woman. On that basis she definitely paved the way for women that got physically involved with the guys later, if she struggled then no way they'd accept someone smaller.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

For womans wrestling? No. For woman's in wrestling? Yes. She broke the barrier of being able to go against men. However the fact her last what six months of he run when she was getting it on against other woman. You could say she inspired the likes of Beth Phoenix who was in a mens royal rumble. I agree Trish and Lita more so Lita changed the way of woman's wrestling. She did something no other woman where doing at the time. That was that high flying work. Nobody else was doing Moonsults and hurricanas from the top in the WWE from the women's side until she came in. Trish came into her own and they changed the idea that womans wrestling can be more than just eye candy. Yes there was still the Bra and Panties matches but they brought the whole we can also kick some ass. Molly and then they added Jazz and Victoria. Why Raw in the early 00s was so good with woman's wrestling.

[Manute Bol]

An argument can be made that she’s the most famous female wrestler of all time. I don’t know if that necessarily translates to her being influential, but it definitely puts her in the conversation of most important female wrestlers.

[A Platypus Rave]

Woman IN wrestling yes.

Women's Wrestling? no.

[jason1980s]

I think a lot of women for maybe a 10 year time period may have been more influenced by reality TV and the diva search but women's wrestling has changed in the last 5 years I think. I can't say Chyna influenced that but for the short time she was with WWF she was a phenomenon. If there was an 8th wonder and 9th wonder of the world, especially wrestling it should have been Andre and then Chyna.
I thought it in 1998 and I still think that she was the most popular member of the 1998-early 1999 DX team of 5. Perhaps she was an influence on the men on the roster thinking if Chyna can become so popular, they could do the same thing and the Attitude Era certainly was the second biggest boom period for wrestling. I am always glad to see a positive Chyna thread and hope that her memory lives on forever.

[thegame415]

I think yes, although many won't say she is.

She was insanely over.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

In terms of becoming a box office draw, and inspiring more women to star wrestling, definitely. Not so much within the thick of a bustling women's division like the great Joshi eras or the Horsewomen though, since she felt she was too strong for most girls.

[The Thread Barbi]

Jan 9, 2021 17:42:04 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Woman IN wrestling yes.

Women's Wrestling? no.

She carved her own niche. From first female bodyguard in WWF to beating up men for traditionally male titles.

There wasn't much of a women's division in her first few years in the Federation.

[El Cokehead del Knife Fight]

Gotta agree with the consensus that she was good for women in wrestling and intergender wrestling but not for women's wrestling itself.

[chazraps]

You wouldn't have much women's wrestling without women in wrestling and Chyna has been very influential in terms of getting women into wrestling both as fans and those who've taken their passion further into the business.

[doinkmark]

If Chyna hadn't been willing and able to mix it up with men, the women who did it afterward arguably wouldn't have been given the same chances. As for Chyna not wrestling enough women, what woman back then could have believably beaten her until Lita came along? It's the same reason UFC's Ken Shamrock was conveniently not booked in Brawl For All.

[The Dark Order Inferno]

I'll say yes, she was probably the biggest name the WWE produced who wasn't just used as T&A, working the occasional Moolah style match of slaps and hair pulling. While she may not have been the focal point of a strong women's division, she looked like a star and was treated as such and I've little doubt there are women wrestlers out there who got into the bus wanting to replicate the success she had at her peak.