The card for WrestleMania 33 is always changing. Due to popular demand, WWE has shifted the SmackDown Women’s Championship match from the kickoff show to the main card. Alexa Bliss defends the title against Becky Lynch, Natalya, Mickie James, Naomi, and Carmella in a Six Pack Challenge.
Upset over the match’s placement on the show, fans started using the hashtag #GiveSDWomenAChance on social media to campaign for the change. The WrestleMania lineup on WWE.com no longer has the match listed on the kickoff show. Becky Lynch took to Twitter and confirmed the change.
WrestleMania 33 now has ten of its twelve matches slated for the main card. As of press time, there is no word as to whether another match will be moved to the kickoff show in place of the SmackDown bout.
If all things are equal, moving the SmackDown Women’s Title match to the main card makes perfect sense. Most pay-per-view events these days have multiple women’s matches. Raw has the majority of the star female wrestlers on their roster, however, all the women on SmackDown have worked very hard since the brand split.
Plus, keeping SmackDown on the kickoff show would basically state that the Raw Women’s Title is more important. While that might be the case, you don’t want to emphasize that when trying to tell and sell multiple storylines. Alexa Bliss has become one of the best heels in the company and deserves a spot on the grandest stage.
Surprise returns and debuts in wrestling are always fun and stand out more at WrestleMania. Rumors are running rampant that certain wrestlers that haven’t been seen in a while might make the move to the blue brand while other strings of gossip are calling for a certain NXT Women’s Champion to get called to the main roster.
Every available woman on the SmackDown roster is eligible for the match. With six official wrestlers accounted for, there is bound to be a mystery entrant or two, which is an element that shouldn’t be squandered on the kickoff show. Naomi is from Orlando and having her promote WrestleMania in town this week will generate more interest for the match.
WrestleMania 33, streams live on the WWE Network this Sunday at a special 7:00 PM EST. The Kickoff show begins at 5:00 PM EST with the second hour airing on the USA Network.
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