Escapism and Empowerment: Celebrating IYO, Rhea and Bianca at WrestleMania 41

Editor’s Note: I had plans to publish this earlier, but emotions were still raw…

I got added to the WhatsApp family chat at on April 4 at 1:28pm. The title of the group chat:

“Dad Updates RE: Leukemia”

There had been rumors circling over the weekend. My father, while visiting the home of Canadian Steel and Ethan Page suddenly fell ill, and after several tests my sister – a pediatric nurse – got us all informed. The Archibald household were all hospital bound the next day.

My sisters (including my eldest from Atlanta participating via video chat) and my mother all existed incredulously in sort of this soup of non-existence, disbelief and existential dread as the oncologist calmly and plainly explained what Acute Myeloid Leukemia is: a cancer that begins within the stem cells of the blood. Myeloid Leukemia develop from abnormal myeloid stem cells and can spread quickly.

He was given a 15% survival rate after 1-2 years of aggressive treatment, which was started a couple days after the official diagnosis. Everyone is still in a state of…several states. Living in stages of denial, questioning mortality, pondering family legacy, compartmentalizing all sorts of emotions. I won’t lie. The relationship we all share with our father is, as with most relationships – a messy and complicated opera of moments, positive and negative that shape the foundations of our values.

How does any of this connect to professional wrestling? And how do I express the passion I want in a way that is respectful to survivors and fallen fighters of cancer alike and not give the impression that something as seemingly trivial as professional wrestling undermines the seriousness of life with this unfortunate illness?

After the sterile glare of hospital lights and uncertainty of test results, my mind attempted to drift to brighter moments — the roar of the crowd, the electric pyrotechnics, and the violent art performed within a pro wrestling match for WrestleMania 41 emanating from Las Vegas and I found unexpected solace experiencing in real-time the Women’s World Championship triple-threat match that opened Night 2 between champ IYO Sky and challengers Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair. Within this struggle between three of the very best in the world, we witnessed – at least from my point of view based on my personal experience – a story of resilience and triumph. As IYO flew graceful, Ripley roared ruthlessness, and Belair displayed uncanny physical strength, for 15-20 minutes, all my fears, anxieties and sadness retreated. In the most desperate of times, their performance became my refuge — a vivid testament to how professional wrestling, despite its glitz and spectacle, offers genuine escape and hope. This is my favorite professional wrestling match of 2025 so far. It is recency bias, but it is on the list of one of my favorite professional wrestling matches of all time. This is why.

The WrestleMania 41 Triple Threat

Image Credit: WWE

For the unimitated who only have ever seen me breeze in and out of 411’s comment section (normally in the Live Chats), here are the cliff notes of my fandom: I discovered wrestling via Starrcade 1983, but WrestleMania III – specifically Savage vs. Steamboat made me a lifelong fan. My Mount Rushmore of favorite wrestlers of all time: Bret Hart, CM Punk, Asuka and Eddie Guererro. The Steve Austin/Bret Hart WrestleMania 13 Submission match is my favorite of all time, but I also objectively believe it is the greatest match of all time and WWEs single most important match. I have attended three WrestleManias, all landmark events: The Ultimate Challenge of WrestleMania VI, the reverence of Rock/Hogan at WrestleMania X-8 and WrestleMania 35, which boasted the first all-female main event between Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey (the less we talk about the length of the show or the post Met Life Center-traffic, the better). I try to keep up and watch everything I can get my hands on. I was a tape trader. I remember when 411Mania.com was a Geosite.

I consider myself a historian and an analyst of professional wrestling from around the globe – I have consumed everything from Frank Gotch to Gorgeous George to the brilliance of All-Japan Joshi and the madness of CZW Deathmatches, but I also very much understand that pro wrestling is dumb fun so I don’t adhere to tribalism and allow trivial things like ratings hamper my enjoyment of any product. I am obsessed with Maple Leaf Pro, re-established by Scott D’Amore housed in Windsor, where I live. I saw Cody Rhodes’ rise to the top of WWE and predicted HHH and Vince McMahon would ultimately come to blows philosophically…In 2014. I love dumb things like exploring the best wrestling cities in the world. I’m not dropping these to toot my own horn (well, maybe a little), but really to provide context to understand how deep within this shit I’m in. I love pro wrestling. Cut and dry. That is it. And the triple threat title match between IYO, Rhea and Bianca simply reinforced that belief.

The triple-threat match itself was a masterpiece of storytelling and athleticism – a pure fast-paced ballet that served as another example of WWEs hot streak of great triple threat matches (the excellent Punk vs. Rollins vs. Reigns match was just the night before – and the spectacular NXT Title Match between Oba Femi, Je’Von Evans and Trick Williams was hours before that.) This was not the typical “one person out, two fight, rinse repeat” – no this felt like a true triple threat where the action was furious and gave the fans in Las Vegas the impression that all three women were embroiled in a true physical war.

Image Credit: WWE

Each woman brought a distinct character arc and style to the canvas. The Eradicator, Rhea Ripley would stalk the ring like a predator, helping to propel her to perform some pretty badass moments: The Razor’s Edge where she launched IYO into Bianca was particularly brutal. Bianca Belair, the electrifying “EST of WWE,” radiated confidence and raw power, her braided hair whipping Rhea especially hard at one of the ending pivotal moments. But this match at the end of the day – was about The Genius of the Sky, the crafty IYO Sky…who for some reason some fans felt she was being mistreated by WWE…Do we forget she entered WrestleMania 40 as CHAMP in a very high profile match against Bayley? It is a very rare feat for any WWE superstar to say they entered WrestleMania two consecutive years as a champion. Just saying.

IYO was viewed during the build of this match as “the afterthought”. Most fans were clamoring to see Rhea Ripley vs Bianca Belair one on one at WrestleMania, which is indeed WrestleMania main event worthy. But the direction I think WWE took here was better for their long term health, as it went a long way to establish IYO as one of the tippy top stars in all of WWE, already deepening arguably the deepest women’s roster in history (All-Japan snobs aside.)

From the very opening bell, the narrative was clear: Ripley sought vengeance for every slight, trying to regain the title she believes she wrongfully lost, Belair believed it was her destiny to become champ after winning the 2025 Women’s Elimination Chamber under dire circumstances (Naomi and Jade Cargill’s feud bleeding into her life) and IYO fought to prove she was not only more than an afterthought – but she could hang with the best. Now, if anyone knew anything about IYO Sky, that was not in doubt, but seeing the groundswell of support growing for her each week until she received one of the biggest pops of the weekend when she attacked Rhea and Bianca at the bell when she believed she was being disrespected just felt like justification. Especially since I believed IYO had already been one of the best in the world for the last decade (My choice for 2018 wrestler of the year).

Image Credit: WWE

Crowd chants shifted from one name to another, reflecting the ebb and flow of hope for each woman. The drama was palpable…no one knew who was going to walk away with the title, which is the best kind of suspense. I clung to every near-fall and finish attempt as if it could change fate’s decree. In those moments I forgot IV drips and prognosis, because this was real — the shared passion of a community every bit as meaningful as any diagnosis. The match concluded with IYO hitting her signature Over the Moonsault over both Bianca and Rhea, in a shocking (and amazingly captured moment) securing her victory. It was a masterclass that felt five-star in every sense. At the end I believe the match transformed and elevated all women – yes, even Rhea who is already one of WWEs top 3 superstars IMO.

For my money, this is the greatest women’s match in WrestleMania history. Better than the WM 32 Triple Threat between Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. Better than the WM 35 Main Event triple threat. Even better than Sasha vs Bianca, which to me is also a legit classic in its own right. But the fast pace, the crowd atmosphere, the story that surrounded the three women and the shock finish of IYO retaining, firmly establishing her as a made woman in WWE are all the ingredients I believe made this an absolutely phenomenal match. This match elevated IYO to new heights: she had already been respected for her athleticism, but now she proved she could out-think and out-fight two of WWE’s biggest stars at once. WWE’s broadcast team called it IYO’s crowning achievement, and indeed, the roar that followed her final triumphant pose felt like personal vindication.

Beyond WrestleMania: A New Era in Women’s Wrestling

Image Credit: WWE

The spotlight on Sky, Ripley, and Belair represents a larger shift: women’s wrestling in North America has grown far beyond its “Divas” era roots. The founding Four Horsewomen (Charlotte, Becky, Sasha, Bayley) shattered ceilings all the way to the culmination of main-eventing WrestleMania 35 and Night 1 of WrestleMania 38, but the torch now passes to a diverse new generation of not only WWE talents like the trailblazing Dark Angel, NXT Women’s Champ, Stephanie Vaquer, or the Beautiful Madness that is Giulia, now officially on Smackdown. Over on Raw, the Prodigy Roxanne Perez has already made her mark and is only 21 and holds the iron-woman record for the Royal Rumble and is my current pick to win Money in the Bank 2025. Speaking of insanely young talent achieving amazing things, Tiffany Stratton is a mere 25 years old and has already defended the WWE Women’s title at WrestleMania against arguably the GOAT in Charlotte Flair.

Lyra Valkyria is killing it in a feud with Becky Lynch over the women’s IC title and she grows more confident every week. Former US Champ, Chelsea Green has become a fixture on WWE television and is one of the most over acts in the company. Over in AEW, Timeless Toni Storm has completely reinvented herself to become one of the most compelling female performers in the world. Mercedes Mone continues to prove she is one of the absolute game changers in the ring, delivering amazing matches as a multi-champ at an insane clip. Willow Nightingale exemplifies what it is to be a true white-meat babyface, while talents like Julia Hart and Skye Blue continue to improve greatly. I won’t even get into ROH Women’s Champ, Athena, who is on the run of her career, but IS NOT BEING PROPERLY RECOGNIZED FOR IT.

Add in other talents like TNA Knockouts Champ, Masha Slamovich, the powerful Jade Cargill and Jordynne Grace, the ever popular Thunder Rosa and Jamie Hayter, the ridiculously athletic Sol Ruca and powerhouse Zaria from NXT, my 2024 wrestler of the year, Liv Morgan and her counterpart Raquel Rodriguez, down to who I believe WWE is going to put all their chips in eventually in a few years in NXT’s Jaida Parker – women’s wrestling in North America is enjoying a level of success and unmitigated potential for growth like it never has. Us wrestling nerds have always had our Joshi – we have always celebrated talents like the Crush Gals from All Japan, followed SHIMMER and STARDOM religiously and even are keeping tabs on upstart promotion MARIGOLD, but it is hard to deny there is a new energy that is infectious when it comes to women’s wrestling in North America.

We are 10 years removed from arguably the greatest women’s feud in North American pro wrestling history between Sasha Banks and Bayley in NXT that culminated in their game-changing NXT Takeover Brooklyn match. I consider that match to be one of the most important in wrestling history, as it showed that the women can not only successfully main event a show, but can carry it with compelling characters, top notch in-ring work and a physicality and intensity that match any men’s match. I think it’s safe to say since then…women’s wrestling has undergone a new Evolution. The industry has indeed moved far beyond the Four Horsewomen era, welcoming new athletes who blend technical skill, athletic spectacle, and compelling narratives across every banner, every nation and every language.

Leaving the Past Behind

Image Credit: AEW

If course, it hasn’t always been this empowering. Just a decade ago, women’s wrestling in WWE was often marginalized with “Divas” titles and shallow angles. Critics noted that old Divas segments took up barely ten percent of flagship shows and storylines sometimes centered on catty romances or reality-TV tie-ins instead of competition. The old mindset was typified by a disgusting onetime WWE creative edict that “women’s wrestling doesn’t make money,” relegating most women to filler roles. Tragically, the company’s treatment of talent also mirrored larger abuses in wrestling’s history. By 2022, news reports revealed that WWE chairman Vince McMahon had secretly paid millions to settle allegations of sexual misconduct. His eventual stepping aside opened the door to reckonings both in real life and in the ring. I can’t imagine HHH and Stephanie, parents to daughters wanting their children to grow up in the WWE that relegated women to bra and panties matches and were nothing more than “puppies” and superficial eye candy. I am sure they are self-consciously aware of the company’s past sins: from Trish Stratus barking like a dog to the degrading “Piggy James” storyline to multiple real life backstage scandals of sexual misconduct. But those chapters, in some ways, thankfully…are closing. We are not all the way there, but inroads to treat female wrestlers as equal to the men has been made.

Today’s women’s division is transforming WWE and its peers. Rather than being sidelined, female wrestlers now main-event shows and carry major brands. Women’s matches headline arenas and sell merchandise; they’re planned and promoted with the same care as any men’s match. WWE’s own all-women Evolution PPV in 2018 was a major success, so much so that fans have been clamoring for a new event – with talks of Evolution 2 finally coming to light. Especially with WWE’s current roster, an event like Evolution is needed more than ever to spotlight just how far WWE’s women’s division has come in the past decade.

Storylines now treat these performers as athletes and characters, not just eye candy: betrayal, redemption, and empowerment themes abound. For instance, Bianca’s own journey from underdog to champion was chronicled with depth on TV, and Ripley’s transformation into a leader of The Judgment Day was a dark-hero arc that fans ate up. Emerging talents like Mariah May or Roxanne Perez often got prominent spots on flagship shows, reflecting a far more dynamic and equitable environment.

The contrast is stark: yesterday’s wrestling sometimes trafficked in sexist tropes and thin booking. Now, the mainstream rings themselves are filled with women proving that promise. Organizations beyond WWE — AEW, TNA, NWA, even global promotions — have championed women’s athletes aggressively. Even Japan’s NJPW is elevating its new IWGP Women’s Title with star-power matches. The tide has turned: promoters now see savvy fans demanding worthy women’s wrestling, and they’ve responded with respect and opportunity.

Full Circle: Hope, Healing, and the Power of Wrestling

Image Credit: WWE

As I reflected on that WrestleMania night, my father resting quietly, I feel grateful. Grateful that fans like me had a night of escape and joy amid chaos. The final words on my lips weren’t medical jargon, but the scream I shared with the crowd when IYO Sky finally won and her arms were raised in victory holding the WWE Women’s World Title over her head. In the intense dance of that match, especially through IYO’s story and performance, I found a metaphor for life’s struggle: we get knocked down, but we rise again, fueled by purpose and community. IYO got over on her own accord, but she was also lifted up by US, the wrestling. Community who recognized how insanely talented she is and how she deserves her flowers. In this new HHH-run WWE, it does feel like on some level the company is listening to the fans: if Vince was in charge, IYO would never received the opportunities she received. Those are just facts.

Wrestling — once a simple entertainment — became for me a lens through which to view resilience. It reminded me that monsters like illness can be fought with the same spirit as monsters in the ring. Watching IYO, Rhea, and Bianca create something beautiful and personal gave me hope that the real fight — my father’s fight — was worth every cheer.
It reminded me that even when the world feels senseless, there are places of meaning: a shared shout at a Turnbuckle or a communal gasp at a moonsault. In those moments I felt love — love for my father, love for our family; love for a sport that, by vividly telling human stories, made my own pain a little easier to bear. Professional wrestling is an escapist art, yes, but it’s also a mirror. It reflects our struggles and our capacity for joy, even in the darkest times.

When those final moments of IYO’s championship celebration ended, I realized I wasn’t just a spectator; I was part of a community that chooses hope. In the weeks since, as my father’s battle continues, that hope — mirrored in every wrestling match’s journey — has become my anchor. I know now that wrestling’s legacy is more than titles and history: it’s the way strangers around the world unite in empathy and passion. In a world often broken, that shared passion heals. And so I thank IYO Sky, Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, and all the wrestlers out there — not just for the thrills, but for the humanity. In rings around the world, they gave me a reason to cheer and to believe. Pro Wrestling doesn’t cure my pain, but it will always remind me I am not alone in it. That, I will always cherish.

Over the Spring and Summer, Len Archibaald will be a 411Mania guest columnist analyzing the state of women’s professional wrestling in North America.

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