Becky Lynch has revealed that WWE originally had another name in mind to become the first-ever SmackDown Women’s Champion. Lynch, who made history by winning the newly introduced championship at Backlash 2016, said the original plan was reportedly to put the title around Nikki Bella. The situation changed after the WWE Universe made its preference clear.
“The Man” discussed the pivotal moment during her appearance on “No-Contest Wrestling.” Looking back at the period before she became one of WWE’s biggest stars, she explained that there was genuine frustration behind her rise. She had repeatedly been close to major opportunities without being the wrestler WWE ultimately chose to build around.
“It was one of those things where it was just—I was sick of taking a backseat, and that was kind of real. That angst was real. It was like always almost getting the shot and then never being the one that was picked, never being the one that they were going to hand the ball to and say, ‘Yeah, this is our girl. Go run with it.’”
That feeling became particularly important when WWE created the SmackDown Women’s Championship following the 2016 brand split. Six women were scheduled to compete for the inaugural title at Backlash, with Lynch, Bella, Carmella, Naomi, Natalya and Alexa Bliss entering the Six-Pack Challenge.
For “The Man,” the opportunity was even more significant because she was still chasing her first championship in NXT or WWE, making her the only member of the Four Horsewomen who had yet to capture a title in either brand at the time.
“It was like even the first time that I won the SmackDown Women’s Championship—first ever, right? That wasn’t the plan.”
Lynch then revealed that Nikki Bella was originally expected to leave the premium live event with the championship.
“I think it was meant to go to Nikki Bella, actually. Um, who, by the way, had like an (expletive)—had just come back from her broken neck. But the audience kind of liked me, you know, and they just, once it was revealed, they just started chanting ‘Becky.’ So kind of the office had to take notice of that and go, ‘Well, yeah. All right. I guess—kind of guess we got to go with her.’”
Bella’s return gave her a strong case heading into the match. She had returned at SummerSlam following neck surgery and was the longest-reigning Divas Champion in WWE history.
Lynch ultimately defeated Bella, Carmella, Naomi, Natalya and Bliss at Backlash to become the first SmackDown Women’s Champion. Carmella eliminated “The Fearless One” during the match before Lynch submitted Carmella with the Dis-arm-her to secure the historic victory.
Becky Lynch Admits She Regrets Some Things From Her Breakout Run
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The championship victory did not immediately change Lynch’s mindset. She was determined to make the most of the opportunity rather than wait for WWE to hand her another one.
Looking back on the period that helped establish her as one of WWE’s top stars, Lynch also acknowledged that some of her approach came with regrets. The intensity surrounding her character often spilled into her promos, and she admitted that she sometimes went further than she would have preferred.
“Sometimes, I did things that, to be honest with you, that I regret. I said a lot of mean things. But, you know, it was all about selling the conflict, or at least that’s how I justified it to myself.”
Still, “The Man” believes that same mindset helped her stop waiting for permission to become a top star. She embraced the idea that she had to claim her place rather than hope someone else would give it to her.
“But that was it. It was—I’m not sitting around anymore. I—I am—I am great, and you—I—I am going to claim my greatness.”
Lynch’s first SmackDown Women’s Championship victory became an important turning point in her career. What she remembers as a moment when WWE changed course after hearing the audience reaction eventually became the beginning of her run as one of the company’s defining women’s wrestling stars.
