Stephanie McMahon was interviewed by Jonathan Snowden of Bleacher Report about Natalya and Lacey Evans having the first-ever women’s match at WWE Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.
On why Natalya and Lacey Evans were chosen for this match over champions Becky Lynch and Bayley:
“Natalya is somewhat of a legend in the women’s division. She is the veteran. She has been here for so long, been a part of so many of the changes that have happened. When you consider her legacy and family history, it’s pretty remarkable.
“You take Lacey Evans, who is fairly new on the scene but who has not been shy about sharing her perspective on overcoming, especially in her life and the things she’s been through. She has a young daughter and she wants to set an example and pave the way not only for her daughter but boys and girls all around the world. That’s their personal stories.
“I can’t think of better representatives for WWE. You can go on their social media. They’ve made some pretty awesome statements. Lacey Evans said ‘I never thought I’d have the opportunities to do the things I’ve done with WWE. Tomorrow I get to show my little girl that hard work can bring you to history-making heights. I’m ready for this.'”
On the negotiations that took place to get the match on the card:
“I’m not necessarily going to go into the details of it, but again it has been a goal since day one. Obviously, we have the full support of our partners. We’ve been pushing and now here it is and it’s gonna happen.”
McMahon on the concessions being made to the women’s costumes and comparing to the women’s match at Abu Dhabi:
“I haven’t seen the designs but I do know there are certain restrictions and we want to be respectful of the culture. Their costuming will be different than what you would see in a typical WWE show.
“That being said, when you mention Abu Dhabi, I just don’t want to lose the significance of it. It took six years for us to be able to have a women’s match in Abu Dhabi and when we did, the reaction of the audience, both men and women, chanting “this is hope.” That’s not a typical WWE chant.
“Both Sasha and Alexa talked about seeing tears in the eyes of little girls in the front row. When you consider the significance of what it means to be able to see women performing and competing in what was traditionally all men, it really does change the way you look at your future. I think this is a huge opportunity for WWE, for the WWE Universe and hopefully it will have a ripple effect around the world.”
McMahon was also asked about why there wasn’t an Evolution event in 2019:
“We did consider it. A lot of our focus has been on having this particular match as a part of this PPV in Saudi Arabia. More to come on Evolution but it’s most likely not going to happen in 2019.”