At #2, James picked the match between Trish Stratus and Lita, credited as the first-ever women’s bout to main event an episode of “WWE Raw” on December 6, 2004. “That’s when I was in the business, training, and I was like, ‘Wow. It’s possible for me or anyone [to main event a show]. It was such a powerful moment in the evolution of women’s wrestling because it was a big step in being seen as equals.”

Technically, other matches such as Stephanie McMahon vs. Lita on the August 21, 2000 edition of “Raw,” and Alundra Blayze vs. Bertha Faye on the October 23, 1995 edition of “Raw” did go on last, but Stratus vs. Lita was arguably the first women’s main event program that WWE creative was truly invested in. 

And finally, at #1, James went with the iconic Wendi Ritcher vs. Fabulous Moolah match from 1984, which aired as a special broadcast on MTV titled “The Brawl to End it All.” While Cyndi Lauper’s cameo as Ritcher’s manager surely helped draw the eyeballs of non-wrestling fans, the match also put women’s wrestling on the map as WWE continued to capitalize on the momentum generated by WrestleMania 1. 

“That was a huge thing for wrestling,” James began. “It put wrestling in the mainstream — it was such a big, big thing, and for it to air on MTV, I think it really brought wrestling into pop culture and really started opening up those doors for wrestling to be more than just a local kind of thing.”

For what it’s worth, James had earlier refused to name “Honorable Mentions” as she put a lot of thought and effort into making her definite list. One could argue that WrestleMania main events such as Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey could have made the cut, but James, it would seem, believes her peers had already laid the groundwork for their successors to thrive.