Before the women's evolution in WWE, divas during the Attitude Era and beyond were given very little ring time and often had to compete in T&A matches.
Alexa Bliss joined NXT in 2013 during a transition period for women in WWE, but still during a time when women weren't given the opportunities they are now.
Speaking to Charlotte Wilder of FOX, Bliss discussed her early NXT training and why she respects those from the Attitude Era.
"When I first started in NXT, there were certain moves we weren't required to learn because we were never going to do them. The idea was a catfight. It all changed for me when I was watching a match with Paige and Emma. They did a top rope suplex and we were like, 'Hell yeah, this is where it's all going to change.' It was awesome because it shows our women are athletic, can do what the men do, and can be seen in a different light. I respect the women who had to do the bra and panties match because I could never do it. Kudos, I couldn't do it. You've got to respect that because they did that, for us to do what we do now," she said.
Paige and Emma helped usher in a new era during their time in NXT when they competed in the finals of the tournament to crown the first-ever NXT Women's Champion in 2013.
Alexa also mentioned the Give Divas A Chance hashtag, which Vince McMahon responded to in February 2015 as being a catalyst for why the perception of women changed in WWE.
Elsewhere during the interview, Alexa revealed details on her upcoming podcast. You can find her comments by clicking here.
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