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We have been talking about the revolution in the Women's Division since the last four to five years now, and while women's wrestling hasn't looked much better than what it is now, there is one section of the industry that the women are yet to get a grip on - becoming a referee.
Last week at AEW All Out, Aubrey Edwards became the first female referee ever to officiate a World Title match and also signed as a full-time referee with All Elite Wrestling. She is known by the Internet Wrestling Community as Gearl Hebner, named after one of the most iconic referees of all time - Earl Hebner.
The NXT brand of WWE also has a female referee signed to it - Jessica Carr. But that's pretty much it for the women in this department of Pro Wrestling.
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Interestingly though, there have been many female guest referees in the history of WWE, the most recent one of them being Lacey Evans when she officiated the Universal Championship match between Seth Rollins and Baron Corbin at Stomping Grounds a couple of months ago.
In this article, let's take a look at five female WWE Superstars you might have forgotten have been guest referees in the past.
#5 The Bella Twins
The now-retired Bella Twins are being considered by many as the face of the 'Divas' division of the company before the Women's Division was formed. Both Nikki Bella and Brie Bella have been two of the biggest women Superstars of the company in the last decade.
Having won multiple championships, feuding with the authorities, and dating two of the biggest stars of the company in Daniel Bryan, and John Cena, the Bella Twins have enjoyed a great career. Interestingly, the two have also made their presence as guest referees inside the ring.
In 2010, during their feud with Jillian Hall, the duo acted as co-guest referees for one of Hall's match against Gail Kim. The match ended when Hall attacked both of them, resulting in Nikki making a quick three-count to hand Kim the victory.
#4 Paige
Paige is one of the most talented wrestlers that WWE has ever seen. Before retiring from the in-ring competition, Paige was one of the very first foundations of the women's revolution before the four horsewomen arrived on the scene.
While we all remember her iconic victory over AJ Lee to win the Divas Championship on her RAW debut, it might come as a surprise to many that she has been a referee for a match. This happened in December of 2014 during a live event in Dublin, Ireland where she acted as a guest referee for a match where Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair took on the team of Brie Bella and Alicia Fox.
#3 Maria Kanellis
The first-ever pregnant 24/7 Champion in history, Maria Kanellis isn't new to WWE. Before her recent run alongside her husband Mike Kanellis, Maria was a part of the Divas division of WWE in the late 2000s.
Interestingly, she has been a guest referee a few times, one of the instances during a Divas Championship match between Michelle McCool and Maryse in June 2009. The match ended with McCool picking up the victory and going on to have a feud with Maria after that.
#2 Stephanie McMahon
One of the most recognised faces in the company, Stephanie McMahon has grown in this business, witnessing every aspect of it. Other than being the general manager, commissioner, or competing as a pro-wrestler, she has also been a guest referee in a couple of matches in the Attitude Era.
During her on-screen feud with real-life husband Triple H in 2002, Stephanie was a referee in a match between him and Kurt Angle. In the end, it was Angle who picked up the win after some unethical help from Stephanie.
#1 AJ Lee
The three-time Divas Champion, two-time Slammy award winner for Diva of the year, and the wife of one of the most controversial wrestlers in WWE history, AJ Lee will always be remembered very fondly by her fans around the world for everything that she has given to WWE and the business. AJ has ruled the hearts of many fans through her looks and skills inside the ring.
Before she started competing as a proper wrestler, AJ played many different roles in the company, from being the manager of Dolph Ziggler, to even being named the General Manager of RAW at one point.
Interestingly, she has also been a special guest referee a few times in her career. During the October 1st edition of RAW in 2012, she officiated a match with the then Tag Team Champions Team Hell No taking on the team of CM Punk and Ziggler.
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