This week in WWE history (Feb 21-27) - Roman Reigns beats cancer, #GiveDivasAChance 

It's been a week full of ups and downs in WWE history
It's been a week full of ups and downs in WWE history

It's been a week filled with news in WWE since the company made their bi-annual trip to the Middle East last weekend for Elimination Chamber before Cesaro quietly departed.

Rumors of Cody Rhodes heading to the company have seemingly taken a step backward, whilst Corey Graves has announced that he is now medically cleared to compete.

We are officially on the Road to WrestleMania and historically, this week has been packed full of some interesting news.

The following list looks at some of the biggest news stories of the week, some of which has shaped WWE history.


#5. The Miz becomes WWE Champion for the second time after cashing in his Money in the Bank contract - February 21st, 2021

The storyline surrounding the Money in the Bank contract was a strange one after Otis was able to obtain the briefcase back in 2020. The former member of Heavy Machinery went on to lose the contract to The Miz when he put the case on the line and his friend Tucker turned his back on him.

This led to The Miz once again becoming Mr. Money in the Bank and he chose the most opportune moment to cash in; following the Elimination Chamber match in 2021. Drew McIntyre had to overcome five other men on the night.

Bobby Lashley then came out and attacked the Champion to set up a future feud. The Miz took this opportunity to hit the Skull Crushing Finale on the Scottish star which allowed him to win the Championship for the second time.

Needless to say, Bobby Lashley then came calling and made it clear that he wanted his match for the title that he helped The Miz win. The Awesome One's reign lasted just eight days since Lashley was able to claim the Championship the following week on RAW.

The win did make Miz the first-ever two-time Grand Slam Champion in WWE, despite it only being a short reign.

#4. Naomi Relinquishes the SmackDown Women's Championship - WWE SmackDown February 22nd, 2017

Naomi is a former two-time SmackDown Women's Champion and looks to be in the hunt for the Women's Tag Team Championships heading into WrestleMania 38.

Five years ago, Naomi was able to lift the first Championship of her career when she defeated Alexa Bliss at Elimination Chamber. It was a hard-hitting match and Naomi sustained a legitimate knee injury which then forced her to relinquish the Championship just days later on SmackDown.

Naomi had hoped to walk into WrestleMania as the Champion, but that wasn't the case. Instead, the former Women's Champion took some time away to rehab her injury and was able to make her return on April 2nd at WrestleMania 33 as part of a six-pack challenge for the title she never lost.

In her absence, Alexa Bliss won the title back and was able to walk into WrestleMania as Champion. Naomi was victorious at the biggest event of the year and lifted her second Women's Championship in her hometown of Orlando.

These remain the only two Championships that the former Funkadakyl has lifted throughout her career.

#3. Cesaro and Tyson Kidd become Tag Team Champions - Fastlane 2015

Cesaro made headline news this week as he quietly exited the company after his deal expired earlier in the week. Tyson Kidd has been working backstage in WWE as a producer for the past seven years, after suffering a neck injury at the hands of Samoa Joe as part of a dark match in 2015.

Seven years ago, the two men were on a very different path, heading into WrestleMania as Tag Team Champions after they were able to overcome The Usos at Fastlane.

Kidd and Cesaro were a formidable tag team for several months ahead of Kidd's injury and his final WWE match came later in the year at Elimination Chamber when he fought alongside Cesaro for the tag team Championship inside the Chamber for the first time. The two men came up short as The New Day walked out victorious.

#2. #GiveDivasAChance is born following the women's match on RAW - February 23rd, 2015

The women of WWE appear to be stagnating at present, given their recent booking, but seven years ago today the Women's Division was very different.

What began with a 23-second match between The Bella Twins, Paige, and Emma on RAW has since led to some huge changes in the company and the wrestling business as a whole.

The match kickstarted the #GiveDivasAChance hashtag which later led to Charlotte Flair, Sasha, and Becky Lynch being called up from NXT to kickstart a revolution on the main roster.

The Divas Championship has since been retired as well as the term "divas" and the women now have two Women's Championships and Women's Tag Team Championships to compete for on the main roster.

Seven years have seen a huge change in the landscape of women's wrestling with WrestleMania main events, Hell in a Cells, Elimination Chambers, Women's Royal Rumbles, and several other historic moments all because of one match that led to a worldwide trend.

#1. Roman Reigns returns to WWE following leukemia battle - February 25th, 2019

Roman Reigns was a controversial star in WWE for several years after the former Shield member was pushed into the main event picture, but the WWE Universe refused to accept him as their next big star.

All of this changed back in 2018 when the former world champion was forced to break kayfabe on an episode of RAW and announce that the leukemia that once cost him his NFL dream, had now returned.

Reigns was forced to miss several months and the annual Royal Rumble match in 2019, before returning a few weeks later. He delighted the WWE Universe with the words "I'm in remission y'all" before going on to compete at WrestleMania.

Reigns has since become the biggest heel in the company and is currently the longest-reigning Universal Champion. The last three years have seen him take over WWE and maintain a stranglehold on one of the company's biggest Championships heading into WrestleMania 38.

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Edited by Arjun Kumar
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