Michelle McCool Says Women In WWE PPV Main Events Should Get Equal Pay

Former two-time WWE Women's Champion Michelle McCool spoke with TMZ Sports about equal pay for women who are main eventing a WWE PPV (in particular, WrestleMania) and how she had to "beg" for a ten minute segment for her own retirement match in 2011. In regards to the PPV main events, she thought the amount someone makes shouldn't matter because of gender.

"You know what? I do think the women should get paid [the same]," McCool said. "A main event is a main event, whether it's the guys, the girls, or the both of them in some mixed capacity, but I hope they do, and I think they should."

McCool was asked about how far the women's division has come even since her time with WWE. She reflected back on her 2011 retirement match against Layla and how she had to beg for a ten minute segment. Now, WWE RAW Women's Champion Ronda Rousey, WWE SmackDown Champion Charlotte, and Becky Lynch will be the first-ever women's WrestleMania main event.

"It's so cool because when I was wrestling we literally fought tooth and nail to get?I remember my retirement match that Layla and I truly fought for weeks, begging for ten minutes, and that was with our entrances, so maybe like a six or eight minute match," McCool responded. "For the girls to now be main evening is beyond words. What I can say is I think the story has a ton of momentum behind it, obviously. I think they'll deliver and I don't think it will be the last time they main event, which is super cool. ... I think the WWE Universe finally demanded that the girls get the attention they deserve. I think women past, present, and future should forever be grateful for our super-fans."

In 2018, McCool participated in the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble and a battle royal at WWE Evolution. You can check out her full comments in the video above.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit TMZ Sports with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.