Vince Russo Contrasts How Women Were Treated In WCW & TNA Vs. WWF

Vince Russo has worked for almost every major televised wrestling promotion, outside of AEW. In his lengthy time backstage in the industry, Russo says that he's experienced the ways various promotions treat their female talent. "The women knew that they were second-class citizens [in WWE]," Russo said on "Busted Open Radio," "and what this made them do was bust their ass times 10 because thy were constantly in this fight ... to prove they belonged in the wrestling business."

According to Russo, that changed when he left WWE and Vince McMahon's watchful eye. "If I wanted to have girls in every segment of the show, I was gonna put them in every segment of the show," Russo said of his time running WCW creative. Russo says the experience in TNA (now called Impact Wrestling) was similarly freeing.  "I gotta give credit where credit is due," Russo said, "as old school as Dutch Mantell is, Dutch was 1000% behind the females." Russo also says that TNA boss Jeff Jarrett shared the same ethos as Russo, that the gender of who is onscreen doesn't matter as long as they're drawing the biggest crowds they can. "Thank god for me, it drastically changed."

Russo also spoke about how female talent like Sable experienced rampant sexism from "the good ol' boys club" that contained wrestlers and fans alike, something that Russo doesn't think has abated all that much in the modern day, highlighting the treatment of former WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke as evidence.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.