Report: Female Talent Were Frustrated With WWE Booking

WWE booking was reportedly a source of frustration for the company's female talent earlier this year.

According to Fightful Select, several female talents were frustrated with how they were being utilised on WWE TV, with unhappiness running from the top to the bottom of the card. Several were waiting to see "where the chips fell" before they expressed their unhappiness to higher-ups, with the returns of Asuka and Lacey Evans, and Charlotte Flair's hiatus said to be important. Ronda Rousey joining SmackDown was also considered a key moment and the former SmackDown Women's Champion has reportedly been "more than happy" to work with a variety of talent.

WWE have featured more women on TV since the May 13 edition of Friday Night SmackDown with varying degrees of "creative satisfaction." A source did note, however, that it "felt like Vince McMahon was more concerned with squeezing himself onto television after the Wall Street Journal story than actually making sure female talent was booked and protected on the show."

McMahon has made multiple appearances on WWE TV since it emerged he made a $3 million hush payment to a former employee over an alleged sexual relationship. A further Wall Street Journal report then noted that McMahon has paid more than $12 million in hush money over the past 16 years, including $7.5 million to a former female talent.