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5 Things We Learned From Reading Becky Lynch's Memoir 'The Man'

Originally posted on SE Scoops | By Thomas Lowson | Last updated 3/29/24

Recently, Becky Lynch's memoir 'The Man: Not Your Average, Average Girl' hit shelves, and has proven to be a gripping read for wrestling fans and casual readers alike.

In the book, she writes candidly about her life in and outside of the ring. She shares unpleasant aspects of her journey, including insecurities that have made her feel cowardly at times.

Here’s a link to some prominent Becky Lynch book reviews, followed by our five takeaways from reading Becky Lynch’s new book, The Man: Not Your Average, Average Girl.

She Wasn't a Fan of WWE Evolution

In 2018, WWE held its first (and to date, only) all-female Premium Live Event. WWE Evolution was quite the show and saw Lynch retain the SmackDown Women's Championship against Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing match.

While Lynch considers the match one of her favorites, the show concept itself did not sit right with her. Lynch writes how WWE would never promote an event being an all-men show, so to do so with the women's roster seemed like the opposite of equality. Lynch was also not a fan of the ending of WWE Evolution, which saw all the women come out on stage, something else the company wouldn't do for the men.

She Didn't Like the Look of Finn Balor at First

Finn Balor (or Fergal) plays a huge role in Lynch's memoir, as her trainer and a long-term boyfriend. Even after splitting, the pair remained close in a friendship that lasts to this day.

Despite this, Becky was far from impressed when she first saw Balor in promotional material for a wrestling school, as she told her brother:

"That Fegal lad looks like a real douchebag."

Upon meeting Balor in person, Lynch would realize the handsome good looks of WWE's first Universal Champion and it wouldn't be long before the pair became an item.

She Struggled With Confidence for a Long Time

In her memoir, Becky doesn't hold back on her feelings of inadequacy in her youth, but these feelings extended long into her WWE career. While many would see being hired by WWE as the definition of 'making it' Lynch continued to feel like she was always on the cusp of being let go.

Even after making it to the main roster, Lynch writes about feeling like she's not enough, and feared being pulled from the WrestleMania 32 Women's Triple Threat at the last minute. Even as the first SmackDown Women's Champion, Lynch's doubts didn't go away, proof that mental health issues can affect us all.

She Was Engaged & Didn't Want to Be

Becky Lynch has been married to Seth Rollins for some time now and the pair have a lovely young daughter in Roux. Years earlier though, Lynch would be engaged to somebody else, but hated that she was. From the start of the relationship, Lynch knew this man was not right for her, but she felt like she needed something outside of wrestling, in which she was struggling at the time.

A self-professed "f***ing coward" Lynch said yes when the man in question popped THE question on a Ferris wheel and did her best to hide the news of their engagement from friends and family. Lynch did tell Rollins, who had only weeks earlier listened as she spoke about not wanting to be with this guy. Wearing an engagement "ring of sadness" was not easy for Lynch, who eventually broke things off via text after a fight with her fiance.

She Knew Her 2018 Charlotte Feud Wouldn't Work

In 2018, Lynch turned 'heel' after Charlotte Flair won the SmackDown Women's Championship at that year's SummerSlam, or at least that was the idea. The fans rallied behind the plucky Lynch and therefore rejected the second-generation wrestler who many had felt had been handed opportunities others should have been given.

Lynch knew from the get-go that this story wouldn't work and constantly brought this up to management. Despite her pleas, Lynch was put on TV to cut generic heel promos, berating fans for never really supporting her, when they had all along. Even having Lynch berate the then-retired Edge did nothing to make fans boo her. While WWE eventually relented, Lynch's 2018 heel run wasn't easy or fulfilling for The Man.

This article first appeared on SE Scoops and was syndicated with permission.

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