History YMMV / Lita

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny:
** She was the first woman to wrestle with a lucha-inspired moveset in WWE and was hugely popular for it. These days you see quite a lot of WWE Divas using high flying moves to the point where those are considered the standard Diva wrestling style. Plus, with seeing other women in promotions such as ''Wrestling/{{SHIMMER}}'' doing those moves much better modern fans might not understand what all the fuss was about.
** It might be lost on some younger fans spoiled for choice in terms of character variety for the women - but Lita was seen as something different at the time. The women in WWE were virtually all glamorous Divas like {{Wrestling/Sable}} (and the ones who were wrestlers like {{Wrestling/Ivory}} and {{Wrestling/Jacqueline}} were still pigeonholed into that mold) or {{Brawn Hilda}}s like {{Wrestling/Chyna}} or Nicole Bass. Lita's status as a punk rock {{Tomboy}} gave young girls a character they'd never seen before and, in a lot of cases, related to. She also showed that one didn't have to be a jacked-up bodybuilder like Chyna to get hardcore or dangerous.

* EvilIsSexy: As Wrestling/{{Edge|Wrestler}}'s [[RedBaron Raging Redhead]]. Turning heel also resulted in her becoming HotterAndSexier - with lots of outfits with cleavage.

** In 2021, Lita revealed that she absolutely did ''not'' want to do the infamous live sex celebration with Edge, but WWE threatened to fire her if she didn't go through with it. Edge, and even Wrestling/JohnCena were also opposed to the segment, but as with the infamous [[Wrestling/EddieGuerrero Eddiesploitation]] angle, Wrestling/VinceMcMahon thought it would be great and in WWE his word isn't just law, it's ''god.'' This also makes the horrible SlutShaming she was subjected to when she retired even worse, as now it's believed that it was further punishment for her opposition to the sex segment, even after she ultimately went through with it.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: Her appearance on the 1000th episode Raw, defeating Heath Slater in a match is seen as an apology to her rather disrespectful send-off at Survivor Series 2006.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment:
** At ''New Year's Revolution 2005'', Lita was set to take on Trish Stratus again a month after she beat Trish for the title in the main event on ''Raw'', a match that featured Lita nearly breaking her surgically-repaired neck on a suicide dive out of the ring. Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler recalled the moment during Lita's entrance, with Ross hoping aloud that Lita wouldn't do anything crazy to risk her health again, selling Lita's risk-taking style. Unfortunately, his fears came true as Lita blew out her ACL during the match [[note]]Eerily, it was the second knee injury in as many matches on the show, with [[Wrestling/NickDinsmore Eugene]] dislocating his kneecap in the opening match[[/note]] on a Lou Thesz Press from the apron to the floor and missed nearly a year of in-ring action, forcing her into the role of valet in order to stay on TV during her recovery.
** There's also a moment during the entrances for the Matt Hardy-Kane match for Lita at ''[=SummerSlam=] 2004'' where you can see a sign in the front row reading "Lita is an Evil Jezebel"[[note]]Although Lita was a face in this match, the event was being held in Toronto, the hometown of Lita's long-time {{Archenemy}} Wrestling/TrishStratus[[/note]]. "Evil Jezebel" would become one of Jim Ross's favorite expression to refer to Lita as after her affair with Edge broke out less than a year later.

* EvilIsSexy: As Wrestling/{{Edge}}'s [[RedBaron Raging Redhead]]. Turning heel also resulted in her becoming HotterAndSexier - with lots of outfits with cleavage.

** Both Lita, Wrestling/{{Edge}} and Wrestling/MattHardy, the actual infidelity aside. Fans are more likely to remember all of them for their in-ring achievements than the affair scandal:

* EvilIsSexy: As Wrestling/{{Edge}}'s [[RedBaron Raging Redhead]]. Turning heel also resulted in her becoming HotterAndSexier - with lots of outfits with AbsoluteCleavage.

** It might be lost on some younger fans spoiled for choice in terms of character variety for the women - but Lita was seen as SomethingCompletelyDifferent at the time. The women in WWE were virtually all glamorous Divas like {{Wrestling/Sable}} (and the ones who were wrestlers like {{Wrestling/Ivory}} and {{Wrestling/Jacqueline}} were still pigeonholed into that mold) or {{Brawn Hilda}}s like {{Wrestling/Chyna}} or Nicole Bass. Lita's status as a punk rock {{Tomboy}} gave young girls a character they'd never seen before and, in a lot of cases, related to. She also showed that one didn't have to be a jacked-up bodybuilder like Chyna to get hardcore or dangerous.

* HoYay: With Wrestling/TrishStratus. Particularly around 2003 they entered a PseudoRomanticFriendship and teamed together as such. Whenever one of them was heel, this turned into FoeYay. And of course, they kissed once.

** There's also a moment during the entrances for the Matt Hardy-Kane match for Lita at ''[=SummerSlam=] 2004'' where you can see a sign in the front row reading "Lita is an Evil Jezebel"[[note]]Although Lita was a face in this match, the event was being held in Toronto, the hometown of Lita's long-time {{Archenemy}} Wrestling/TrishStratus[[/note]]. "Evil Jezebel" would become one of Jim Ross' favorite expression to refer to Lita as after her affair with Edge broke out less than a year later.

* HoYay: With Wrestling/TrishStratus. Particularly around 2003 they entered a RomanticTwoGirlFriendship and teamed together as such. Whenever one of them was heel, this turned into FoeYay. And of course they kissed once.

** She was the first woman to wrestle with a lucha-inspired moveset in WWE and was hugely popular for it. These days you see quite a lot of WWE Divas using high flying moves to the point where those are considered the standard Diva wrestling style. Plus with seeing other women in promotions such as ''Wrestling/{{SHIMMER}}'' doing those moves much better modern fans might not understand what all the fuss was about.
** It might be lost on some younger fans spoiled for choice in terms of character variety for the women - but Lita was seen as SomethingCompletelyDifferent at the time. The women in WWE were virtually all glamorous Divas like {{Wrestling/Sable}} (and the ones who were wrestlers like {{Wrestling/Ivory}} and {{Wrestling/Jacqueline}} were still pigeonholed into that mold) or {{Brawn Hilda}}s like {{Wrestling/Chyna}} or Nicole Bass. Lita's status as a punk rock {{Tomboy}} gave young girls a character they'd never seen before and, in a lot of cases, related to. She also showed that one didn't have to be a jacked up bodybuilder like Chyna to get hardcore or dangerous.

* TestosteroneBrigade: Lita has always had a huge crop of male fans in part due to her {{Ladette}} nature and JustForFun/OneOfUs sex appeal. And of course respect for her wrestling and fearless attitude too.

** Lita had been derided on the web as "overrated" for years, usually with accusations of being sloppy and or almost killing herself with a moonsault. While there might have been some valid criticism, most of this was in reference to her injury on ''Series/DarkAngel'', which was due to being dropped by a stunt woman rather than anything she messed up.

* SmurfetteBreakout: Was initially Essa Rios's valet but her popularity eclipsed his.

* LesYay: With Wrestling/TrishStratus. Particularly around 2003 they entered a RomanticTwoGirlFriendship and teamed together as such. Whenever one of them was heel, this turned into FoeYay. And of course they kissed once.

* FanonDiscontinuity: Some fans would like to pretend her heel run from 2005-2006 just didn't happen, since it was WWE turning a real life issue into a storyline, and the XPacHeat Lita was getting is what drove her to leave the company. She also wrestled much less and about the only match fondly remembered from that period is the Trish Stratus retirement one. Her retirement against Mickie James is considered a decent match by some as well.

** In 2021, Lita revealed that she absolutely did ''not'' want to do the infamous live sex celebration with Edge, but WWE threatened to fire her if she didn't go through with it. Edge, and even Wrestling/JohnCena were also opposed to the segment, but as with the infamous [[Wrestling/EddieGuerrero Eddiesploitation]] angle, Wrestling/VinceMcMahon thought it would be great and in WWE his word isn't just law, it's ''god.'' This also makes the horrible SlutShaming she was subjected to when she retired even worse, as now it's believe that is was further punishment for her opposition to the sex segment, even after she ultimately went through with it.

** There's also a moment during the entrances for the Matt Hardy-Kane match for Lita at ''[=SummerSlam=] 2004'' where you can see a sign in the front row reading "Lita is an Evil Jezebel"[[note]]Although Lita was a face in this match, the event was being held in Toronto, the hometown of Lita's long-time {{Archenemy}} Wrestling/TrishStratus[[/note]]. "Evil Jezebel" would become one of Jim Ross' favorite expression to refer to Lita as after her [[YourCheatingHeart affair]] with Edge broke out less than a year later.

** Both Lita, Wrestling/{{Edge}} and Wrestling/MattHardy, [[YourCheatingHeart the actual infidelity aside]]. Fans are more likely to remember all of them for their in-ring achievements than the affair scandal:

* VindicatedByHistory: Both Lita, Wrestling/{{Edge}} and Wrestling/MattHardy, [[YourCheatingHeart the actual infidelity aside]]. Fans are more likely to remember all of them for their in-ring achievements than the affair scandal:\\
\\
• Edge became a modern-day legend and an inspiration to other wrestlers including longtime WWE superstars Curt Hawkins and Wrestling/ZackRyder.\\
• Lita was missed more and more as the Diva division deteriorated following hers and Trish's retirements. She was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame and works as an ambassador for WWE to this day.\\
• As for Matt? He eventually managed to turn around his life, becoming a husband and father as well as striking gold in [[Wrestling/ImpactWrestling TNA]] with his highly-popular "Broken" gimmick.
** Also the Extreme Pregnancy, surprisingly. As hated as the storyline was at the time, many fans now admit that it gave her and Wrestling/{{Kane}} [[SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct some of their best acting,]] that it lead to the crowd really getting behind them with a sense of genuine sympathy and plenty of them expressing ''sorrow'' over the miscarriage (and, interestingly enough, disappointment on how Wrestling/TheUndertaker won't become an Uncle).

• Edge became a modern-day legend and an inspiration to other wrestlers including longtime WWE superstars Curt Hawkins and Wrestling/ZackRyder.\\
• Lita was missed more and more as the Diva division deteriorated following hers and Trish's retirements. She was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame and works as an ambassador for WWE to this day.\\
• As for Matt? He eventually managed to turn around his life, becoming a husband and father as well as striking gold in [[Wrestling/ImpactWrestling TNA]] with his highly-popular "Broken" gimmick.

Edge became a modern-day legend and an inspiration to other wrestlers including current WWE superstars Curt Hawkins and Wrestling/ZackRyder.\\
\\
Lita was missed more and more as the Diva division deteriorated following hers and Trish's retirements. She was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame and works as an ambassador for WWE to this day.\\
\\
As for Matt? He eventually managed to turn around his life, stricking gold in [[Wrestling/ImpactWrestling TNA]] with his highly-popular "Broken" gimmick.

** When Matt Hardy was traded to Raw, a segment throughout the night made it look like he was going to propose. Then he turned around and got her fired, breaking things off with her there on the spot. While a kayfabe KickTheDog moment, it is incredibly harsh to watch now, since in the initial weeks after the affair was discovered Matt encouraged the fans to chant obscenities at her.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: She was the first woman to wrestle with a lucha-inspired moveset in WWE and was hugely popular for it. These days you see quite a lot of WWE Divas using high flying moves to the point where those are considered the standard Diva wrestling style. Plus with seeing other women in promotions such as ''Wrestling/{{SHIMMER}}'' doing those moves much better modern fans might not understand what all the fuss was about.

* {{HSQ}}: Among the crop of divas in her time, Lita's high flying moves and fearless attitude were taken as this.