10 Greatest Women’s Wrestlers in WWE History

For the longest time, WWE was considered a boy’s company, but that has changed in recent years. WWE have started to give women the same level of platform to show what they can do as they’ve been affording men throughout their entire history. A large reason for that is the fan protests that kicked off on social media throughout the 2010s, demanding WWE #GiveDivasaChance.

More than that, though, they gave women a chance because they had an incredible roster of stars ready to make the most of the opportunity. There have been some exceptional women wrestlers in WWE over the years. There are the trailblazers, who stood out in an era when women weren’t supposed to stand out, and paved the way for the next generation of stars and there are the more modern wrestlers who took the ball and ran with it once WWE were prepared to give them a chance to shine. These are the 10 greatest women’s wrestlers in WWE history.

10

Bianca Belair

Winning the 2021 Royal Rumble, Bianca Belair made history when she main evented WrestleMania 37 with Sasha Banks. It was the first time two black women had ever main evented the Showcase of the Immortals and it showed how highly the company rated her at the time. She’s gone on to show why in the years since and Belair has become one of the most gifted and popular women’s wrestlers of all time.

The EST of WWE regularly delivers whenever she steps inside the squared circle and has been among some electric feuds and matches over the years. Her run as Raw Women’s Champion broke records, lasting 419 days and she’s not just incredible in the ring, but on the microphone too. Belair just oozes charisma and she’s quickly climbed the ranks in terms of the greatest women’s wrestlers of all time. Don’t be too surprised if she’s made her way even further up this list before she retires.

9

Asuka

Considering WWE’s track record with Japanese talent in the past, many fans were concerned about Asuka’s chances of succeeding in the company when she signed with them in 2015. To say she’s proved the doubters wrong, though, is an understatement. From the off, she was booked as an unstoppable machine and delivered some incredible matches in NXT.

She held the developmental title for a record 510 days before she moved up to the main roster and continued dominating her opponents. She’s since racked up some legendary achievements, including winning the first ever women’s Royal Rumble in 2018. She’s won four women’s titles, as well as a handful of tag team championships and continues to be one of the most compelling characters in WWE. Asuka is one of a kind and one can only imagine how much more she’d have achieved if she hadn’t waited until she was 34 before she joined the company.

8

Sasha Banks

As a key member of WWE’s four horsewomen, Sasha Banks never failed to deliver when she stepped inside the squared circle. She could be a loveable hero, but also a dastardly villain and regularly had fans in the palm of her hands whenever she appeared. She might not be with WWE anymore, and is instead thriving in AEW as Mercedes Mone, but that doesn’t take away from the legacy that Banks forged in the company.

Without her, women’s wrestling doesn’t reach the heights that it has reached over the years. It’s as simple as that. Her matches with Bayley in NXT were unlike anything that WWE had seen before and they inspired an entire generation of young women to follow their dreams and become professional wrestlers. Before she left WWE, Banks won six women’s titles on the main roster and the Boss set a standard that many have been striving to reach since.

7

Rhea Ripley

A simple makeover changed Rhea Ripley’s career ever and has ensured that she will go down as one of the greatest women’s wrestlers in WWE history. Initially sporting rather generic gear, with long blonde hair, Ripley decided to take inspiration from the music she listened to and transformed into a gothic nightmare. It instantly won fans over and she became a megastar.

A look can only get you so far, though, and Ripley’s incredible ability as a wrestler saw her thrive inside the squared circle. The powerhouse stood out among the rest of the roster and her heavy-hitting style meshed beautifully with her opponents. Her aura is unmatched and you only have to listen to the way the audience becomes unglued whenever she appears to realise how special a talent she is. Ripley has already won three women’s championships on the main roster and at just 28 years old, she’s only just getting started.

6

Bayley

Whether it was the Hugger early in her career or during his time as the villainous leader of Damage CTRL, Bayley has regularly been one of the best things about WWE since she made her debut all the way back in 2012. The 36-year-old started in NXT and made a name for herself alongside the rest of the four horsewomen and she helped kickstart the revolution that saw women’s wrestling finally given a proper platform in WWE.

Her rivalry with Sasha Banks showed what women were capable of and inspired millions of young girls all over the world. Bayley has done just about everything there is to do in WWE, winning four women’s championships during her time on the main roster, as well as the Royal Rumble and the Money in the Bank ladder match. She’s guaranteed a place in the Hall of Fame when she retires, but with her recent character change, Bayley continues to prove she still has plenty to offer and isn’t slowing down yet.

5

Lita

Initially making her name alongside Matt and Jeff Hardy, Lita’s unique punk rock look ensured she stood out immediately in comparison to the women in WWE when she debuted and it made her an instant fan favourite. Not only that, but she could go in the ring too and put on some incredible matches before they were the norm for women in the company.

She was an inspiration to millions of young girls all over the world, but also showed she could be as evil a villain as there is when she aligned with Edge. Lita’s feud with Trish Stratus in the 2000s laid the groundwork for all that women have accomplished in WWE since. They were the first women to main event an episode of Monday Night Raw and Lita was rewarded for her impact in wrestling with four WWE Women’s Championship reigns and a spot in the Hall of Fame.

4

Chyna

As the first woman to ever enter the men’s Royal Rumble match, years before the women were granted their own version of the iconic battle royal, and as the only woman to ever win the men’s Intercontinental Championship, Chyna paved the way for the future of women’s wrestling during her time in WWE.

History hasn’t been too kind to the late, great star, but she deserves recognition for her impact on the wrestling industry. Chyna was unlike any woman who had ever been in WWE before. She was strong, physically imposing and looked capable of going toe-to-toe with just about any man on the roster. Chyna was a sight to behold and she showed that women didn’t have to look like supermodels to succeed in WWE.

3

Trish Stratus

Credit: WWE

Before the Women’s Revolution, before the divas were considered worth taking seriously by the higher-ups in WWE, Trish Stratus blazed a trail as a legitimately great professional wrestler. Despite coming into the company with no prior experience, Stratus transformed into an excellent worker in the ring and showed what women were capable of. Her matches with Lita really set a benchmark for the future and gave a sign of things to come once women were given a chance.

Stratus’ full-time career was nowhere near as long as some of the other names on this list, but she’s returned to WWE and stepped back into the ring on multiple occasions over the years. Each time, she’s delivered and reminded fans why she was considered the greatest women’s wrestler in WWE history for so long.

2

Becky Lynch

Women’s wrestling wouldn’t be where it’s at today in WWE if it wasn’t for Becky Lynch. Her surge in popularity with the ‘Man’ character saw her become one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling, man or woman. Fans came unglued at the mere sight of her and it helped elevate women’s wrestling to previously unheard of levels.

She’s dominated inside the ring, winning a plethora of championships, but her ability to reinvent her character over the years has ensured that she’s still remained fresh in the eyes of fans. Having already accomplished so much, Lynch still has plenty to offer and there’s a strong chance she’ll be number one on this list before she calls time on her wrestling career.

1

Charlotte Flair

She might not be the most popular women’s wrestler in WWE history, but there’s no doubt at all that Charlotte Flair is the greatest. There is no one more decorated than the Queen. No one has achieved more than her in women’s wrestling within the company. Including her two stints at the NXT Women’s champion, Charlotte has won 16 world titles in WWE, tying her father’s record. No other woman comes close to that figure. The daughter of Nature Boy Ric Flair, she has dominated over the years and is as skilled inside the squared circle as anyone. Not only is she the greatest woman in WWE history, but she’s one of the greatest wrestlers, period.

The manner in which she’s been pushed may have rubbed some fans the wrong way over the years, but she’s been thoroughly deserving of all the success that she has achieved. She helped change the manner in which women’s wrestling was viewed by fans and she elevated the work that women were doing inside the ring. Simply put, Charlotte is the most gifted women’s wrestler in WWE history and right now, she’s also the greatest.