Ranking the Top 25 WWE Women’s Wrestlers of All Time

The Glamazon headlined an era of the women’s division that was in transition. She competed against the likes of Melina, Natalya, and LayCool in some excellent matches, but also found herself a valuable teacher to those making the jump from the modeling world to the rings of WWE. A standard of excellence at a time when it was needed, Phoenix probably does not get the credit she deserves for being as essential to the continued growth of the sport as she should, even with a Hall of Fame induction on her resume. Go back and watch some of those Mickie James or Melina matches. Short on time, yes, but they were way ahead of anything else on the show.

Brie and Nikki Bella may not be traditional wrestlers, and there will be some who argue their inclusion this far up the list, but there is no denying their impact on women’s wrestling and what female stars in WWE can achieve, both in and out of the ring. They championed the #GiveDivasAChance social media movement that forced WWE to make a greater investment in the women’s division and ensured they would no longer be subjected to shortened match times.

They transcended the business, becoming reality television stars by way of E! Network’s Total Divas, which helped shine a light on the division’s stars outside of the ring. Immensely popular, the twins continue to pop up from time to time, with Nikki currently enjoying another run in the company. The duo deservedly took their place in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020.

One of the best wrestlers in WWE today, regardless of division, Sky has racked up unforgettable feats of athleticism and championship reigns. A multiple-time women’s champion across NXT and the main roster, her excellence between the ropes helped her get over with audiences and transition from Japan to the United States. Matches with Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Shayna Baszler, and Bianca Belair helped establish her in the black and gold brand, while her ongoing feud with The Eradicator, against whom she is undefeated, is one of the best in all of WWE.

One-third of two of the best matches of the year in WWE in 2025, Sky is in the midst of her greatest run to date, and it would not at all be surprising if she skyrocketed up this list before her career is complete.

While the Four Horsewomen of NXT get a lot of credit for introducing the women’s revolution, it was the meteoric rise of Paige, a second-generation star from Norwich, England, who helped champion the women’s wrestling movement of the mid-2010s. A breakout star with all of the potential in the world to carry the women’s division forward, Paige won the vacant NXT women’s title in the brand’s first live special to kick off the WWE Network era, then made the jump to the main roster and immediately defeated AJ Lee to win the Divas Championship.

Though injuries halted her progression and forced her into a premature retirement until a later comeback in AEW, there is no denying the impact she had in helping to establish women’s wrestling on a grand scale and championing it a full year before Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, and Bayley rewrote the history books.

Who knows if women’s wrestling would be accepted to the extent it is today without Ronda Rousey. The former UFC champion entered the world of professional wrestling in 2018 and helped lead it to unforeseen heights. A legitimate mainstream sports icon, she transitioned from mixed martial arts to WWE, where she partnered with Kurt Angle to defeat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in her very first match at WrestleMania 34 before going on to win three world titles, a tag team title, and the Royal Rumble.

Her star power made the first-ever women’s main event at WrestleMania 35 possible. As red-hot as Becky Lynch was, and as great as Charlotte Flair has always been, a one-on-one showdown does not earn that spot on the card without Rousey. Outspoken and not always popular with fans, there is still no denying her impact on the industry and the elevation of women’s wrestling to a level in which it could realistically headline premium live events and be accepted in that spot by fans. Controversial or not, she earned this spot on the countdown for that reason alone.