__________________
__________________
The world of professional wrestling has always been a male-dominated sport, but over the years, a powerful wave of women have stepped into the ring to redefine what it truly means to be a wrestler.
Once delegated to divas or eye candy, women’s wrestling has now become an integral part of the industry, with female athletes headlining major events such as Wrestlemania, drawing a global audience, and consistently delivering standout performances.
Today’s era of female wrestlers is known for breaking barriers within the sport and excelling in every facet of the craft – from technical skill to storytelling and character work.
However, the path to this point was paved by a group of women who unapologetically demanded recognition for their hard work and helped shift perceptions and expectations of female wrestlers worldwide.
The team at ProfitDuel, who compile the latest sportsbook promo offers, has ranked five of the most influential and accomplished female wrestlers of all time. These women didn’t just win titles; they changed the game – on their own time.
Before the “women’s revolution” was even a phrase within the industry, Chyna was already revolutionizing the world of women’s wrestling. She wasn’t just wrestling other women, Chyna took on the men – and won.
Chyna broke gender norms with her impressive physique and no-nonsense attitude – she redefined what women could physically accomplish within the ring.
As a founding member of one of wrestling’s most famous staples, D-Generation X, Chyna stood shoulder-to-shoulder with legends like Triple H and Shawn Michaels. She also becomes the first, and only, woman to win the Intercontinental Championship.
Chyna helped prove that women could compete, headline, and dominate the competition. Her influence extends beyond wrestling and into broader conversations about gender roles and representation.
Amy Dumas, better known as Lita, was a breath of fresh air in a wrestling era that preferred beauty over ability. With her tattoos, punk-rock look, and high-flying skill set, Lita broke the mold of what a female wrestler was expected to be. She wasn’t just different – she was daring.
Having trained in Mexico in the Lucha Libre style, Lita brought a level of athleticism and intensity that was rare for the WWE. Her willingness to take the hard bumps earned her the respect of fans and peers alike.
Aligning herself with the popular tag team The Hardy Boyz, she blended seamlessly into one of the most competitive tag divisions in WWE history.
Her long-standing feud and later friendship with Trish Stratus produced some of the most memorable moments in women’s wrestling. Despite injuries, she continued to push boundaries until her retirement, and her impact can still be felt in every risk-taking woman who’s entered the ring since.
For fans of All Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling (AJW), Manami Toyota is widely regarded as one of the greatest female professional wrestlers of all time.
While she isn’t widely known in the West, she is revered by diehard wrestling fans for her technicality and endurance.
Toyota competed during a Golden Age of Japanese Women’s Wrestling called Joshi Puroresu. This was an era in which women wrestlers put on 5-star matches that surpassed the quality of their male counterparts.
Her matches were fast-paced, emotionally charged, and incredibly innovative. She was known for pulling off over 20 high-impact moves in a single match without losing steam, which left audiences breathless.
She won countless titles, including the AJW Championship and WWWA World Tag Team Titles, and her match against Kyoko Inoue in 1995 is still considered one of the greatest women’s matches of all time. If this list were based on technical skill alone, Manami Toyota might top it.
No discussion of modern wrestling greatness would be complete without Becky Lynch. Once overlooked in WWE’s developmental system, Becky clawed her way to the top through grit, personality, and undeniable talent. When she adopted the persona of “The Man” in 2018, she not only reinvented herself but redefined what it meant to be a top star in WWE – regardless of gender.
Becky’s rise was meteoric. Her feud with Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey culminated in the first-ever women’s WrestleMania main event in 2019, where she walked out with both the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships. She became the face of WWE – a role traditionally held by male superstars.
Her promos are sharp, her storytelling is elite, and her matches consistently deliver. But her greatest contribution is showing that authenticity sells. Fans saw themselves in Becky, and in return, she carried an entire revolution on her back.
Trish Stratus is often cited as the greatest WWE women’s wrestler of all time – and for good reason. When she first appeared on WWE television, she was a fitness model turned valet, a typical role for women at the time. But Trish refused to be typecast.
She committed herself to becoming a legitimate in-ring competitor, and in doing so, completely changed the perception of what female performers could achieve.
With seven Women’s Championship reigns, Trish became the most decorated woman in WWE history. Her fierce rivalry with Lita remains one of the most defining storylines in women’s wrestling. Their Raw main event in 2004 broke new ground, being one of the first times women headlined WWE’s flagship show.
Trish combined athleticism with natural storytelling ability and was as good on the mic as she was in the ring. Her transition from glamour to greatness is a testament to her work ethic and vision. Simply put, Trish Stratus brought legitimacy to women’s wrestling in the mainstream.
These five women represent the very best of what wrestling has to offer – skill, passion, innovation, and resilience. From Trish Stratus elevating WWE’s women’s division in the early 2000s to Becky Lynch becoming the face of the company in the modern era, each has left an indelible mark on the industry.
Their legacies go beyond title reigns or main events. They inspired young girls to lace up boots, fans to believe in change, and a billion-dollar industry to finally give women their due. The ring is no longer just a platform for men’s stories – it’s a place where anyone, regardless of gender, can become legendary.
And thanks to these icons, the future of women’s wrestling is not only secure – it’s limitless.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.