The 2010s marked a pivotal second within the growth of ladies’s wrestling. Fairly than showcasing feminine wrestlers in a marginalized function as that they had within the 2000s, wrestling promotions started to invoice their feminine rivals as legit athletes as an alternative of scantily-clad supermodels.
In consequence, followers started to view female-centric wrestling with renewed appreciation, giving rise to quite a few 2010s feminine wrestlers whose recognition rivaled their male counterparts in WWE, Affect, and NXT. Get to know them right here.
Becky Lynch
A lady doesn’t earn the nickname “The Man” with out good purpose. Demonstrating constant resilience, toughness, and an timeless drive to win, Becky Lynch skilled probably the most inspirational skilled rises in WWE historical past.
Overcoming fixed accidents within the 2000s, Lynch grew to become a formidable member of the NXT 2010s feminine wrestlers roster, finally incomes the respect of the gang via her ascension to primetime tv. By no means one to again down from a match, Lynch’s profitable monitor document made her a celebrity on par along with her male colleagues, matching the avid acclaim of Seth Rollins or Roman Reigns.
Charlotte
Because the daughter of “Nature Boy” Ric Aptitude, it appeared protected to imagine that Charlotte Aptitude may get pleasure from a rare profession sooner or later or one other. Debuting to NXT in 2012, Charlotte drew on her father’s theatrical persona to some extent in her character.
But even then, the Queen managed to forge her personal revered fame in WWE all through the rest of the last decade, changing into one of many first breakout 2010s feminine wrestlers from NXT.
Alexa Bliss
Like all the perfect wrestlers, Alexa Bliss has proven herself able to adapting to any on-screen function conceivable, from a charismatic host to a Harley Quinn-esque feminine competitor.
Showing first in NXT earlier than transitioning to WWE’s principal roster, Bliss’s astounding character work made her an instantaneous sensation amongst mainstream viewers, resulting in her prolonged reigns as SmackDown and Uncooked Girls’s Champion.
AJ Lee
Within the grand scheme of issues, with out AJ Lee, one can surprise if WWE may ever have handled 2010s feminine wrestlers with the identical distinction as their male counterparts. Rising to new heights within the early 2010s, AJ Lee received over followers along with her spectacular promo abilities, figuring into distinguished storylines reverse Daniel Bryan and CM Punk.
A formidable sufficient wrestler in her personal proper, Lee’s unstable character work received immediate reward from viewers, serving to her change into a contemporary icon within the course of.
Sasha Banks
One more future star-in-the-making to exit out of NXT, WWE had already established Sasha Banks as a real power upon her principal roster debut in 2015. Strutting round along with her vivid ring gear and dubbing herself “The Boss,” Banks’ larger-than-life character outshined even essentially the most expert performers in NXT.
Excelling in her flamboyant character work, Banks grew to become one among WWE’s premiere feminine athletes for near a decade, even when her tenure with the corporate ended on lower than amicable circumstances in 2022.
Bayley
Few wrestlers have confirmed themselves able to present process one revolutionary transformation after one other fairly like Bayley. Whether or not dancing alongside to her inflatable Bayley Buddies or portraying a darker character, Bayley’s devoted dedication to every one among her gimmicks defines her beautiful in-ring profession.
A unbelievable wrestler on NXT and upon her principal roster debut in 2016, Bayley solely continues to develop higher and extra ingenious with every new yr.
Paige
The stylistic successor to AJ Lee, Paige ranked as essentially the most thrilling feminine competitor in WWE, if just for a short while. Rising via the ranks of NXT, Paige made waves on WWE’s principal roster, displaying her prodigious abilities within the ring on a week-in, week-out foundation.
Although her profession got here to a short lived halt after a number of critical neck accidents, Paige’s tenure in WWE little question performed an element within the promotion shifting in the direction of a extra athletic model of ladies’s wrestling in lieu of superficial Divas matches.
Asuka
A pre-established star in Japan by the point she signed with WWE in 2015, Asuka’s run in WWE has fluctuated over time, alternating between momentous highs and extra underwhelming lows.
At her best possible, although, WWE has handled Asuka with the respect the Empress of Tomorrow deserves, as evidenced by her two-and-a-half-year lengthy undefeated streak and her record-breaking reign as NXT Girls’s Champion.
Nikki Bella
Within the 2000s and early 2010s, the Bella Twins appeared as little greater than common midcard wrestlers in WWE’s Divas division, greatest identified for his or her novelty “Twin Magic” routine that noticed one twin change locations with the opposite mid-match. In 2014, nevertheless, Nikki Bella broke out as a good singles competitor in her personal proper, resulting in her record-breaking reign as Divas Champion.
Taking the time to enhance her wrestling skills, Nikki helped lay the groundwork for the Girls’s Revolution of the mid-2010s, gauging audiences’ curiosity in female-oriented wrestling at a pivotal second in sports activities leisure.
Ronda Rousey
Departing the UFC for WWE in 2018, Ronda Rousey used her in depth expertise in combined martial arts to forge an indelible place for herself on the WWE girls’s roster. Making the most of her crucial recognition within the UFC ring, WWE additionally booked her as a legit athlete reasonably than a mere theatrical wrestler.
Identified for her vicious technical offense, one may describe her as the feminine equal to Brock Lesnar or “Rowdy” Roddy Piper–two rivals Rousey took loads of inspiration from.
Io Shirai
Probably the most completed feminine wrestlers on the planet, Io Shirai (AKA Iyo Sky) makes a behavior out of defying the legal guidelines of gravity. Using a speedy, high-flying wrestling model, Shirai may leap off the ropes with the convenience of Will Ospreay or Rey Mysterio (the latter she cites as her foremost affect).
Competing the world over, Shirai has loved embellished tenures in Japan, Mexico, and WWE, feuding with each main star in NXT (Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Toni Storm, and so on.)
Gail Kim
With WWE failing to make the most of her abilities within the late 2000s, TNA legend Gail Kim made the sensible choice to return to her roots in Affect Wrestling close to the beginning of the last decade.
Making her method again to the corporate in 2011, Kim reasserted her place as one of many promotion’s greatest feminine athletes, profitable the Knockouts Championship six extra occasions till her semi-retirement on the finish of the 2010s.
Shayna Baszler
Like her shut good friend Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler departed from a profitable profession in UFC for an opportunity to make it large as a WWE celebrity in the course of the 2010s.
Drawing on her foundational MMA moveset, Baszler grew to become a formidable opponent within the ring, decimating her rivals along with her uncooked offense and noteworthy technical maneuvers.
Mickie James
A wrestler destined to at some point enter the WWE Corridor of Fame, Mickie James has completed every little thing one may ever hope to attain within the wrestling business. One of many foremost stars of WWE’s Ruthless Aggression Period within the 2000s, James finally launched into a profitable stint in TNA and GFW earlier than returning to WWE in 2016.
An pleasant expertise in no matter firm she seems in, James has the uncommon capacity to raise any rival she seems alongside, as seen from her immaculate feuds with Madison Rayne, Tara, and Alexa Bliss, amongst others.
Jordynne Grace
The breakout feminine star in TNA’s Knockout Division proper now, Jordynne Grace appeared to have a shiny future forward of her the second she debuted in 2009. Working throughout varied unbiased promotions, Grace drew on her extra distinctive bodily look as her best in-ring asset, priding herself on her uncooked energy.
Climbing via the ranks of Affect Wrestling, the Juggernaut appears capable of out-wrestle any one among her rivals–whether or not they’re male or feminine.
Taya Valkyrie
Probably the most underrated feminine wrestlers in latest reminiscence, Taya Valkyrie has proven herself able to hanging with essentially the most completed rivals conceivable.
Incomes renown for her appearances in AAA, Affect Wrestling, and Lucha Underground, Valkyrie by no means backed down from a battle, going through down everybody from Tessa Blanchard to Brian Cage within the ring.
Rhea Ripley
One more feminine competitor whose recognition has solely improved because the creation of the 2020s, Rhea Ripley first entered WWE as a background participant within the 2017 Mae Younger Basic.
Although she didn’t advance very far within the event, Ripley managed to eke out a formidable place for herself on NXT’s roster within the months that adopted, rounding out the last decade as a future star destined for excellent issues in WWE.
Angelina Love
One of many prototypical TNA Knockouts, Angelina Love maintained her elite place as one of many promotion’s most proficient in-ring rivals from the 2000s into the 2010s. Returning to TNA in the beginning of the last decade, Love discovered herself the middle of quite a few attractive storylines, together with her feud/reunion with The Stunning Folks, her enigmatic partnership with Winter, and her function within the breakup of The Wolves.
Like all the perfect wrestlers, Love dedicates herself to every function she finds herself in, no matter how a lot time appears to cross.
Toni Storm
Extra so than most of her contemporaries, Toni Storm has gone on to attain widespread approval for her latest run in AEW, thanks largely to ham-fisted character work beneath the “Timeless” Toni Storm gimmick.
Even within the 2010s, nevertheless, Storm demonstrated eager capacity within the ring, alternating between varied gimmicks whereas additionally displaying off a extra grizzled offensive moveset.
Deonna Purrazzo
Like her shut good friend/recurring rival Toni Storm, Deonna Purrazzo solely appears to get higher with time, as evidenced by her newer tenure in Affect Wrestling and AEW.
But even within the late 2010s, the Virtuosa demonstrated unequalled prowess when it got here to her technical wrestling skills, regardless of WWE by no means giving her a good likelihood on mainstream tv.