This is because Japanese pro women’s wrestling has been around since the 1960s! In fact, Japan set the stage for women’s wrestling to take off worldwide. These days, the ladies are bringing just as much ferocity, technique, and entertainment to the male-dominated sport, have a look at some of the top women in the wrestling world!
Lacey Evans
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2014-Present
Net Worth: $500,000
Lacey Evans enlisted in the Marines at age 19 before entering the independent wrestling circuit in 2014 (at age 26). While training for American Premier Wrestling, she won the World Heavyweight Championship. She later signed with the WWE in 2016 and began appearing on NXT where she was on a variety of tag teams.
Evans was eventually drafted to the Raw brand in 2019 and has become a mainstay for viewers till today.
Sara Del Rey
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2001-2012
Net Worth: $300,000*
Sara Del Rey first emerged into the wrestling world when she tried out for Arsion (a Japanese wrestling championship) in 2002. She then debuted with Illinois-based Shimmer Women Athletes in 2005 but she became best known for her work with the WWE. She made a brief cameo appearance in the La Lucha libre circuit in Mexico.
Del Rey was actually the first double champion of the Shimmer promotion, and was the fourth woman to ever make it onto the Pro Wrestling Illustrated list of the world’s top 500 wrestlers! Today, Sara Del Rey is retired but still works as a producer and trainer for the WWE. In her free time, she also produces the NXT brand for WWE.
Ronda Rousey
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2010-Present
Net Worth: $13 million*
Though she’s a relative newcomer to the WWE, Ronda Rousey first became a household name from her MMA career. Rousey also won a handful of medals in judo in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. From there, Rousey entered the world of MMA and soon became known for being one of the toughest women in the field. She won a number of championships after signing with the UFC but retired in 2018.
Though Rousey made occasional appearances on WWE throughout the years, she officially signed with the WWE in 2018.
Wendi Richter
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1979-2005
Net Worth: $39 million*
Yet another top wrestler trained by The Fabulous Moolah, Wendi Richter began her career in 1979. Richter joined the WWF in 1980 and her peak years were strung throughout the 80s and 90s. She was part of a team known as the Texas Cowgirls, and their series of matches in 1982 gave her some notoriety.
Richter worked hard for her achievements and held the Women’s Championship Title twice. She even had a very famous storyline with Cyndi Lauper during the Rock ‘N Wrestling Connection promo.
Jaguar Yokota
Country of Origin: Japan
Years Active: 1977-1986, 1995-1998
Net Worth: $200,000*
Jaguar Yokota is a Japanese professional wrestler who was, at one time, considered one of the greatest wrestlers on the planet. Yokota is certainly one of the best female wrestlers of all time. A determined wrestler, Yokota won her first world championship in the eighties after wowing crowds as a young teenager.
But she achieved her greatest success in wrestling when she defeated her mentor and inspiration, Jackie Sato, in the WWWA World Championship. Unfortunately, she retired early because of repeated shoulder injuries, though she briefly reappeared between 1995 and 1998 before leaving to focus on her personal life.
Toni Storm
Birthplace: New Zealand
Years Active: 2009-Present
Net Worth: $1 Million
New Zealander Toni Rossall (known as Toni Storm) began training professionally in Australia before she began appearing in the WWE franchise in both Australia and the UK. In 2017 she entered the Mae Young Classic and defeated Ayesha Raymond during round one.
She officially signed with WWE in 2018 and defeated lo Shirai in the 2018 Mae Young Classic. Storm has most recently been involved in the NXT brand.
Sherri Martel
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1980-2006
Net Worth: $10,000*
Sherri Martel was born in Alabama in 1958 and became interested in wrestling as a young child. She started wrestling in the Mid-South after completing training in South Carolina. After recovering from some injuries, she joined the AWA, debuted in1985, and won the Women’s Championship three times.
Later, she joined the WWF, again winning the Women’s Championship. She was seen throughout the nineties in ECW and WCW promos, cheering on her clients. Tragically, Martel’s career was cut short upon her death in 2007.
Aja Kong
Birthplace: Japan
Years Active: 1986-2019
Net Worth: $100,000*
Japanese wrestler, Aja Kong was trained by AJW (All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling) and is the founder of the pro-wrestling promotion Arsion. Kong has won many championships and singles championships within her long-standing career.
She wrestled with the AJW promotion in the eighties and nineties and became a freelance wrestler both in Japan and the U.S. Kong has used other names in her wrestling career (including Erika and AmeErika). In 2019, Kong debuted on AEW (All Elite Wrestling) and continues building her career today.
Beth Phoenix
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2001-2012
Net Worth: $4 million*
Beth Phoenix, (birth name, Elizabeth Kocianski) began her amateur wrestling career while she was still in high school. She emerged as a pro in May of 2001, where she wrestled for a variety of indie organizations. She worked for Ohio Valley Wrestling before suffering a broken jaw that benched her for awhile. Her jaw was seriously injured and required several surgeries, but she was soon ready to wrestle again and signed a new contract.
Phoenix was known for her Glamazon persona. In 2012, Phoenix retired to focus on her family and personal life.
Carmella
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2013-Present
Net Worth: $160 Million
Leah Van Dale, known in the wrestling world as Carmella, first appeared in the pro wrestling world in 2013. A former Laker Girl, Carmella signed with WWE under the NXT brand and debuted the following year. She won the battle royal in 2014 but ultimately lost the NXT Women’s Championship. She was drafted to the Smackdown brand in 2016 and gained her first victory (over Natalya).
In 2017, Carmella made her first appearance on WrestleMania in a six-member tag team but unfortunately was defeated, however, she did go on to win the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal. In 2020, Carmella continues to wrestle in the WWE under the SmackDown brand.
Asuka
Birthplace: Japan
Years Active: 2004-Present
Net Worth: $1 million*
Asuka (birth name, Urai Kanako) was born in Osaka Japan, and began wrestling professionally in 2004 under the AtoZ promotion. She retired just two years after joining AtoZ but quickly returned as an independent wrestler in 2007. Previously known as Kana, she appeared a handful of times on the Pro Wrestling Wave promotion in 2008 and began appearing regularly in 2010.
With her partner, Mio Shirai, she defeated Misaki Ohata and Tsukasa Fujimoto, winning the Tag Team Championship. Asuka went on the independent Japanese and American Wrestling circuits from 2010-2015, respectively, and finally signed with WWE in 2015.
Stephanie McMahon
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1998-Present
Net Worth: $76 million*
Stephanie Marie McMahon, or simply Stephanie McMahon, was born into a wrestling dynasty. Stephanie is a fourth-generation wrestling promoter and worked her way up through the WWE franchise. She began her wrestling career in 1999 and was a part of some of the most elaborate storylines till mid-2002.
She became the general manager of the SmackDown brand in late 2002 but returned back in the ring with a villainous persona in 2005. Stephanie currently serves as the Raw Commissioner and is married to wrestler Triple H with whom she has three children.
Paige
Birthplace: England
Years Active: 2005-2019
Net Worth: $3 Million
Paige (born Saraya-Jade Bevis) is from a family of UK wrestlers that own the WAW franchise. In 2005, she debuted at the tender age of thirteen for WAW and won several championships while performing independently. Paige signed with the WWE in 2011 and became a regular wrestler by 2014. At age twenty-one, she also became the youngest winner of the Divas Championship.
After stepping into the Raw brand in 2016, Paige suffered a severe neck injury that led her to retire from wrestling in 2018. Currently, she is still involved in the franchise as a part of WWE Backstage.
Akira Hokuto
Birthplace: Japan
Years Active: 1985-2002
Net Worth: $5 million*
Akira Hokuto was born in Hisaka Unois and made her career debut in 1984 after she was trained in an AJW dojo while in high school. At the ripe age of eighteen, her fame had already grown, as she gained a reputation for her intense fighting capabilities. Hokuto won the Rookie of the Year, along with Match of the Year.
Hokuto set herself apart by gaining a reputation for toughness after she broke her neck in a fight but still kept wrestling for two more rounds, using her hands to hold her head in place. Akira Hokuto is definitely an unrivaled woman!
Torrie Wilson
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1999-2018
Net Worth: $5 Million
Torrie Wilson had a rather happenstance entrance into wrestling when she was selected to walk out to the ring with Scott Steiner. She later became a part of an elaborate storyline involving Kevin Nash. Wilson eventually made her debut on WWE in 2001 under the Smackdown brand and was involved in quite a few feud storylines. She was then moved to the Raw brand in 2005 where she faced and defeated Candice in WrestleMania 22.
She made occasional appearances after her retirement through 2018 and was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Chyna
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1995-2011
Net Worth: $4 million*
Chyna (birth name, Joan Marie Laurer) trained at Wladek Kowalski’s pro wrestling school in Massachusetts. She was hired by the WWF and afterward became a founding D-Generation X stable member (and the first female enforcer). Chyna was the only woman to ever win the WWF Intercontinental Champion twice and was the first female wrestler to participate in Royal Rumble and King of the Ring.
A dedicated performer, Chyna was the number-one contender to win the top title in the WWE, boasting victories over many prominent male wrestlers (which was devastation to some of them). Overall, Chyna had a glistening wrestling career and was even nicknamed the “Ninth Wonder of the World” before she retired in 2011.
Su Yung
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2007-Present
Net Worth: $1 Million
Su Yung (born Vannarah Riggs) was working as a professional wrestler for a number of promotions such as Lady Sports, GCW, and Jerry Lawler’s Memphis Wrestling. She was signed to a developmental contract with the WWE in 2010 and debuted that same year toting a villainous persona. After facing continual losses, she was released from her WWE contract in 2011.
Since then, Yung has been seen on Shimmer Women’s Athletes promotions as well as Impact Wrestling which she is still a part of today.
Bayley
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2012-Present
Net Worth: $2 million*
Pamela Rose Martinez, known in the wrestling world as Bayley, started her career in the independent circuit before signing with the WWE in 2012. She was under the NXT brand and became a one-time NXT Women’s Champion.
Bayley tag-teamed with Sasha Banks during the Battleground competition to take down Charlotte and Dana Brooke. Presently, she is part of the SmackDown brand and became the first WWE Women’s Grand Slam winner in the history of WWE.
Bull Nakano
Birthplace: Japan
Years Active: 1983-1997
Net Worth: $12 million*
Bull Nakano is a Japanese wrestler who has also wrestled in Mexico and America. A multi-faceted athlete, Nakano was also a professional golfer and qualified for the LPGA. Her wrestling career began in 1983 when she was a teenager and Bull decided to take on a villainous persona throughout her career. She won several singles and tag team championships with AJW before she moved to Mexico to take part in the CMLL.
In the 1990s, Nakano capstoned her career in America, wrestling for the WWF. Her most famous moment in the WWF was her feud with Alundra Blayze before her injuries forced her to retire in 1997.
Luna Vachon
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1985-2007
Net Worth: $41 million*
Luna Vachon (birth name, Gertrude Elizabeth Vachon) had a wrestling career that lasted a long time! Luna was actually a part of a family wrestling dynasty and her family tried to dissuade her from becoming a wrestler. Her family said the life of a wrestler would be too hard on her as a woman, but she jumped headfirst anyway!
In her preparation, Luna consulted her Aunt Vivian for training. Vivian trained her and then The Fabulous Moolah trained her after. Altogether, Luna wrestled for the WWF, ECW, AWA, and WCW and in 2019, she was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. What a career!
Mandy Rose
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2015-Present
Net Worth: $2 Million
Mandy Rose (birth name, Amanda Rose Saccomanno) entered the ring professionally in 2015 when she signed with the WWE. Like many others, she debuted on NXT and won while she was a part of a six-member tag team. When she appeared on WrestleMania 34 in 2018, she entered the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal, but ultimately lost to Naomi. Rose was also drafted to SmackDown in 2018 and competed in a variety of tag team matches.
She most recently won a Women’s Tag Team Championship (with Sonya Deville) against Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross.
Billie Kay
Birthplace: Australia
Years Active: 2007-Present
Net Worth: $1.5 Million
Billie Kay (otherwise known as Jessica McKay) wrestled alongside her brother at the ripe age of ten and first entered the professional platform on Pro Wrestling Alliance in Australia in 2007. In 2008, she won a PWWA Championship against Kellie Slater but also sustained a handful of losses. Like many others, she also joined Shimmer Women Athletes within that year and, most notably, won over Nicole Matthews in Volume 33.
In 2015, she became a trainee under the WWE brand, NXT, and also made an appearance on Smackdown. Kay became part of a tag team with Peyton Royce called the IIconics where they achieved a handful of victories.
Alexa Bliss
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2013-Present
Net Worth: $2.3 million*
Born Alexis Kaufman, Alexa Bliss grew up as a very active child and, remarkably, signed with the WWE in 2013 with no prior wrestling experience. She was given the name Alexa Bliss and began as a ring announcer. Bliss eventually ended up in the ring the next year and took down Alicia Fox in the NXT Women’s Championship, though she lost in the semi-finals.
In 2016, she was drafted into the SmackDown brand and became the SmackDown Women’s Champion that same year. After taking a break to recover from various injuries, Bliss continues wrestling under the SmackDown brand, most recently forming an alliance with The Fiend.
Cheerleader Melissa
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1999-Present
Net Worth: $1.5 million*
A natural athlete, Cheerleader Melissa (birth name, Melissa Anderson) joined her amateur wrestling team in high school as one of the only female competitors. She went on to train professionally and her first promotion was ChickFight, where she went head-to-head with fellow-wrestler, Wesna.
In 2008, Melissa gained recognition while working on TNA and wrestled under the names Raisha Saeed and Alissa Flash. Presently, Melissa is wrestling in the indie circuit, for promotions like Shimmer Women and Pro Wrestling Revolution. In 2019, she made number 48 on the PWI list of Top 100 Female Wrestlers.
Ayako Hamada
Birthplace: Mexico
Years Active: 1998-2018, 2019-Present
Net Worth: $500,000*
Though her name sounds Japanese, Ayako Hamada was actually born in Mexico City. However, Hamada’s wrestling career began in Japan, and the first title she ever won was the Twin Star of Arsion Championship. Hamada continued to win championships, and then transferred to TNA and thereafter to the WWE. Hamada announced her retirement in 2018 but couldn’t escape her love of wrestling and returned to AAA.
Unfortunately, she was forced to retire after she was arrested for possession of narcotics that year. Determined to stay in the world of Wrestling, Hamada returned to AAA for a Tables, Ladders, & Chairs Match against Tessa Blanchard (who defeated her in the match.)
Leilani Kai
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1975-1994
Net Worth: $150,000*
Leilani Kai hopped right into wrestling after graduating high school and was trained by the notorious Fabulous Moolah before making her 1975 debut. Leilani Kai (birth name, Patty Seymour) joined the WWF (now the WWE) and was part of its Rock ‘N Wrestling Connection, which was a fan-favorite storyline combining music and wrestling.
In 2000, while she was in the Rock ‘N Wrestling Connection, she defeated Wendi Richter and took the Women’s Champion Title (which she held onto until WrestleMania). Leilani had always wrestled for WCW briefly under the name “Stone grinder.” Today, at the age of sixty, she is considered semi-retired.
Judy Grable
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1953-1966
Net Worth: $100,000*
Judy Grable was a pioneer for her time being a female wrestler in professional organizations during the 1950s and 60s. Grable was the youngest of six kids and was a tomboy who loved sports, fishing, and hunting, and later on, wrestling. Grable was also trained by The Fabulous Moolah and was very acrobatic. Full of surprises, Grable developed special skills during her time spent with the Ringling Brothers Circus. She was in the circus for six months before she fell off a high wire.
Grable was also nicknamed “The Barefoot Contessa” during her career because she preferred to wrestle barefoot. Grable became a bit of a legacy and one of her daughters also became a wrestler. Like mother, like daughter!
AJ Lee
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2007-2015
Net Worth: $4 Million
AJ Lee (birth name, April Jeanette Mendez) first entered the independent wrestling circuit in 2007. She signed with the WWE in 2009 and defeated Serena Mancini the following year to take the Queen of FCW title. After suffering some losses, Lee then won over Naomi in the FCW Diva’s Championship.
In 2010, she appeared in the third season of NXT and was involved in many complex storylines. Lee later won a battle royal in 2013 and, in 2014, became the longest-reigning Divas Champion. In 2015 she retired after sustaining a spinal injury.
Taya Valkyrie
Birthplace: Canada
Years Active: 2010-Present
Net Worth: $1.5 Million
Taya Valkyrie (birth name, Kira Renee Forster) was actually a classically trained ballerina before taking on a more gritty persona in women’s wrestling. She began her training at Storm Wrestling Academy in 2010 and competed exclusively in Canada. Although Valkyrie signed with the WWE in 2011, she never made an official debut and decided to return to the independent circuit in Canada. She made a debut for AAA Lucha Libre Worldwide in 2012 as a part of a six-member tag team match.
Valkyrie continued to appear on AAA Lucha Libre Worldwide but transitioned to Lucha Underground in 2016. As of today, she can be seen full time in various AAA promotions.
Peyton Royce
Birthplace: Australia
Years Active: 2009-Present
Net Worth: $1 Million
Peyton Royce (born Cassandra McIntosh) entered the Pro Wrestling Women’s Alliance in 2009 as part of a tag team match, which she ultimately won. Royce also had singles matches, suffering both defeats and victories through 2011. In 2015 she joined NXT and unfortunately had a rough beginning with a number of losses.
Later, in 2018, Royce became a part of the tag team, the IIconics with Billie Kay. The duo did well together at the start but also began suffering some defeats. Despite the losses, the IIconics were drafted into the Raw brand in 2019.
Mariko Yoshida
Birthplace: Japan
Years Active: 1998-2017
Net Worth: $1 million*
Mariko Yoshida’s career began when she appeared on the All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling in 1988. She wrestled under the name Mariko Yoshida, and she worked for AJW before wrestling with Arsion.
Yoshida became the head trainer at Arsion and, during her career, was known for her high-flying, acrobatic skills. Yoshida’s two signature finishing moves were the back-to-belly, over-the-shoulder piledriver, (nicknamed the “Air Raid Crash”) and head scissors shoulder lock (nicknamed “Spider Twist.”). Yoshida actually invented both of these moves! In 2017 she retired at the age of forty-seven after she lost to her trainee, Hiroyo Matsumoto, in her very last match.
Dark Angel/Sarita
Birthplace: Canada
Years Active: 2002-2020
Net Worth: $5 million*
Sarita is the ring name of professional wrestler “Dark Angel,” (birth name, Sarah Stock). Sarita was born in Canada, and began her career there, working in various indie promotional organizations and facing both male and female wrestlers. She then moved to Mexico and started wrestling in Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide with the stage name Dark Angel.
She renamed herself, Sarita when she started wrestling in America under a contract with TNA. She was successful and was a two-time Knockout Tag Team champ, also sharing the title with Rosita and Taylor Wilde. Sarita was recently signed to the WWE as the women’s trainer but was unfortunately furloughed and later released.
Sasha Banks
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2010-Present
Net Worth: $3 million*
Sasha Banks (born Mercedes Justine Kaestner-Varnado) got her start in wrestling when she trained at Chaotic Wrestling in Massachusetts in 2008. She wrestled under the name Mercedes KV and developed an in-ring partnership with fellow-wrestler Nikki Roxx. Banks officially debuted in the independent realm in 2010 in New England Championship Wrestling.
Banks signed with the WWE in 2012 and made her TV debut on NXT, though she lost to her opponent, Paige. After a few breaks in her career, Banks was selected in the WWE Draft in 2019 and still wrestles today.
Bianca Belair
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2016-Present
Net Worth: $5 Million
Bianca Belair was involved in a variety of sports growing up and decided to seriously pursue wrestling after a stint in the world of CrossFit. She signed with WWE in 2016 and first appeared to the public at an NXT live event. After a handful of losses and some wins, she ended up qualifying for the Mae Young Classic and defeated Sage Beckett in round one.
2018 marked a winning streak for Belair as she overtook Lacey Evans, Deonna Purrazzo, and Candice LeRae among others. She made her debut on WrestleMania alongside other NXT members but was ousted by Becky Lynch.
Mercedes Martinez
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2001-Present
Net Worth: $3 million*
Mercedes Martinez was born in Connecticut and took up an interest in wrestling after a basketball injury she suffered while in college. She began training professionally in 2000 under Jason Knight and took down a male wrestler in her first match that same year. She debuted publicly in 2001 in New England Championship Wrestling and in 2005 wrestled in the exclusive women’s wrestling event, Shimmer Women Athletes.
From there, Martinez went on to wrestle in Ring of Honor in New York and World Xtreme Wrestling where she both won and was also defeated.
Sable
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1996-2007
Net Worth: $10 Million
Sable (born Rina Marlette Greek) debuted in 1996 at WrestleMania 12. She went head-to-head with Jacqueline for the WWF Women’s Title in 1998 but ultimately lost. In 1998, Sable also filed a lawsuit against the WWF for both unsuitable working conditions and sexual harassment.
The lawsuit was eventually settled outside of the courts and Sable returned to the WWF (now WWE) in 2003. But just a year later in 2004, Sable decided to leave the WWE and began performing in New Japan Pro Wrestling. She stayed in the promotion for just one year before retiring from wrestling altogether.
Ember Moon
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2007-Present
Net Worth: $1-5 Million
Ember Moon (born as Adrienne Reese) began training as a wrestler in her home state of Texas and, after participating in a few championships, debuted on Shimmer Women Athletes in 2010. After some losses, she eventually took victory over Mia Yim and Jessie McKay in a three-way match. After partaking in a couple of other promotions, Moon was signed to the WWE in 2015 under NXT.
She hit a winning streak until she lost to Asuka in NXT Takeover: Orlando. In 2018, she began appearing on Raw and was later moved to SmackDown in 2019.
Nikki Bella
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2008-2019
Net Worth: $6 million*
Nikki Bella (born Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace) was signed alongside her sister, Briana, to the WWE in 2007. Nikki and Briana debuted together in Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) that same year. From 2008-2011, Nikkia consistently appeared with her sister as “the Bella Twins” and both of them were drafted to the Raw brand in 2009.
Nikki remained a part of the WWE duo until 2012 when the two went independent for a brief time. Nikki returned with her sister to WWE the following year and the two entered multiple championships. The pair even launched their own reality show, “Total Divas” where they truly became household names. Nikki retired in 2019 and, as of today, both she and Briana are set to become a part of the WWE Hall of Fame.
Lita
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1999-2006
Net Worth: $4 million*
Born in Florida, Lita (birth name, Amy Christine Dumas) first became interested in wrestling after watching wrestlers compete on WCW Monday Nitro. She first started wrestling in Mexico, competed in the CMLL, and then emerged onto the independent circuit. Lita was paired with Essa Rios during her early WWE career, but what really grew her fanbase was her partnership with the Hardy Brothers.
Having signed a contract early in her career, Lita was in the WWE from 2000 to 2006. Her career was shorter than that of other wrestlers but Lita was still inducted to the WWE’s Hall of Fame back in 2014. A multi-faceted woman, she is also an animal-welfare activist and singer.
Mia Yim
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2009-Present
Net Worth: $1-5 Million
Stephanie Hym Bell, who took the stage name Mia Yim, was a childhood fan of pro wrestling and began her training at the age of 18. She entered the independent circuit, debuting for Shimmer Women Athletes and Full Impact Pro in 2013, and later won the TNA Knockouts Championship in 2016.
She entered the WWE’s Mae Young Classic (which she won) and officially signed with the franchise in 2018. Yim was then placed under NXT which she continues to appear on regularly today.
Naomi
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2009-Present
Net Worth: $500,000*
Naomi (birth name, Trinity McCray) was born in Florida and signed with WWE in 2009. After wrestling in Florida for a time and becoming a Divas Champion, she competed in NXT in 2010. In 2012, Naomi became a part of WWE’s main roster and became part of a tag team called The Funkadactyls. She has also gained fame from appearing on the reality TV series, Total Divas, since 2014.
Naomi married into a family of wrestlers when she married Johnathan Fatu, a member of the Anoia’i wrestling family. Notably, she was the first Black woman to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
June Byers
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1944-1964
Net Worth: $100,000*
June Byers was another woman to kick-off the entrance of women into the wrestling world. Byers was born in Houston, Texas, and was raised in a family involved in wrestling. She had a two-decade career, spanning the 1940s, 50s, and 60s and was trained by Mae Young and Billy Wolf. Byers was determined, and while competing professionally in Baltimore, she defeated thirteen other female contestants to win the belt.
Byer gained notoriety during her time in the Women’s World circuits and also appeared on a couple of game shows including “What’s My Line?” as well as “I’ve Got a Secret.” In 2017, Byers was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Shayna Baszler
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2015-Present
Net Worth: $1 Million
Shayna Baszler had a Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu background that prepared her well to enter the ring. Her wrestling career officially began in 2007 when she entered the Quintessential Pro Wrestling and won in her first match against Nicole Matthews.
In 2016 she went independent to Shimmer Women Athletes and had multiple wins. Baszler then entered the Japanese promotion market (World Wonder Ring Stardom) a couple of times and finally signed with WWE in 2017.
Mickie James
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1999-Present
Net Worth: $4 million*
Mickie James was born in Virginia in 1979 and debuted as a wrestler at the tender age of twenty. James worked as a valet on the indie circuit, under the name Alexis Lee. While she was there, she was unsatisfied with her current skill set, so she entered hardcore training in camp until she reached her goals.
She joined TNA in 2002 and there gained national fame for her skills. She then joined the stable known as The Gathering, and from here she won title after title with TNA. In 2010 she left TNA and signed with the WWE SmackDown brand. And at the age of forty-one, she is still in the WWE!
Trish Stratus
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2000-Present
Net Worth: $8 million*
Trish Stratus first became a recognizable face as a fitness model. She eventually made her way over to WWE and entered the ring. Stratus made a name for herself as a technical wrestler, but she really drew attention when she took the Diva of the Decade Award. Stratus became a mainstay of the WWE franchise as well as a trainer for a WWE spin-off show, called Tough Enough.
In 2013 she was inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame. Stratus is married to a bodybuilder, Ron Fisico, and, at age forty-four, is still involved in the WWE.
Natalya
Birthplace: Canada
Years Active: 2000-Present
Net Worth: $5 million*
Canadian-born Natalya Neidhart was the first woman to be a third-generation wrestler. Natalya was trained as a wrestler by her uncles, Bruce and Ross Hart, and debuted for Stampede in 2003. After competing independently for a few years, she wrestled in Japan and England before returning to America.
Natalya won two championships in 2005 and 2006, and shortly after, she received a contract offer from the WWE. While in the WWE, Natalya won the SmackDown Women’s Championship at SummerSlam in 2017. Today she is currently a member of Total Divas.
Becky Lynch
Birthplace: Ireland
Years Active: 2010-Present
Net Worth: $4 million*
Irish wrestler, Becky Lynch (birth name, Rebecca Quin) began wrestling as a teenager and entered the independent market in 2005. She became a part of SuperGirls Wrestling in Canada and eventually went to Shimmer Women Athletes in 2006. After suffering a serious head injury in 2006, Lynch took a six-year break from wrestling (appearing only a few times to perform) to focus on her health. She returned full-time in 2013, signed a contract with WWE.
She was the first female to be drafted to the SmackDown brand in 2016 and defeated Natalya in the first match. In 2019, she became the first woman to win the Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Most Popular Wrestler of the Year. As of May 2020, Lynch is on maternity leave.
Awesome Kong/Kharma
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2002-Present
Net Worth: $6.67 million*
Awesome Kong, also known as Kharma, was born in 1977 as Kia Stevens in California. She is well-known for her career with TNA and is a two-time Knockouts Champ. Stevens debuted in 2002 after appearing on a reality TV show and immediately stood out among her competitors for her tall, formidable frame.
She wrestled in Japan for five years and later in the U.S. on TNA. Currently, Stevens stars on the Netflix show GLOW.
Mildred Burke
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1935-1955
Net Worth: $10,000*
Mildred Burke (birth name, Mildred Bliss) was a stenographer before she became a wrestler. Burke became interested in wrestling after she discovered that wrestling promoter, Billy Wolfe, was training female wrestlers.
Wolfe would not work with Burke at first and refused to train her. He even asked a male wrestler to body slam her in order to discourage her. In a counter-move, Burke body-slammed the male wrestler instead, and Wolfe realized Burke was a serious contender. Though they were not necessarily friends, in the beginning, she and Wolfe later married. In 1955, Burke retired after a twenty-year career.