Where would professional wrestling be without its female performers? What would it lose in terms of athleticism, grit, pageantry and appeal? Our writers put together their Mount Rushmores of women’s wrestling to celebrate this long list of phenomenal talent.
The “Women’s Revolution” tagline has been used in recent years to describe the heightened importance being placed on women’s wrestling in WWE. Truth be told, strong and influential female performers have existed for decades, both inside and outside of the ring, and it’s time for them to be recognized for their contributions.
Much like the Mount Rushmore lists on the men’s side, the task of choosing only four women was a difficult one. Each of our contributors took different approaches in completing their lists.
While some placed more importance on in-ring work, others decided to look at overall influence on the business. Some Rushmores focused on the modern era, while others chose to give a more historical perspective.
Regardless of the chosen modus operendi, there was one consistent theme: each list is comprised of trendsetters and trailblazers. Each and every one of these women left – and in many cases continue to leave – a positive mark on the industry. Let’s celebrate their legacies.
Robin Leacock’s Women’s Wrestling Mount Rushmore
Chyna
Joanie’s Laurer’s spot on the Women’s Wrestling Mount Rushmore is solidified by the reality that she was the first woman to be portrayed as a serious threat to male competitors. Of course, she benefited from the time period she was apart of, but there’s no question she blazed a trail for many women to follow. From the time she first appeared in WWE as Triple H’s “valet”, she changed fans’ perspectives of the way in which a female could support, and often outshine, her male partner.
She’s obviously a multiple-time Women’s champion, but she’s also held the Intercontinental title, which should have felt completely foreign and unfamiliar at the time, but actually felt right. Let me put it to you this way: would it have been inconceivable for Chyna to be a world champion? The answer from most would likely be “no”. We don’t just recognize Chyna as a “women’s” wrestler, because she completely broke down the boundaries and conventions of the genre.
Sherri Martel
The first time I had the priveledge of watching Sherri Martel was at SummerSlam 1992. At the time she was “Sensational Sherri”, Shawn Michaels’ valet who also seemed to have an eye for Michaels’ opponent, “The Model” Rick Martel. The match stipulated that neither man could hit the other in the face, as Sherri didn’t want either of their faces to suffer any damage (side note: how great is that? How has this stip not been seen more since then?)
I remember the match very vividly, not because of the work between Michaels and Martel, but rather because of Sherri’s involvement. She literally ran the show, commanding the attention of the fans through her body language and facial expressions.
To no one’s surprise, this was something Sherri had been doing long before (and long after) I first became a wrestling fan. She was as versatile as she was charismatic, playing many roles including Queen Sherri, Scary Sherri and Sister Sheri. Not to mention the fact that she was a great worker; she punched, she kicked, she bumped and she came off the top rope, often in a dress and high heels. Sherri Martel is extremely underrated and more than deserves her spot amongst the greatest famale performers in wrestling history.
Charlotte Flair
I very much understand the idea of recency bias and fully admit it may be at play here. That being said, I’ve never seen a better combination of wrestling ability, overall look and natural charisma in the women’s division. It shouldn’t be a shock that “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair’s daughter is a born heel, but she can also play the other side of the coin as a babyface.
When Charlotte ascended to the top rope at WrestleMania 32 and moonsaulted onto Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch, she was announcing two things: not only is she the undisputed queen of the division, she also has more tricks up her sleeve. She seems to improve on the mic and in the ring every time we see her. There’s no question in my mind that when Charlotte Flair decides to hang up her robe (thankfully that day seems to be far, far away) she will be considered the greatest women’s wrestler of all-time.
Alundra Blayze
Modern women’s wrestling owes a great debt to Alundra Blayze, who did more than almost anyone to help with the proliferation of sports entertainment on a mainstream scale. In the ring, she was presented as a tough, technical wizard, ready to take on all comers.
Outside the ring, she exuded confidence and class. She’s also responsible for one of the most notorious moments in the Monday Night Wars, when she dropped the WWF Women’s Championship title belt in the trash on Nitro. The incredible level of respect shown towards Blayze from current women’s wrestlers should be the only proof needed to explain her spot in the hiearchy of important historical performers.
Sarah Hirsch’s Women’s Wrestling Mount Rushmore
Trish Stratus
It is without a doubt that Trish Stratus is one of the greatest women’s wrestlers of all time. It is hard to believe that Stratus started out as a valet who could barely wrestle. The beauty of her evolution is that she put in the hard work to get better, and best believe it showed.
Stratus not only made history becoming a seven-time Women’s Champion, but she also participated in the first women’s main event on Monday Night Raw in 2004. That was a huge deal for women’s wrestling and remains one of Stratus’ and Lita’s best matches. Her feuds with Lita, Jazz and Mickie James were some of the most memorable throughout her six-year career. Stratus’ skills, beauty and ability to connect with fans were indeed the triple threat that had a hand in cementing her legacy.
AJ Lee
Forget Nikki Bella, AJ Lee was fearless in every sense of the word. While fans constantly debate who really started the Divas Revolution, I believe Lee was the one who lit the match for it. Lee’s outspoken nature and desire to be taken seriously in a locker room full of models and actresses resonated with WWE fans in droves. At a time when Divas were an afterthought, Lee’s quirky, girl next door persona was key for fans to relate to her and tune in.
Lee’s shining moment was the infamous “pipebombshell”, where she would tear the Total Divas cast down to shreds. Lee made the most out of her feuds, primarily with Paige and Kaitlyn, in addition to her first Divas Championship reign being over 290 days. WWE won’t admit to her hand in the Revolution, thus not giving Lee any credit, but her fans won’t forget the huge contribution Lee put forth to get women’s wrestling in WWE to where it is today.
Lita
There are so many great women’s wrestlers, and it was so hard to choose four. From Fabulous Moolah to Sensational Sherri, these women paved the way for so many. Gail Kim and Jacqueline are more than deserving to be recognized for their contributions to women’s wrestling. Lita stands out because not only did she have a bold look, but her ring work was as well.
Thanks to her background in lucha libre, Lita offered something entirely different that those who have come before her. The former Women’s Champion had no problems flying off the ring ropes, whether it was to aid the Hardy Boyz or lay out her opponent. Her feud with Trish Stratus remains one of the greatest feuds in all of WWE. The two women brought out the best in each other, helping build onto both of their legacies.
Sasha Banks
There is no one today who can command attention like The Boss. As part of WWE’s Four Horsewomen, who all have contributed to driving the success of women’s wrestling today, Banks took charge of the history making back in 2015. Her six month NXT Women’s Championship reign was nothing short of epic. Her matches with Becky Lynch and Bayley were some of the best women’s matches that WWE has produced. The match with Bayley at NXT Takeover Brooklyn is one of the top women’s matches in WWE.
That match led to the first-ever women’s Iron Man Match at Takeover Respect. Banks’ success continued onto the main roster, where she and Charlotte Flair would main event Raw for the first time since Stratus and Lita. Not only that, but they would main event Hell in a Cell, which was a first for the women in terms of PPV and inside the Cell. At only 25, Banks is only getting started and her passion for women’s wrestling echoes those such as Stratus and Lee. The best is yet to come for the four time Women’s Champion.
Brendan Mizgala’s Women’s Wrestling Mount Rushmore
Mae Young
There is a reason why the Mae Young Classic has its name. Mae was a trailblazer for women’s wrestling. She kicked in doors when no other performer would. Her time in the business spanned seven decades. Whether she was the NWA United States Women’s Champion or just appearing in a cameo on RAW, Mae Young is a legend in women’s wrestling.
Alundra Blayze
Alundra Blayze had the tough task of being a female wrestler in the WWF during the early/mid 90’s. Granted her time was well before when the women’s segments were just bras and panties, but it wasn’t much better then. In that time, the WWF women’s division was merely a handful of talent. Blayze however had a level of technical ability and skill that fans had not seen at that time from the women. Blazye is most infamous for her return to WCW as Madusa, where she would drop the WWF Women’s Championship in a trashcan on Monday Nitro.
Chyna
Chyna made her debut as a muscular bodyguard for Triple H. Soon she would become one of the most iconic women to step foot into the business. Like Blayze and Young, Chyna wasn’t afraid to break down barriers. She would become the first woman to enter the Royal Rumble as well as win men’s championships in the WWF.
Trish Stratus
Trish Stratus, much like Chyna, got her start in wrestling as a valet. However that wasn’t good enough for Stratus. She would become one of the most dominant and prolific wrestlers in the WWE’s Women’s Division. Trish would be the face of women’s wrestling in North America during her tenure in WWE. Stratus cemented herself as a 7 time Women’s Champion.
Honorable Mention: Manami Toyota
Manami Toyota is THE legend in Japan when it comes to women’s wrestling. Toyota made her debut in 1987 and would have a career that any wrestler would envy. During her time in the ring she would have: 17 5-star matches, 2 Match of the Years, and be voted Most Outstanding Wrestler. The tireless effort Toyota put into her work laid the foundation for companies such as Shine and Shimmer to be able to have all female rosters. Many of Toyota’s matches are still fantastic to this very day.
Joe Soriano’s Women’s Mount Rushmore
Manami Toyota
Undoubtedly the greatest women’s wrestler of all-time, Manami Toyota has a catalogue of classic moves and matches that would rival any of the best wrestlers in the world today. Toyota’s influence on the sport isn’t spoken about nearly enough, but that’s says more about the biases of the modern-day wrestling fan. Had Toyota wrestled in a major promotion in the United States, she’d probably find herself ranked as one of the top ten wrestlers of all time – male or female.
Go watch her matches with Aja Kong and Kyoko Inoue in 1995, because she had one of the best years in professional wrestling history. And tell me that bridging electric chair suplex off the top rope wasn’t special. Of course, more special than all of that was her ability to sell, get a crowd invested in a match, and tell the perfect story; she set a standard that has yet to be beaten.
Alundra Blayze
They call her the “TrailBlayzer” for a reason, as she carved a path for women to be wrestlers (and not just part of a sideshow) in mainstream American professional wrestling. Blayze was viewed by others in the locker room as “one of the guys” for his crisp in-ring work, endless desire to improve, and commitment to training.
A star in the WWF and WCW, Blayze would have far more memorable matches under her belt if the talent around her were better. There were times, particularly in WCW, when she would go unused, simply because they had nobody of competence left to feud with her. Blayze’s influence on professional wrestling remains strong, and her candid interviews offer a breath-taking perspective from a wrestler who has torn the house down with the likes of Bull Nakano.
Gail Kim
Before Sasha Banks vs. Bayley, Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte, and Asuka vs. Ember Moon, Gail Kim and Awesome Kong showed wrestling fans that the best feud in a promotion could be put together by two women.
Gail Kim’s recent announcement of her retirement will mark the end of an illustrious career that included six TNA Knockouts Championships, a WWE Women’s Championship, and an induction into the TNA Hall of Fame last year. Vince McMahon would like you to think that the WWE started the “Women’s Revolution” in the modern era, but the truth is that Gail Kim sowed those seeds in TNA after leaving a company that never quite respected her enough.
Sasha Banks
I know, I know. How could I put a current wrestler who is under the age of 30 and only a few years into her career on this list? At first, I didn’t want to, but excluding her solely on the grounds that her career isn’t over just doesn’t seem fair. Although the WWE likes to promote itself to nauseating levels, the truth is that the “Four Horsewomen” have done an incredible amount for women’s wrestling, and none of the other three members can hold a candle to what Banks can do in that ring.
Every single one of Bayley’s, Charlotte’s, and Becky Lynch’s best matches have come against Banks, whose match with Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn remains the highest-rated American women’s wrestling match from Dave Meltzer. Banks takes hellacious bumps and puts her body on the line for the audience. Her in-ring psychology and selling are among the elites in the world today, and her work in 2015 in NXT is probably the second-greatest peak in women’s wrestling behind Toyota’s run from 1991 to 1995.
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Furthermore, Banks’s character work as a heel in NXT, “The Legit Boss”, made her one of the most engaging performers and allowed her to get baby faces over. She has the respect of nearly every wrestling fan out there and is already held in high regard by legends like Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels. Banks idolized Eddie Guerrero growing up, and her technical prowess and obvious determination to put on a show are reminiscent of legends, like Guerrero, who immortalized themselves. I believe Banks is on that path, so it is exciting to see what she can do in the future.