For a major part of the company’s history, female performers were used for eye-candy segments and matches. But the trend is long gone and women are also seen as credible wrestlers that can matchup with the men.
The women’s division of WWE does have some exciting female wrestlers that cement this fact, but there is always room for improvement. There are still a lot of great wrestlers out there that could strengthen WWE’s women’s division and in this list, we are going to take a look at them.
Honorable Mention: Shayna Baszler
The former MMA fighter has been making headlines in the wrestling circuit for some time now and thanks to her closeness to Ronda Rousey, it wouldn’t be hard for Shayna to get a rub in the WWE scene. The fact that she is a former MMA fighter brings credibility to her run in wrestling.
#10 Saraya Knight
The WWE fans might be familiar with Saraya Knight as she is the mother of Paige. While this would be a great angle to start off her career in the WWE, Saraya is an accomplished wrestler who can take forward things on her own.
At the age of 44, Saraya might not have many more years ahead of her, but her experience could come in handy for the upcoming WWE wrestlers as she has been wrestling for nearly three decades now. A tag team with Paige and a feud afterwards would be perfect start for her career in WWE if the promotion signs her up.
#9 Gail Kim
This is a no-brainer and that’s why Kim comes so early in the list. If someone asks about the most accomplished female performer outside WWE; Gail Kim’s name is guaranteed to be in the discussion.
She did have a couple of spells in WWE but it did not go well. TNA, on the other hand, made good use of Gail Kim and she cemented her legacy thanks to Impact Wrestling.
She was recently inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame and it would be a good time for her to take up new challenges. Like most of the other wrestlers in this list, the experience of Gail would be the biggest asset for WWE if they sign her.
#8 Leva Bates
WWE actually wasted an opportunity with Leva Bates. They had signed her up at Blue Pants on a temporary deal and though she was used as a local jobber for most of the show, she managed to be a fan favorite in no time.
However, her stay in the WWE was shortened due to backstage problems after she tried to sell her own merchandise during an NXT event. Leva then moved on and has created a fan base in the independent circuit. She is known for dressing up as various characters, which has helped her to stand out from the other female performers.
#7 AJ Lee
This is a long shot. AJ Lee retired from the wrestling business pretty early but then again, it is not that easy to forget your passion. The image of a young AJ Lee crying after seeing her idol Lita is still a relevant one on the Internet. AJ grew up with that dream in her heart and this is why there is still a ray of hope regarding her WWE return.
CM Punk’s MMA career seems to be heading nowhere right now and a WWE return from him could serve as breakthrough for AJ as well. A returning AJ Lee could light up the entire Women’s division and just think about all the dream matches that we would get to see.
#6 Cheerleader Melissa
Trained by notable superstars like Daniel Bryan, Christopher Daniels and Mariko Yoshida, Cheerleader Melissa has been a wrestling in the Indies for nearly two decades. A two time Shimmer champion and a two-time winner of the chick fight tournament, Melissa was ranked first in the PWI rankings back in 2013.
Rather than being an eye-candy wrestler, Melissa is known for being a hard-hitting performer inside the squared circle, which fits in perfectly to the current WWE landscape. If WWE signs her, she is bound to put together some classics with the current crop of talent that WWE has on their women’s divisions.
#5 Santana Garrett
Santana Garrett has made a few appearances in NXT where she wrestled names like Charlotte, Asuka, and Emma. But for some reason, a full-time contract didn’t come her way. For someone who has won championship almost everywhere she has wrestled, this was a surprise.
Last year, Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked her as the fourth best female wrestler in the world, ahead of names like Charlotte, Bayley, Gail Kim and many others. This is a good enough reason to sign up Santana. She has the looks to go with her wrestling skills, which is another add-on.
#4 Velvet Sky
Velvet Sky is in that list of female performers that created a fan base without working in the WWE. Sky, alongside Angelina Love formed one of the most memorable tag teams in TNA history and has a solid singles resume as well. The 35-year-old started wrestling back in 2003 and this will make her one of the most experienced wrestler in the WWE’s women’s division if signed.
She is a two-time Knockouts champion in TNA as well so having her around the championship scene wouldn’t be a bad idea for WWE. There were some rumors about WWE looking to sign her up recently, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
#3 Candice Larae
Candice LaRae has been one of the most successful performers on the independent circuit as far as women’s wrestling is concerned. She made her debut back in 2002 and most of her success came in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla.
The Inter-gender matches of Candice, especially, have turned out to be huge success stories for the promotions. She is one half of the World’s Cutest Tag team alongside Joey Ryan and the duo has won the PWG tag team championship once.
She recently tied the knot with fellow wrestler Johnny Gargano. And with Gargano signed with WWE, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have Candice on-board as well.
#2 Sexy Star
The fans who tune into Lucha Underground need no introductions about Sexy Star. The real life Dulce Maria García Rivas has been one of the major draws of Lucha Underground for quite some time now and before her break in the United States, she was a mainstay in AAA.
Sexy Star was responsible for some epic matches in Lucha Underground which could you be found on the internet. She recently unmasked herself and said that she is going to pursue a career in boxing but if WWE comes up with the right offer, they will be able to sign her up.
#1 Maria
Maria has been stealing the show outside WWE for a long time now. Alongside Mike Bennet, she has managed to make herself into a brand which is more popular in the Indy circuit that most of the women on WWE’s roster. Maria’s antics in Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling and recently in TNA have earned her a cult status in the business and this is something that WWE could make use of.
With the success stories of Miz- Maryse and Lana-Rusev in place, another pairing wouldn’t be a bad idea especially since Maria comes in with a good reputation. Bennett has potential to break out in WWE as well so if the company signs up this couple, it would be a good business deal.
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