5 Influential WWE women you may have forgotten about

This week marks five years since the Women's Revolution arrived on the main roster in the form of Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair. The three women kick-started the change that has since allowed women to main event WrestleMania, stage their own pay-per-view, and unveil Women's Tag Team Championships.

Whilst the start of the Women's Revolution arguably took place at a different time depending on opinion. The strongest opinion seems to link the revolution to the #GiveDivasAChance trend on Twitter.

Whilst there are many theories when it comes to the origins of the WWE Revolution, there are many women who helped to pave the way throughout their careers but are yet to return to be part of the revolution itself.

Here are just five influential women who have seemingly been forgotten by the company in recent years.

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#5 Eve Torres

Eve Torres is a former Divas Champion and the final winner of the annual Diva Search competition. Torres went on to become one of the stars in the Women's Division throughout her time with the company, and despite being seen as an ambassador for the company, she is yet to return.

Torres requested her release from WWE back in 2013 so that she could focus on the Gracie Women Empowered Self-defense program and has also gone on to start a family.

Torres regularly heads to the Performance Center to help train the women in her brand of self-defense, but interestingly the former Champion hasn't been part of the Women's Revolution on WWE TV. Torres is still in fantastic shape and could have made a return as part of the Women's Royal Rumble or the Women's WrestleMania battle royal, but WWE hasn't yet put in the call.

Torres was one of the women who helped pave the way in her short WWE career but hasn't been named as one of the women who kick-started the revolution.

#4 Melina

When Trish Stratus and Lita retired from WWE back in 2006, there was a dark cloud placed over the Women's Division and it took a while for the women to find their feet without their shining lights.

The pressure of the division was put onto the shoulders of both Melina and Mickie James and at the time the two women carried to Division for a number of years before the company could sign and train some new faces.

Mickie James has returned to the company in recent years and has been seen as one of the women who helped pave the way, but Melina's name is often left out of the conversation. The former WWE Women's and Divas Champion made a return recently but only in a backstage segment regarding the 24/7 Championship, where she was seen as the referee.

Melina hasn't been part of the Women's Revolution on WWE TV, but it's hard to argue against the fact that she has played her part and deserves the chance to bask in the change.

#3 Gail Kim

Gail Kim has pushed Women's Wrestling forward like no other woman before her, Kim won the WWE Women's Championship on her debut back in 2003 but was released from the company the following year. Kim later returned to WWE in 2008 and decided to walk out of the company when she disagreed with the way she was being treated.

Kim has never been afraid to speak her mind and after leading WWE she headed over to Impact Wrestling where she started her own Revolution. There is a reason why Kim is a former 7-time Knockout's Champion and a TNA Hall of Famer.

Kim hasn't been part of WWE's Women's Revolution because she made the decision to never return to the company after her 2011 exit. This doesn't mean that the part she played in the revolution is any smaller.

Kim and the women of Impact Wrestling proved that Women's Wrestling was worth a gamble and inspired WWE to step forward and allow their women to take center stage. Thanks to Kim's contributions, there are many more women who are now taken seriously in the wrestling business.

#2 Layla

Layla won the 2006 WWE Diva Search and went on to become a star, the former dancer shined alongside Michelle McCool and was even the woman chosen to retire her former friend in 2011.

Layla decided to leave the wrestling business back in 2015 and has since stepped into a regular job as a realtor. The former Divas Champion defied the odds by winning the Diva Search and went on to push for her place in the Women's Division.

Layla's last few years with the company were quite frustrating since the company was still trying to move things around for the women. The former Champion has obviously found happiness outside of the ring but she's someone who deserves to be recalled to be part of the Revolution.

Layla may not have played a part as big as the likes of Ivory, Molly Holly, Trish Stratus and Lita who have all since returned, but her part in the history of WWE is one that deserves to be remembered.

For almost nine years, Layla was one of the most popular female wrestlers in the company and deserves to be part of any kind of celebration regarding the WWE Women's Division that she helped to build.

#1 Victoria

One woman who is regularly overlooked is former WWE Women's Champion Victoria. It's quite shocking that the former Impact Wrestling star hasn't been recalled to be part of the recent Women's Revolution matches since she played as big a part as anyone in paving the way.

Victoria wrestled with the likes of Trish Stratus, Lita, and Michelle McCool, and Torrie Wilson. The former Women's Champion was part of WWE for nine years when she departed back in 2009 and even returned a few months later to be part of the Women's WrestleMania battle royal, but hasn't been seen since.

Victoria fought in Hardcore matches with Trish Stratus before it was seen as a regular thing and even defeated Lita in the first-ever women's steel cage match. She has since gone on to make history in Impact Wrestling since her WWE departure, but the question here remains as to why she hasn't been brought back to be part of the current Evolution.

Victoria is currently retired after announcing that she was hanging up her boots last year, but if WWE came calling, the former Women's Champion could be open to a one-off appearance.