There is an inherently flawed preconceived notion that professional wrestling is something for men and not women. This archaic method of thinking has been perpetuated through the years due to the lack of emphasis on giving women a fair shot to prove themselves in the ring. Too long have they been relegated to the role of eye candy in a world dominated by men.
But, all that has been changing. With the rise of the Women’s Revolution, women’s wrestling in the WWE has been on a steady rise over the past year. The upcoming Mae Young Classic is another step in the right direction as female wrestlers from all over the world will be afforded the opportunity to showcase their talents.
It’s not just all about the future, though. Over the course of the last 50 years of so, a number of very important women have influenced professional wrestling and in particular, the WWE. These women have been integral in the fight for gender equality. And, today we are here to celebrate 5 such women.
So, without any further ado, here is our list of the 5 most influential women in WWE history:
#5 Sara Del Rey
Sara Del Rey isn’t a name that is instantly recognisable, unlike the other ones on this list. But, Sara very much deserves a place on this list for her work behind the scenes in the WWE combined with her excellent career.
She was the first ever woman to be hired as a trainer in the WWE Performance Centre and she has helped shape numerous champions such as Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair. In fact, she is so good at her job that she has been promoted to the role of Assistant Head Trainer.
The Women’s Revolution has been a success only because Del Rey has trained the very best women’s wrestlers on the roster today and helped them reach their potential.
#4 Chyna
While her name is rarely mentioned in the WWE these days, there is little doubt as to the impact Chyna had during the Attitude Era. Debuting as Triple H’s bodyguard, The Ninth Wonder of the World established herself as the most dominant woman to step foot in a WWE ring.
She broke boundaries that no one ever thought would be broken as she became the first woman to enter the Royal Rumble, the first woman to win the Intercontinental Championship and have long and impactful feuds with a number of male wrestlers.
It is absolutely incredible that during a time when women were relegated to Bra and Panties matches that a woman broke all stereotypes in order to challenge and change the status quo. She is the reason women’s wrestling was given another shot.
#3 Mae Young
While younger viewers may only remember Mae Young as the woman who made the occasional appearance on WWE programming, she is so much more than just that. She was the first person to break the mould and make women’s wrestling a viable option way back in the 1930s and the 1940s.
She broke the very first barriers women faced in wrestling and she deserves a place on this list just for that.
#2 Stephanie McMahon
Of course, Stephanie McMahon was going to be on this list. Regardless of what your personal feelings are towards the McMahon heiress, there is little doubt that she has made a hell of an impact on the world of professional wrestling.
As someone who has grown up in the business, Stephanie has taken to her role in the WWE with gusto and has been the leading figure in the WWE’s quest to build itself as a global brand. After all, there is a very good reason that she is the Chief Brand Officer of the company.
She has also been responsible for a number of charitable endeavours undertaken by the WWE and her impact in helping the WWE maintain its image as a family-friendly product has been paramount. And, all of this is excluding her years of in-ring work.
#1 Linda McMahon
Aside from being at Vince McMhaon’s side throughout his time running the WWE, Linda McMahon has been an important behind the scenes figure in her own right. After all, she was CEO of the company for a whopping 12 years between 1997 and 2009.
It takes a woman of incredible strength and influence for Vince to give up such an important position and the only reason Linda even left her role as CEO was that she had political aspirations. She was also the President of WWE for seven years between 1993 and 2000.
It doesn’t get more influential than being the woman who was a key figure in making the WWE the global empire it is today.
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