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In the past 20 years, the WWE women's division has gone through a whole lot of changes. The one all-female premium live event was named 'Evolution', and for good reason.
After far too long of having silly gimmick matches and basically being used as eye candy, the women of WWE now have as much recognition as their male counterparts. Superstars like Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch are as well-known as Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar.
Despite some ups and downs in its history, the promotion has crowned several fantastic ladies as titleholders. Here's a look at the top five WWE Women's Champions in history.
#5 - Wendi Richter
This choice may be a bit more symbolic than the others, but Richter's victory over The Fabulous Moolah put women's wrestling on the map in WWE. Her role as the 'female equivalent of Hulk Hogan' during the rock 'n' wrestling boom of the mid-80's cannot be overstated.
As Vince McMahon's vision of sports entertainment began to explode, he positioned the Texas native to be his All-American poster girl. Unfortunately, a squabble over money led The Boss to oust her from the throne and the promotion.
While it would be easy to put Moolah in this spot due to her ridiculously long 'title reign', much of it took place before she even arrived in WWE.
Meanwhile, Richter's star power, along with pop star Cyndi Lauper, captured the world's attention. Her massive influence alone makes her one of the promotion's historic standardbearers.
#4 - Alundra Blayze
Another trailblazer in terms of the company's female competitors, Alundra Blayze (Madusa) was far above most female competitors of her era. Having appeared in the American Wrestling Association and in Japan prior to making her debut with the then-WWF, she was skilled in multiple styles.
During the 'New Era' days of the company, she was one of its shining stars. Blayze was the bridge between the Moolah-Richter days of the 80's to the more risque Attitude Era of the late 90's.
Unfortunately, her final title reign will most likely be remembered for her dumping the Women's Championship belt in a trash can on an episode of WCW Monday Nitro. Even still, she was able to bury the hatchet with the organization and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
#3 - Becky Lynch holds a distinguished place in WWE history
As the woman who walked out of WrestleMania 35 with both the RAW and SmackDown Women's Championships, Becky Lynch would have a place in history almost by default.
Her win over Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rosuey will stand the test of time. Even if she accomplished nothing else, that monumental feat would be enough.
However, her resume extends far beyond that crowning achievement. Lynch's rise to the top as 'The Man' is one of the greatest stories in recent WWE history. And even when the promotion tried to de-rail it by briefly turning her heel? The audience rejected it, and the grassroots movement continued.
She is currently the biggest star in the promotion's women's division and still has a long career ahead of her. When it's all said and done, she will not only go down as one of WWE's greatest champions, but one of the most influential performers of her era.
#2 - Trish Stratus
Providing Stratus-faction to the WWE Universe was this Hall of Famer's mission throughout the early 2000's. She did just that, capturing seven world titles en route to becoming one of the company's most beloved figures.
Trish, alongside her best friend Lita, stood tall in an era where there was just as much sex appeal as there were suplexes. While they also had to take part in those kinds of angles, they rose above it to salvage women's wrestling in World Wrestling Entertainment as best they could.
At 46, Stratus is still in great shape and could potentially make a comeback at some point. For right now, however, she is settling in at number two on this list.
#1 - Charlotte Flair
While some in the WWE Universe may have soured on The Queen, there's no doubting her ability or pedigree. Having already won the RAW, SmackDown and Divas titles a total of 13 times. Most experts agree that she will eventually surpass the recognized 16 reigns of her father, the legendary Ric Flair.
Bottom line: Much like The Nature Boy, Charlotte is a perfect fit as a champion. From her royal entrance, her famous name and her confident (sometimes cocky) attitude, she exudes the regal stature attached to her nickname.
Throw in the fact that she is a terrific athlete that can match up with just about any opponent. As a former volleyball player, the 5'10" star has the size and power to go along with her tremendous skill.
Charlotte can already lay claim to being the greatest female champion in WWE history. The only question now is: How much more will she accomplish on her way to the Hall of Fame?
