Top 10 Active female wrestlers

Once, there was a time when the women performers in the WWE were only used for eye candy, and their segments were more focused on raunchiness than actual wrestling matches. Their looks were more important than their in-ring skills.

But in 2010s WWE began to change its approach towards Women’s Wrestling. It began in their developmental programme NXT. Women Wrestlers, like Sasha Banks, Paige, Bayley, Charlotte, and Becky Lynch were provided with good story lines and combining that with their in-ring talent, they produced some stellar matches. People started to notice the women’s wrestling, and soon their NXT success was transferred to the main roster when WWE began the Women’s Revolution.

In 90's Japan, Joshi (women's) wrestling gained audience simply because of their wrestling skills. Manami Toyota, Akira Hokuto, Mayumi Ozaki, Aja Kong and Kyoko Inoue brought women’s wrestling to a new level. In 1994 the Japanese women headlined the Tokyo Dome in the first all-women’s show.

Today, Women’s Wrestling has never been hotter. From Japan, US to Canada, Women’s Wrestling is continuing to gain more popularity. The rise of only women’s wrestling promotions like Stardom, Shine, Shimmer, Pro-Wrestling: Eve to name a few, have helped greatly in this rise.

So, here are the top 10 women wrestlers wrestling today.

#10 Mercedes Martinez

The 37-year-old Martinez has dominated the independent scene for the last 17 years, and has been the focal point of every locker room she has been a part of. Over the years she has worked for Shine, Shimmer, ROH and is a major player in World Extreme Wrestling (WXW).

Martinez is a hard worker, and has made a name for herself in the independent circuit with her in-ring skills. She can play a technical game, as well as have a brawl with the best of them. Her mic skills are excellent and can cut a good promo.

Martinez gives excellent matches, and has also competed in a variety of gimmick matches. Her matches with Angel Orsini brought WSU on the map. Their feud brought many firsts for women’s wrestling. They were involved in the first women’s bull-rope match and the first ever IronWoman match back in 2009.

Martinez is one of the best female Wrestlers in the independent circuit, and it was sad to see her lose to Shanya Baszler in the semi-finals of the Mae Young Classic.

#9. Ember Moon.

Ember Moon

Ember Moon made her début at Takeover: Brooklyn II against Billy Kay. She was magnificent in her first match, and her finisher (the Eclipse) left the audience in awe.

Moon, wrestled in the independent circuit under the name of Athena, and was trained by none other than Booker-T. She gained her reputation in Shimmer, where she had matches with Impact’s Allie, Jade (Mia Yim), Mercedes Martinez, etc. Her work in WSU with the likes of LuFisto and Jessika Havoc is also notable.

Her matches with Asuka were her best performance since she had stepped into the WWE. Asuka cheated to win the first match, giving us the notion that Ember could beat Asuka. Their re-match took place in Takeover: Brooklyn III; the match was again great, but Ember could not end the streak.

Moon has an arsenal of great maneuvers and a remarkable finisher. She sells exceptionally well and is a great all-round performer. The only thing she needs to work on is her mic skills.

Currently, Moon is the NXT women’s champion feuding with Shanya Baszler. There are rumors of her moving to the main roster. Will she be the one to beat Asuka? Only time will tell.

#8 Becky Lynch

In the ring, Becky is easily in the top-tier female wrestlers in WWE, and can work with a variety of opponents in many different styles. Her character is pretty simple, but relatable; especially to casual fans. Her mic skills are good, though they could be a lot better with practice. Her voice, a thick Dublin accent is a problem for fans, which will be her biggest obstacle. Becky's passionate speaking can sell a feud.

Her psychology and storytelling in the ring is pretty good, and she's charismatic to boot. For someone who has spent a majority of their career as a heel; Becky plays a surprisingly good babyface; she's naturally sympathetic, knows how to show vulnerability without coming off as helpless, which makes it easy for crowds to root for her.

Her current role on Smackdown is very uncharitable to fans' of hers, and others who are expecting good to great matches from her. She has been used to not only to help greener talent like Carmella, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan but also to try to get them over. In multi-women title matches and in tag matches, she is usually the glue that holds the match together.

#7 Bayley

Bayley was one of the most over babyface in the history of NXT. She was one of the key figures in the rise of the Women’s Revolution in the WWE.

In her time in the NXT, she was part of some show stealing matches with Sasha Banks. Her feud with Banks not only cemented Bayley as a great babyface, whom the crowd would cheer for, but it also cemented Banks as a top heel. Their 30 minute IronWoman match at Takeover: Respect was one of the greatest televised matches

In NXT, her gimmick of a courageous underdog was very endearing, and it connected with the audience, especially young girls. The crowd even sang for her during her match against Nia Jax at NXT Takeover: London; talk about being over.

In wrestling, in-ring skills make you a star but your gimmick can make you a superstar; Bayley is the perfect example of that.

But WWE dropped the ball on her when she arrived to the main roster. After her feud with Charlotte Flair, lack of good storylines hindered her, and her character started to become rather stale.

#6 Kairi Sane

The Pirate Princess made her WWE début in the Mae Young Classics in 2017. She beat Shanya Baszler in the finals of the tournament, and was immediately drafted to the NXT roster.

But before entering the WWE, she was part of the Japanese women’s wrestling promotion; Stardom. If someone doubts why Kairi is so high on the list, then they should watch her matches with Meiko Satomura, Mayu Iwatani, and especially her matches with Io Shirai.

Kairi Sane is the perfect baby face. She appeals to every demographic, and is able to play the role of the underdog perfectly. Her pirate gimmick is endearing (it is because she used to compete in yachting), and is a tremendous seller. She has this picturesque drop-kick, a damn good spear (considering her size) and the most beautiful looking elbow-drop. Her English is not that good, but there is still time to improve.

Although her NXT career has not been noteworthy, Sane has everything that would make a star. If WWE book her correctly, she can be one of the best faces in the company.

#5 Charlotte Flair

Of all of Ric Flair’s children, it was his daughter who managed to be a breakout star.

Charlotte debuted in NXT and was one of the rising stars there. WWE called Banks, Lynch, Bayley and Charlotte the four horse women of WWE; named after the infamous four horsemen. She has been NXT champion, multiple-time RAW Women’s Champion, and is currently the SmackDown Women’s Champion. She was also the first woman to hold both Divas and Women’s Championship.

Being Ric Flair’s daughter might have helped in keeping her position, but one cannot deny the athleticism she possesses. What she lacks in technical skills in the ring, she makes it up with the intensity and pure athletic ability; she is one of the most rounded wrestlers in WWE at the moment. Her mic skills are great and her sense of superiority screams heel.

Over the years, her in-ring skills has improved a lot. WWE made a good choice in booking her as Asuka's opponent a Wrestlemania 34.

#4 Sasha Banks

Another star which was born because of the WWE’s women’s revolution was Sasha Banks.

WWE enthusiasts label her the ‘best performer in the roster’ and her performance supports that statement. Her matches with Bayley during their feud in NXT will forever be remembered. Even her match against Becky Lynch at Takeover: Unstoppable was phenomenal. Then they brought her to the main roster and made her feud with Charlotte. Their feud was an instant classic, producing one great match after the other.

Her in-ring skill is impeccable, and her mic skill is above most of the stars in the roster; both male and female.

Some might say that her in-ring work is dangerous, and is liable to injure herself and others. But everything in wrestling is dangerous. Sometimes even the simplest spots can cause injury, and wrestling has always been a sport of high risk and high reward.

Her popularity has dwindled a bit after her feud with Charlotte. It is not because of her lack of ability, but because of WWE’s lame booking. The character of a face does not suit her well, and all of her brilliant work in NXT was accomplished as a heel. Who can forget Sasha making Izzy cry at Takeover: Respect?

#3 Meiko Satomura

Meiko Satomura is not a common name even among wrestling fans, but she is arguably one of the top woman wrestlers in the world.

Satomura made her début way back in 1995, for an all-female promotion called Gaea Japan. She had a brief stint in WCW, when these two promotions were working together.

When Gaea Japan ran out of business in 2005, Satomura started her own wrestling promotion called the Sendai Girls’ Pro Wrestling.

Satomura is also the ultimate package, the archtype of a joshi wrestler. Everything she does looks legit. She is adept in the strong-style exchanges, but can perform beautiful wrestling as well (the first part of her match with Toni Storm is pure mat wrestling). Her matches with Asuka (Kana at that time) Kairi Hojo (Sane), Io Shirai, Mayu Iwatani are all stellar matches.

Satomura is 38 years old now, but she continues to give exceptional matches. Her recent match against Toni Storm in Stardom says, Satomura is still the woman to beat. If there is a list of the greatest wrestlers male or female of all time; the list will have to have Meiko Satomura.

#2 Asuka

The inaugural winner of the Women’s Royal Rumble, the only wrestler in the WWE for whom wins and losses matter.

Many, call her over-rated, but one cannot deny the charisma she brings inside the squared circle. Her fiery persona and her hard-hitting fighting style is something only a few can match.

Before signing with WWE, Asuka wrestled under the name of Kana in various promotions. Smash, Pro Wrestling Wave, Shimmer and Wrestling New Classic, to name a few.

She wrestled great names like Mercedes Martinez, Meiko Satomura, Mio Shirai, Sara Del Rey while on the independent circuit. While working for Smash wrestling, Asuka was also part of many inter-gender matches where she wrestled veterans like Tajiri and Funaki.

In the WWE, Asuka is portrayed as the female version of Goldberg, and her undefeated streak is one of the best things happening there. But unlike Goldberg who wrecked the competition; she outworks them.

Asuka has great ring ability, and is capable of producing great matches. Her mic skills would be good if not for the language barrier. If WWE could only provide her with a suitable manager then she would do great.

#1 Io Shira

If wrestling is a religion, then Io Shirai is one of the goddesses.

Arguably the best female wrestler in the world, and she is only twenty-seven. She has this special thing about her; she will in an instant, make you invest in her work. Her aerial offence is great; her ability to work different styles is superb, and is an excellent seller.

Every one of her matches unique, and Shirai has the ability to draw out the best from her opponents. Watch any of her matches, and if you are a wrestling fan; you will be drawn towards her.

Presently, a constant fixture of Stardom promotion in Japan. She would have been in the WWE's Mae Young Classic had it not been for her neck injury. Hopefully, WWE gives her another chance.