Throughout its history, women have served in various onscreen roles in the Americanprofessional wrestling promotionWWE. In the 1990s, WWE (then known as the World Wrestling Federation) introduced the termDiva to refer to its female performers, including wrestlers,managers or valets, backstage interviewers, orring announcers.
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AtWrestleMania 32 in 2016, WWE announced their discontinuation of the "Diva" branding for its female performers, as part of a move to present them in an athletic manner more in line with their male counterparts, rather than in a means based aroundsex appeal. The promotion began to refer to them using the "Superstar" title it uses for male performers, and established a newWWE Women's Championship to replace theWWE Divas Championship. Subsequently, women's matches were featured more prominently across their programming, which included more frequentmain event positions.WrestleMania 35 featured a women's match as its main event for the first time in WrestleMania history.
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In 1983,The Fabulous Moolah, who was theNWA World Women's Champion and legal owner of the title, joined the WWF and sold them the rights to the title after they disaffiliated from theNational Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and recognized her as the firstWWF Women's Champion.[1] Additionally, the WWF also recognized Moolah as having been champion ever since first winning the title fromJudy Grable in 1956 and disregarded other reigns or title losses that occurred during the title's existence in the NWA. Thus, The Fabulous Moolah's reign was considered to have lasted 28 years by the promotion.[2] WWF also introduced theWWF Women's Tag Team Championship withVelvet McIntyre andPrincess Victoria recognized as the first champions after also defecting from the NWA.
The following year, music artistCyndi Lauper began a verbal feud with her manager"Captain" Lou Albano; this brought professional wrestling into mainstream culture in a storyline that became known as the "Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection". When it was finally time for Lauper and Albano to settle their differences in the ring, a match-up was scheduled with Albano's represented wrestler Moolah against the challenge of Lauper's protégé,Wendi Richter. Moolah lost the title atThe Brawl to End It All, broadcast live onMTV. Richter then lost the title toLeilani Kai the following year, but won it back atWrestleMania I on March 31, 1985. It was during the Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection that the WWF introduced its first female referee,Rita Chatterton.[3]
In the summer of 1985, the WWF did a storyline where all established managers in the promotion competed to offer their services toRandy Savage. Savage revealed his new manager to beMiss Elizabeth on the August 24, 1985, edition ofWWF Prime Time Wrestling. In real life, Savage and Miss Elizabeth were married, but this was not mentioned on television. Miss Elizabeth's first major angle was during Savage's feud withGeorge "The Animal" Steele in 1986. In the angle, Steele fell in love with Miss Elizabeth, angering Savage and leading to a series of grudge matches between him and Steele. She also figured prominently in Savage's 1986 feuds withHulk Hogan andRicky "the Dragon" Steamboat and his 1987–1989 feuds with wrestlers such asThe Honky Tonk Man,Andre the Giant,Bad News Brown,Big Boss Man andAkeem. In 1988, Miss Elizabeth was given the title "First Lady of the World Wrestling Federation" due to her being the first woman in World Wrestling Federation history to manage the World Wrestling Federation champion. When Savage—who had formed an alliance with Hogan—turned on Hogan in early 1989, Miss Elizabeth was a major factor, and she eventually sided with Hogan. Meanwhile, Savage became allied with"Sensational" Sherri, who had success as a wrestler from 1987 to 1989 and was phased into a role as an ill-tempered, venomous manager.
Sherri initially debuted on July 24, 1987, by defeating The Fabulous Moolah for the WWF Women's Championship.[4] Renaming herself 'Sensational' Sherri, she reigned as champion for fifteen months before losing it toRockin' Robin;[5][6] after losing several rematches, Martel took a short leave of absence in early 1989 before being repackaged as Savage's manager. Also in 1987Mike McGuirk was introduced as the first female ring announcer of the promotion, arriving afterJesse Ventura referred her to the WWF.[7] In the fall of 1987, McGuirk provided color commentary for several arena show tapings in the Houston, Texas area, which aired onPrime Time Wrestling.
The firstSurvivor Series pay-per-view saw the first female elimination match. In February 1989, the WWF Women's Tag Team Championship was deactivated andThe Glamour Girls (Leilani Kai andJudy Martin) were the final title holders.Sapphire debuted in November 1989 onSaturday Night's Main Event XXV as a 'fan' cheering onDusty Rhodes at ringside in his match against Big Boss Man.[8] Sapphire began to manage Rhodes, and adopted Rhodes' gimmick, as she adorned black outfits with yellow polka dots. Sapphire and Rhodes later feuded with Randy Savage and Sensational Sherri and wrestled in a tag team match atWrestleMania VI.[9][10] Rockin' Robin was the last WWF Women's Champion in the late 1980s.
In 1990, Sensational Sherri remained with Randy Savage, while Sapphire worked with Dusty Rhodes. Sapphire later departed from the company in mid-1990. Miss Elizabeth worked primarily with Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire between WrestleMania VI andSummerSlam (1990). Miss Elizabeth returned in 1991 and was a key player in Randy Savage's retirement match withThe Ultimate Warrior atWrestleMania VII; Miss Elizabeth left the company for good in April 1992; shortly after her departure, Savage and Miss Elizabeth divorced in real life. AtWrestleMania IX,Luna Vachon debuted and initially aligned herself withShawn Michaels. Later, she aligned herself withBam Bam Bigelow to feud with Sherri andTatanka. Martel left the company in 1993.
In 1993, the WWF reinstated its Women's Championship, a title that had been vacant since 1990,[11] andMadusa Miceli was brought in by the company to revive the women's division.[12] She debuted under the ring name Alundra Blayze,[13] because WWF ownerVince McMahon did not want to pay Miceli to use the name Madusa, which she had trademarked.[14] She wrestled in a six-woman tournament to crown a new Women's Champion, and in the finals, she pinnedHeidi Lee Morgan on the December 13, 1993, episode ofAll American Wrestling to win the title.[11]
After the tournament, Miceli asked WWF management to bring in new women for her to wrestle[12] and WWF brought Leilani Kai,[15]Bull Nakano[16] andBertha Faye.[17] Later on as part of a short talent exchange with All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling, various Japanese female wrestlers includingAja Kong debuted leading to the second elimination match at theSurvivor Series 1995 event.[18] In December, due to financial troubles the WWF was having at the time,[19] Blayze was released from her contract and was stripped of the title following her jump back to rival companyWorld Championship Wrestling, and the WWF Women's Championship remained vacant until 1998.[20]
In 1994, WWF signedSunny as a manager forChris Candido, becoming considered as the first WWF Diva.[21] Between 1996 and 1998, several valets debuted in WWF:Marlena,Sable andDebra. Following Blayze's controversial exit from the company, the women's division became inactive during this time. At first, the characters were a continuation of the WWE female manager, but became more sexualized as time progressed. In 1996,Sunny was awarded as the manager of the year and her immense popularity expanded beyond professional wrestling when she was regarded asAOL's most downloaded woman, solidifying herself as one of the preeminent figures within WWF.[22] In February 1997,Chyna joined WWF as an antithesis to the rest of the women, a masculine bodybuilder whose sexual identity was the subject of early storylines. Sunny, Marlena, Sable, and Debra were further marketed as sex symbols through WWF'sRaw Magazine, which featured monthly spreads of the women in suggestive poses either semi-nude or wearing provocative clothing.
Sable's eclipsed popularity and her feud withMarc Mero and his new manager,Jacqueline[23] led to the reinstatement of the Women's Championship as well as the promotion's hiring of more female wrestlers. Jacqueline won the title and became the first African-American Women's Champion. Meanwhile, Sable's popularity led her to be aPlayboy cover girl, although unlike other women, it was written in her contract that she was not allowed to takebumps.[24] Amid the new risqué and adult-oriented strategy of theAttitude Era, Sable and Jacqueline also took part in a bikini contest atFully Loaded: In Your House.[25] In July 1998,Sunny was released from her contract.[26]
Sable became the first WWF female talent to refer to herself as a "Diva" during the April 19 episode ofRaw Is War in 1999; the term shortly thereafter became the official title for WWF's female performers. During the August 9, 1999, episode ofRaw Is War, Chyna became the first woman to main event a pro-wrestling prime time show when she defeatedTriple H and The Undertaker in a triple threat match to become the number one contender for the WWF Championship, the only woman to ever do so. Veteran wrestlers The Fabulous Moolah andMae Young returned to WWF, mostly used as comedic roles. AtNo Mercy on October 17, 1999, 76-year-old Moolah defeatedIvory to win the Women's Championship, becoming the oldest WWF Women's Champion ever.The late 1990s also brought in new women, such as B.B and The Kat, who won the women's championship.[27][28]
In 1999, Chyna became the first woman to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship when she defeated Jeff Jarrett. She would win the title one more time in 2000 when she defeated Val Venis and Trish Stratus in a mixed tag team match. She also became the first woman to participate in aRoyal Rumble match, entering in the 1999 and 2000 editions, as well as participating in the 1999 edition of the King of the Ring tournament. She also was on the cover forPlayboy. According to her manager, Vince McMahon offered Chyna to win the WWF Championship if she rejected the offer.[29]
The year 2000 saw the debuts ofLita,Trish Stratus, andMolly Holly since the start of February. Lita performedhigher-risk moves than the divas before her, such asmoonsaults anddiving hurricanranas.[30] Shortly thereafter, Trish Stratus debuted as an overtly sexualized valet. Also, later that year, Molly Holly was added to the roster. She was a contrast to most of the other Divas as she was given a more wholesomegimmick and more modest ring attire.[31] On the August 21 episode ofRaw Is War defending championStephanie McMahon wrestled Lita in the main event.
Finally, the spring of 2001 saw the WWF's purchase of its chief competitors,World Championship Wrestling (WCW) andExtreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), and the consequent entry of former WCW and ECW female talent, such asStacy Keibler,Torrie Wilson,Jazz, andSharmell. WWF Women's Champion Chyna left the WWF towards the end of November due to real-life issues between herself, Triple H, and Stephanie McMahon. In the autumn of 2001, Trish Stratus was trained byFit Finlay, who was the road agent responsible for the women's matches, and drastically improved her in-ring ability. She worked her way up to the top of the division and eventually won the Women's Championship atSurvivor Series. Stratus then entered in a prominent feud with Jazz who debuted at Survivor Series.[32][33]
Much of the year of 2002 centered around Trish Stratus and her feuds withJazz,Molly Holly, and a re-debutingVictoria including over the Women's Championship.[34][35][36] In April, while filming a small acting role forDark Angel, Lita suffered a neck injury and was the first female talent to have neck fusion surgery.[30] She was out of action for almost a year and a half.[30] As she rehabilitated, she kept herself visible by co-hostingSunday Night Heat on MTV.[37]
Since May 5, 2002, the women's division saw an expansion including a departure and a return of a former talent when the WWF officially changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as the company first began to hire more female talents than ever before, including female winners of the reality television show Tough Enough, which featured contestants aspiring to be professional wrestlers (Nidia in 2001,Linda Miles andJackie Gayda in 2002). Debra departed the company in June along with her then-husbandStone Cold Steve Austin.[38] Sable returned to WWE on the April 3, 2003, episode ofSmackDown! for the first time since controversially departing from the company in late 1999; her first storyline returning to the company for several months was with newPlayboy covergirlTorrie Wilson. The WWE women's division competed in more match-ups previously contested only by men (including for the Women's Championship), such as street fights andhardcore matches. The debutingGail Kim would go on to become the first woman of Asian descent to have held theWWE Women's Championship after winning a battle royal. Numerous Divas competed in contests ranging from "Pillow Fights" and "Bra and Panties" match-ups to "Bikini Contests", which were based more on the sexual appeal of the women involved. Women's trainerFit Finlay said he was embarrassed to explain to the women how to strip during bra and panties match. According to him, "It was degrading to them" and tried to teach them how to wrestle, but WWE told him they do not want women to wrestle like men.[39]
Victoria and Lita competed in the first Women'ssteel cage match towards the end of the year on November 24.[40]
WWE eventually re-introduced theDiva Search, in whichChristy Hemme became the inaugural winner. In December 2004, Lita and Trish Stratus main-eventedRaw for the Women's Championship, making it the second time in history for female talents to main event one of WWE's main shows. Moreover, Lita became the only female talent to main eventRaw on three occasions including winning the Women's Championship.
Since mid-2004 and through various periods over the years until the year of 2011, most of the original female roster departed from the company, most notably in 2006, when Trish Stratus retired atUnforgiven and Lita retired atSurvivor Series.[41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50]
During this period, several women made their debut, likeMelina,[51]Mickie James,[52][53][54]Beth Phoenix,[55][56] andLayla.[57]
On the March 5, 2007, episode ofRaw,Mickie James andMelina competed in the firstFalls Count Anywhere match to be contested between Divas. It was also the first time that the Women's Championship was contested in this type of match. AtVengeance: Night of Champions in 2007,Candice Michelle became the first woman from the WWE Diva Search contest to become the WWE Women's Champion.[58] In December 2007,Trish Stratus,Lita,Molly Holly, andSunny returned to WWE for a one-night special appearance on an episode ofRaw due to the show's 15th anniversary.[59] AtOne Night Stand 2008, Beth Phoenix and Melina competed in the first"I Quit" match to be contested between Divas.
In 2008, WWE entered itsPG Era and adapted afamily-friendly format.[60] WWE distanced itself from the sexual content that was pervasive throughout previous eras.[61] However, the role of women within WWE during this time was criticized because their matches were not as integral to the show as male wrestler's matches were.[60]
In March 2008,Mae Young became the third woman to be inducted into theWWE Hall of Fame.[62] AtThe Great American Bash 2008,Michelle McCool defeatedNatalya to become the inaugural holder of theWWE Divas Championship, a championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand. In January 2009,Victoria lost toMichelle McCool in her last match, leaving WWE shortly after.[63] AtWrestlemania 25, several female WWE legends includingSunny,Molly Holly,Victoria andTorrie Wilson, alongside former DivasJoy Giovanni andJackie Gayda made a one-night return to participate in the 25-Diva Battle Royal, which was won by'Santina' Marella. The match was heavily criticized by several wrestling news outlets for its degrading booking of Divas in WWE.[64][65] During the2009 WWE draft, the championships switched brands after Women's Champion Melina was drafted to the SmackDown brand and Divas ChampionMaryse was drafted to Raw.Beth Phoenix made history by becoming the second woman to compete at theRoyal Rumble event that year and managed to eliminateThe Great Khali. In March 2010,Wendi Richter was inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the 2010 class, making her first appearance on the promotion in over 20 years.[66] The Women's Championship wasunified with the Divas Championship atNight of Champions 2010, as then Divas Champion Melina faced then-self-professed co-Women's Champion Michelle McCool (as part ofLayCool with Layla) in a lumberjill match, which McCool won. This also made the Women's Championship defunct after 54 years, making Layla the final holder and only woman of Arab descent to have held the championship.[67] During that year,Alicia Fox became the first and only African-AmericanWWE Divas Champion.
NXT replacedECW programming in 2010. Originally existing as aseasonal show which was presented as a hybrid betweenreality television and WWE's scripted live event shows, selected wrestlers from WWE's then-developmental territoryFlorida Championship Wrestling (FCW) participated in a competition to become WWE's next "breakout star". Thethird season, which aired in late 2010, featured only female contestants and was won byKaitlyn.[68]
In April 2011,Sunny was inducted into theHall of Fame, becoming the fifth woman to receive the honor.[69]
Kharma made her debut atExtreme Rules 2011 by attacking Michelle McCool, and attacked other divas over the next couple weeks onRaw andSmackDown, however this was cut short as she was granted a maternity leave due to her real-life pregnancy.[70] 2011 saw the departures of Maryse and Michelle McCool, the latter of whom retired from WWE on May 1, after losing to Layla in a Loser Leaves WWE match; Melina, who was released in early August; andGail Kim resigned from the company due to frustration with their lack of focus on the women's division.
AtRoyal Rumble 2012,Kharma returned and entered the Royal Rumble, becoming the third woman to enter the match.[71] On the April 23, 2012, episode ofRaw,Nikki Bella defeated Beth Phoenix in a lumberjill match for the Divas Championship, ending Phoenix's reign as champion at 204 days.[72][73] Layla returned from her injury on April 29, 2012, atExtreme Rules and defeated Nikki Bella to become the fifth woman to have held both titles.[74]The Bella Twins' contracts expired the following night, where they were fired by Eve Torres in the storyline.[75][76]
On July 9, 2012, Eve Torres andAJ Lee became the first Divas to main eventRaw since Trish Stratus and Lita in 2004, in a tag team match alongsideCM Punk andDaniel Bryan. During mid-2012, AJ became involved in various relationship storylines with several male wrestlers such as CM Punk, Daniel Bryan,Kane,John Cena andDolph Ziggler, including a stint as theGeneral Manager ofRaw. The later part of 2012 saw the departures of Kharma, Kelly Kelly, and Beth Phoenix.[77] A month after Phoenix's October departure, WWE published an article on their website claiming that there was a new era for the Divas division.[78]
In the summer of 2012, the WWE hired veteran independent wrestler Sara Amato as a trainer for the women. Under Amato's guidance, catfights and hair-pulling were eliminated and were replaced by strikes, forearms, punches, and kicking just like the male wrestlers were taught to do.[79]
The 20th anniversary ofRaw on January 14, 2013, sawKaitlyn defeat Eve Torres for the Divas Championship. Eve departed the company later that night after her contract expired.[80] The Bella Twins returned to WWE on the March 11, 2013, episode ofRaw.[81] Kaitlyn lost her Divas Championship to her former tag team partner AJ Lee onPayback, ending her reign at 153 days. The first in-ring Divas contract signing took place on the July 12, 2013, episode ofSmackDown between AJ Lee and Kaitlyn, as part of buildup for a rematch of the Divas Championship atMoney In the Bank. AJ defeated Kaitlyn to retain the title at the event.
In August 2012, WWE ceased operating FCW, its developmental promotion in Tampa, Florida, deactivating FCW titles, and began running all of its developmental events and operations atFull Sail University under the "WWE NXT" banner. In October 2012, WWE hiredRenee Young, and in September 2013, Young made her commentary debut onNXT, making her the first female on-air commentator in the company in over a decade.
In April 2013,Summer Rae made her main roster debut, becoming the first Diva to be called up from the rebrandedNXT.[82] In July 2013, the first season of theTotal Divas reality television show starring WWE Divas premiered.[83] On the August 26 episode ofRaw, AJ Lee cut aworked shootpromo on the cast ofTotal Divas, stemming again, but partially from the controversial issue of what makes a "true" WWE Diva and the theme of the show leading towards a feud between Lee and the cast. At the2013 Slammy Awards show, the Diva of the Year award was won byBrie and Nikki Bella. On January 8, 2014, Kaitlyn decided to depart from WWE to pursue other endeavors, losing her last match against her former friend and rival Divas Champion AJ Lee.[84] Later on towards the end of the month, AJ Lee became the longest reigning Divas Champion in history, surpassing Maryse's reign of 216 days.[85] On the March 12 episode ofMain Event, Lee successfully defended the Divas Championship against Natalya, in a match that lasted fourteen minutes—the longest women's championship match since 1987.[86] On the March 24 episode ofRaw, it was announced byVickie Guerrero that Lee would defend her Divas Championship against the entire Divas roster atWrestleMania XXX, making it the first time the title was defended atWrestleMania.[87] At the event, AJ Lee retained her championship by forcingNaomi to submit.[87]
On the post-WrestleMania episode ofRaw on April 7, 2014,Paige made her debut on the main roster and defeated AJ Lee for the Divas Championship ending her record reign at 295 days. At the time, Paige was also the reigning (and first)NXT Women's Champion, having won the belt on June 20, 2013, after defeating Emma in the tournament finals to crown the inaugural champion.[88] With her Divas Championship win, Paige became the first wrestler to simultaneously hold both titles, as well as becoming the youngest Divas Champion in WWE history at the age of 21.[89]Lana also made her debut as the manager ofRusev, aiding him his first victory on the main roster againstZack Ryder. Shortly after, the duo adopted aRussophillic,anti-American gimmick.[90]
Brie Bella entered a storyline with Stephanie McMahon atPayback — as part of her husbandDaniel Bryan's storyline with McMahon — McMahon threatened to fire Bella if, an injured, Bryan did not relinquish theWWE World Heavyweight Championship, which forced Brie to "quit" before slapping McMahon in the face.[91] In mid-June, Vickie Guerrero departed mutually from WWE, after losing to Stephanie McMahon in apudding match.[92] AJ Lee returned after a two-month hiatus, defeating Paige in an impromptu match to regain the Divas Championship as both then traded the championship until atSummerSlam, thenNight of Champions.[93] At SummerSlam, Stephanie McMahon defeated Brie Bella in her first match in ten years, after Nikki Bella attacked her sister.[94] This led to a match between the twins atHell in a Cell, where the loser was forced to become the winner's personal assistant for 30 days, where Nikki defeated Brie.[95] AJ Lee won the Divas Championship for a record-tying third time at Night of Champions against Paige and Nikki Bella.[96] With this win, AJ Lee tied with Eve Torres for the most reigns ever at three.
Nikki Bella received her title match against AJ Lee on November 23 atSurvivor Series, which she won, with Brie's help, to become a two-time Divas Champion.[97] The duo had reconciled at this point.[98][99][100]
On the February 23, 2015, episode ofRaw, The Bella Twins faced Paige andEmma in a widely criticized match that lasted around 30 seconds. After the match, a hashtag on Twitter trended worldwide for around a day and a half, called #GiveDivasAChance. This hashtag brought attention to various multi-media outlets over the long-tenured controversy over the company's treatment of their women's division, including AJ Lee who publicly criticized Stephanie McMahon over the issue.[101][102] On April 3, five days after Lee and Paige defeated the Bella Twins atWrestleMania 31,[103] WWE announced that Lee decided to retire from in-ring competition and departed from the company.[104] In June, Paige started serving as a judge on the sixth season ofTough Enough, while Renee Young appeared as co-host of the show and Lita served as a coach.[105][106]
On the July 13 episode ofRaw, Nikki Bella claimed that there were no challengers for her championship. As a result, Stephanie McMahon proclaimed a revolution in the women's division and introducedCharlotte,Becky Lynch, and the NXT Women's ChampionSasha Banks as the newest additions to the main roster.[107][108] In the following weeks, a three-way feud began betweenTeam B.A.D. (Naomi,Tamina and Sasha Banks),Team Bella (Alicia Fox and The Bella Twins) and Team PCB (Paige, Charlotte, and Becky Lynch), with the latter team being renamed from Submission Sorority due to links to adult content.[109][110] The three teams faced off atSummerSlam in athree team elimination match, where Becky pinned Brie to win the match for Team PCB.[111]
On July 29, WWE announced that Layla would depart from the company and retire.[112] On the August 31 episode ofRaw, Nikki introduced the Bellatron timer which counted down the remaining time until she surpassed the record for the longest-reigning Divas champion of all time. Charlotte won the firstBeat the Clock Challenge for a title shot.[113][114] Her title match with Nikki was initially advertised forNight of Champions,[115] but instead took place theRaw preceding the pay-per-view, after Charlotte issued a petition, granted later byThe Authority, to face Nikki before she surpassed the record to become the longest-reigning Divas Champion.[116] Charlotte won the match by disqualification when Brie and Nikki switched places and Charlotte pinned Brie. However, since the title could not change hands by disqualification, Nikki retained the championship, and in the process, became the longest-reigning Divas Champion in history, surpassing AJ Lee's previous record of 295 days.[117] Several days later, on September 20 at Night of Champions, Nikki lost the championship to Charlotte, ending her reign at 301 days.[118] Shortly after, Nikki went on a hiatus from television due to a neck injury which would require surgery,[119][120] but returned for one night on December 21, to accept theSlammy Award forDiva of the Year.[121]
AtWrestleMania 32 in April 2016, WWE announced a major re-launch of its women's division: the "Divas" moniker was dropped, with the company now promoting its female talent as "Superstars" as with their male counterparts. Lita made an appearance to unveil a newWWE Women's Championship belt; the title, which replaced the WWE Divas Championship, shares its name with the original Women's Championship, but does not share the same title history as the original. WWE acknowledges the original championship as its predecessor. Later in the show, Divas champion Charlotte won the new championship by defeating Lynch and Banks.[122][123][124]
WWE had faced criticism from critics and performers for having portrayed female wrestlers as a source ofsex appeal, rather than showcasing their athletic prowess.[123][125]Stephanie McMahon explained that the changes were part of a move towardsgender equality within the company by dropping the "derogatory" Divas title, and thereby placing its entire roster on a "level playing field" as "Superstars". In the years that followed the relaunch, the increased prominence of the women's division in WWE programming, events, and reality series had helped to, in turn, attract more female viewers to WWE programming; McMahon stated that "Women love action, but I think they also really love the stories. They love the characters, they love the drama. Women need a reason to watch, more so than men I think, so the more you can get your female audience engaged in the character and in the story, then they care. They care about who's going to win, they care about who's going to lose."[123]It was also at the same time that WWE's hiring policy regarding female talents changed as independent wrestlers (particularly from the likes of Shimmer, Shine and WSU), mixed-martial artists and athletes have gradually been replacing fitness and swimsuit models due to Triple H replacing John Laurinaitis as WWE's Head of Talent.[126] In addition, women began to receive more multi-dimensional characters as well.
In April 2016 at a show in Dubai,Alicia Fox became the first female performer in WWE history to appear in front of a live crowd in theMiddle East.[127] After the secondbrand split and the2016 WWE draft on July 19, 2016, the WWE Women's Championship became exclusive to Raw. TheSmackDown Women's Championship was subsequently unveiled during the August 23, 2016, episode ofSmackDown,[128] and won by Becky Lynch in asix-way elimination match atBacklash the following month.[129] Throughout 2016, Charlotte Flair (who addedher father's ring surname to her own ring name) and Sasha Banks feuded over the Raw Women's Championship. They main-eventedRaw on two occasions that year, they competed in the first women'sHell in a Cell match in WWE historythat same year, marking the first time that a women's match had headlined a WWE pay-per-view event.
In 2017 and 2018, WWE also began to promote women'sRoyal Rumble,[130]Money in the Bank,[131]Tables, Ladders, and Chairs,[132] andElimination Chamber matches for the first time. The inaugural winners of these events wereAsuka,Carmella, Asuka once again andAlexa Bliss.[133][134] On January 28, 2017, WWE announced that Nikki Bella would serve as an executive producer forTotal Divas starting in the second half of the sixth season in April. Nikki would become the first female talent within the company to become a producer of a WWE-related show.[135] On October 22, 2017,Asuka made her main roster debut atTLC, defeatingEmma.[136] Shortly after, WWE announced that Emma andSummer Rae were both released from their respective contracts.[137] On November 20,Paige returned toRAW after a year of inactivity, alongside the debutingMandy Rose andSonya Deville, attackingMickie James,Sasha Banks andBayley.[138] That year, WWE also held an inaugural women's tournament, theMae Young Classic, and signedJessika Carr as the first woman to be a full-time WWE referee.
Since then, there are generally at least two or more women's matches on RAW, SmackDown and NXT while it is increasingly rare for some episodes not to have a women's match on the show. In addition, promos and fights involving women have gotten more intense and violent compared to the Divas Era.[139] Also, women's storylines began to move away from cattiness and romantic relationships with male wrestlers into more personal feuds as well as animosity between the two wrestlers as they closely begin to mirror men's storylines. On August 26, 2018,Rhea Ripley defeatedToni Storm in theUnited Kingdom Championship Tournament to win the inauguralNXT UK Women's Championship, which became the top women's championship of theNXT UK brand.[140] On September 11, 2018,Maryse made her first match in over 7 years, facingBrie Bella in a no contest.[141] On October 8, the returning Brie Bella andNikki Bella attacked the then-Raw Women's ChampionRonda Rousey after defeatingRuby Riott,Liv Morgan andSarah Logan, turning heel in the process and setting up a match for WWE Evolution.[142] Hall of FamersTrish Stratus andLita also made their return to faceMickie James andAlexa Bliss at the event.[143] In October 2018, WWE hostedEvolution, its first-ever pay-per-view to consist only of women's matches.[144][145] Executive vice president of talent, live events and creativeTriple H stated that it "was simply the right time for this to happen", countering allegations that the event was a counterbalance for the subsequentCrown Jewelin Saudi Arabia (where WWE had not held women's matches due to the country'swomen's rights policies).[146] In December 2018, a newWWE Women's Tag Team Championship was unveiled; it was contested for the first time atElimination Chamber in February 2019, and won in a tag team Elimination Chamber match by Sasha Banks andBayley.[147][148][149]
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Amid a feud withCharlotte Flair afterSummerSlam in 2018, Lynch began to refer to herself as "The Man"—adopting a persona of a poorly-treated underdog.[150][151] The storyline coincided with a major increase in Lynch's popularity,[152][153][154] and culminated with Lynch defeating the Raw and SmackDown's Women's ChampionsRonda Rousey and Charlotte Flair in awinner takes alltriple threat match atWrestleMania 35—marking the first women's main event in WrestleMania history.[155] After 14 years with WWE, veteran wrestler Alicia Fox retired, returning to participate only atRoyal Rumble events in the future.[156] AtCrown Jewel,Natalya andLacey Evans competed in WWE's first women's match inSaudi Arabia.[157][158][159] Later that year,Survivor Series held its first ever women's main event featuringRaw Women's ChampionBecky Lynch,SmackDown Women's ChampionBayley andNXT Women's ChampionShayna Baszler, with the latter winning the match. In 2021,Sasha Banks andBianca Belair became the first black women to jointly headlineWrestleMania.[160]
On January 6, 2021, atNXT New Year's Evil the first everWomen's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Tournament was announced by NXT general managerWilliam Regal[161] and on February 14, 2021, in the tournament finals atNXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day the tournament was won byRaquel González andDakota Kai as they defeatedEmber Moon andShotzi Blackheart.[162] On March 10, 2021, after the tournament victory Raquel González and Dakota Kai were awarded the first everNXT Women's Tag Team Championship's by NXT general manager William Regal making them the inaugural championship holders.[163]
During the late year of 2021 the first everWWE Queen's Crown tournament was announced. The tournament is afemale version of the company'sKing of the Ring tournament.[164] On October 21, 2021,Zelina Vega defeatedDoudrop to become the inaugural Queen's Crown atCrown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.[165][166]
Also while the name "Diva" largely fell into disuse, the term was then reused in 2022 for NXT wrestler Quincy Eliott's moniker, "Super Diva".[167]
On June 9, 2023, on an episode ofSmackDown, the WWE Raw Women's Championship name was reverted back to theWWE Women's Championship as to when Lita introduced it at WrestleMania 32, and then-current champion Asuka was awarded with a new title belt.[168] On the June 12 episode ofRaw, the WWE Smackdown Women's Championship was renamed to theWomen's World Championship, and then-current champion Rhea Ripley was awarded with the new title belt.[169]
On June 23, 2023, theWWE Women's Tag Team Championship's were unified with theNXT Women's Tag Team Championship's as Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler (WWE Women's Tag Team Champions) defeatedAlba Fyre andIsla Dawn (NXT Women's Tag Team Champions) retiring the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships in an episode ofSmackDown.[170][171]
On July 17, 2023,Chelsea Green andSonya Deville became the first WWE Tough Enough women contestants to win the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships in WWE history.[172]
On April 6, 2024, atNXT Stand & Deliver, NXT general managerAva announced the creation of theNXT Women's North American Championship. This is the first-ever secondary women's championship in WWE.[173] On April 7, 2024, atWrestleMania XL, the WWE Queen's Crown tournament was renamed as the WWE Queen of the Ring tournament. The finals of the tournament took place atKing and Queen of the Ring in Saudi Arabia which was won byNia Jax, earning her a title shot at the WWE Women's Championship atSummerSlam.[174][175][176]
On June 9, 2024, atNXT BattlegroundKelani Jordan became the inaugural NXT Women's North American Champion as she defeatedSol Ruca,Lash Legend,Fallon Henley,Jaida Parker andMichin in a 6-WomenLadder match.[177]
On May 1, 2024, WWE Chief Content OfficerTriple H confirmed that WWE TV showWWE Speed that was established April 3, 2024, which air's onTwitter would also feature women's matches; this led to an official announcement on August 9, 2024, where he announced that the tournament for the first everWWE Speed Women's Championship will begin on September 4, 2024.[178][179] The title is a women's version of theWWE Speed Championship which was inauguracely won byRicochet.[180][181] In the tournament final that occurred during theSpeed tapings on October 4, 2024, SmackDown'sCandice LeRae defeated Raw'sIyo Sky to become the inaugural champion.[182]On the November 8, 2024, episode of SmackDown, SmackDown GM Nick Aldis introduced theWWE Women's United States Championship belt.[183] On the November 25, 2024, episode of RAW, theWWE Women's Intercontinental Championship belt was unveiled by RAW GMAdam Pearce.[184] On December 14, 2024, atSaturday Night's Main Event Chelsea Green was crowned the inaugural WWE Women's United States Champion when she defeatedMichin in the WWE Women's United States Championship Tournament finals.[185] On the January 13, 2025, episode of RawLyra Valkyria defeatedDakota Kai to become the inaugural WWE Women's Intercontinental Champion in the tournament finals.[186]
During a press conference on February 18, 2025, WWE's Chief Content Officer, "Triple H", unveiledWWE Women's ID Championship (And theWWE ID Championship for the men.) The titles were designed to be defended exclusively across the independent circuit, offering emerging talent increased exposure and opportunities in theWWE Independent Development (ID) program.[187]
On May 7, 2025, "Triple H", introduced theWWE Evolve Women's Championship (Alongside the men's version called theWWE Evolve Championship.) as a new rookie title for the WWE rookie division for the new WWE rookie brandWWE Evolvebrand.[188] On May 28, 2025Kali Armstrong, defeatedWendy Choo,Kendal Grey, andKylie Rae, in afatal four-way elimination match to become the inaugural champion onEvolve (the date this episode was taped is unknown).[189]
While Stephanie McMahon credited Triple H and Vince McMahon as the creators of the Women's Revolution,[190] wrestlerGail Kim countered thatTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling was the promotion where the Women's Revolution began.[191] Former WWE wrestlerMaria Kanellis was critical of how WWE portrays women, stating that it feels more like a "promotional tactic".[192] After being released in 2021, Mickie James said that one WWE executive told her: "Women's wrestling doesn't make money" in response to her push for a second all-female pay-per-view or an all-female branded show.[193]
The popularity of the women of WWE has resulted in various cross-promotions.[194] Various female talent in WWE have posed inPlayboy, others have appeared in commercials for WWE and non-WWE products as well as men's interest magazines.
Women in WWE would participate in annual photoshoots every year, travelling to a foreign destination. The photoshoot would be followed by a magazine, featuring photos from the shoot as well as a television special or video release of highlights from the shoot. The first initial annual photoshoot was in 1999 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which was promoted through video release by WWE entitledCome Get Some: The Women of the WWF. Debra, Chyna, Sable, Tori, Jacqueline, Terri Runnels, Ivory, Luna Vachon, and Ryan Shamrock were part of the photoshoot and promotional material.
Annual photoshoots:
Other:
Since 1999, seven women in WWE have appeared on the cover ofPlayboy:
Playboy playmates, such asCarmella DeCesare andKaren McDougal have also appeared in the 2004 Diva Search contest. Former WWE female talentTaryn Terrell and current female talent Maryse have also posed nude for the magazine. Female talents such as Trish Stratus, Lita, Debra, Sharmell, Stacy Keibler, Michelle McCool, and Melina Perez have said that posing forPlayboy magazine is out of the question for them. Trish Stratus appeared on Canadian sports talk showOff The Record and said that she did not pose because she wanted to be known as "multiple time Women's Champion Trish Stratus" rather than "the girl who posed inPlayboy". Stratus also claims that she refused the shoot because she says she can still be sexy without taking her clothes off.[195] Lita has said that she did not pose because she felt it was wrong for her as a role model for young girls to pose for the magazine.[196]
Shortly following Maria's pictorial, WWE transitioned to a TV-PG rating and ended its connection toPlayboy as part of the move.
The Diva Search was an annual competition that occurred every summer. The purpose of theDiva Search was to find new women to be wrestlers, interviewers, and/or valets for WWE.
Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television series produced by WWE, wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. Female winners includeNidia,Jackie Gayda,Linda Miles, andSara Lee. The series also featured women who would go on to appear across WWE television, includingMandy Rose,Sonya Deville, Kharma, andChelsea Green among others.
On April 22, 2013, it was announced several Divas would be featured on a newE! Network reality series titledTotal Divas, following their lives outside of the ring. Natalya, Naomi,Cameron, The Bella Twins (Brie and Nikki), and alsoEva Marie andJoJo Offerman from the developmental territoryWWE NXT were announced as the inaugural cast for the show. The show premiered on July 28, proving to be an instant hit, and was renewed for a second season.[197] Additionally, theE! Network announced on April 18, 2016, that The Bella Twins (Brie and Nikki) would be getting their own spinoff show titledTotal Bellas following the lives of the twins.[198]
On June 13, 2021, Essentially Sports reported thatTotal Divas andTotal Bellas had been cancelled by the E! Network, citing a decline in ratings and lack of interest from those involved.[199]
On January 8, 2018, it was announced that Maryse and her husbandThe Miz would be getting their own reality television series titledMiz & Mrs.[200] The show premiered on July 24, 2018, on theUSA Network.
On February 26, 2022, it was announced that Carmella andCorey Graves will be part of a spin-off seriesCorey & Carmella which will premiere on WWE's YouTube channel.[201]
Animated versions of the Fabulous Moolah and Wendi Richter were included on aCBS Saturday morning cartoonHulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling.[202]
In 1996,Sunny was named asAOL's most downloaded celebrity, thus expanding her popularity outside professional wrestling. She was heavily featured on mainstream TV shows such asMTV'sSingled Out andEntertainment Tonight.[203]
WWE Sunday Dhamaal, an Indian show produced by WWE, aired a special WWE Evolution episode hosted byShenaz Treasury focusing on Women in WWE in 2018.[204]
In 2019, WWE announced a reality series forQuibi,Fight Like a Girl, in which Stephanie McMahon paired WWE superstars with a young girl in each episode.[205][206] The series was later moved toThe Roku Channel following the closure of Quibi.[207]
Episodes focusing on heel careers of Sasha Banks and Stephanie McMahon were part of the 2022Peacock original series,WWE EVIL.[208]
The ninth episode ofA&E documentary series,WWE Rivals, "Stephanie McMahon vs. Brie Bella", focused on McMahon and Bella's on-screen rivalry.[209]
In November 2022, WWE co-CEO Nick Khan announced during an investors call thatBianca Belair and her husbandMontez Ford would be the subject of a new reality series that will debut onHulu in 2023.[210] WWE announced on November 2, 2023, that the first eight episodes of the series, now titled "Love & WWE: Bianca & Montez", would be released on Hulu on February 2, 2024.[211]
A behind-the-scenes look at various WWE female superstars and Events was featured in WWE Network's documentary seriesWWE 24. The episodes entitled "Women's Evolution" and "Empowered" focused on the history of women in WWE, while episodes "Becky Lynch: The Man", "The Years of Ronda Rousey", and "Trish Stratus" focused on individual careers of Lynch, Rousey and Stratus respectively.[212][213][214] Another documentary series,WWE 365, aired a special on Alexa Bliss on June 23, 2019.[215] Paige, Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks specials were part of another WWE Network's documentary seriesWWE Chronicle.[216][217][218]
Several episodes ofTable for 3 like "Diva Legends",[219] "Millennium Divas",[220] "Divas Champions Club",[221] "Future Empowered",[222] "Women's Championship Evolution",[223] "Restaurant Riott"[224] and "Ladies' Luncheon"[225] featured current and former WWE female superstars discussing various aspects of their personal and professional life.
Animated version of various female WWE superstars like Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Bella Twins, Charlotte Flair, Paige and Stephanie McMahon were included inCamp WWE.[226]
Fabulous Moolah and Wendi Richter appeared in two of Cyndi Lauper's music videos, "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" and "She Bop".[227]
From 1999 to 2000, Sable appeared as a guest star on an episode ofPacific Blue in 1999,[24] and the following year, Chyna appeared as a guest star onMad TV and3rd Rock from the Sun as Janice, a police officer, as well as several Stacker 2 commercials and was a presenter at theMTV Video Music Awards.[228] In November 2001, Trish Stratus, Lita, and Stephanie McMahon appeared as contestants onThe Weakest Link's "WWF Superstars Edition".[229] Lita, Molly Holly, andJacqueline appeared as contestants onFear Factor in February 2002.[230] On February 2, 2002, Lita was a presenter at theMTV Asia Awards 2002, and appeared in a small role onDark Angel on April 6 of that same year.[231] In March 2004, she appeared on an episode ofHeadbangers Ball.[232]
In 2007, Ashley Massaro, Torrie Wilson, Maryse, Brooke, Layla, and Kelly Kelly appeared a music video for music producer and rapperTimbaland for the track "Throw It on Me".[233] In the same year, Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle, Michelle McCool, Maria, Layla, and Kristal appeared in an episode of the U.S. reality showProject Runway, in which designers were asked to design in-ring attire for their designated Diva. In 2008, Layla, Mickie James, Kelly Kelly, and Melina appeared in the U.S. reality showCelebrity Fit Club: Boot Camp to get the celebrities in shape.
Fighting with My Family, a 2019 film co-produced byWWE Studios depicts the WWE career of Paige portrayed byFlorence Pugh, also featuring wrestlerZelina Vega as AJ Lee.[234]
The Fabulous Moolah was the subject of the sixth and season finale episode of the professional wrestling documentary seriesDark Side of the Ring. It covered various events of Moolah's life likeRock 'n' Wrestling Connection,The Brawl to End It All,The Original Screwjob, theWrestleMania 34 name controversy, and various other WWE related incidents.[235]
In 2019, the video gameWWE 2K20 featured a 2K Showcase named "Four Horsewomen", which chronicled the careers of Bayley, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch.[236][237]
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PWI Female 50 | ||||||||||
| 2008[238] | - | Beth Phoenix | Gail Kim | Mickie James | - | - | - | Melina | Michelle McCool | Candice Michelle |
| 2009 | Mickie James | - | Melina | - | - | - | Beth Phoenix | Michelle McCool | Maryse | - |
| 2010 | Michelle McCool | - | - | - | Eve Torres | - | Beth Phoenix | Mickie James | - | Maryse |
| 2011 | - | - | - | Natalya | - | - | Beth Phoenix | - | - | - |
| 2012 | - | Beth Phoenix | - | - | - | Layla | - | - | - | - |
| 2013 | - | - | - | - | Kaitlyn | - | - | - | AJ Lee | - |
| 2014 | Paige | AJ Lee | - | - | - | - | - | - | Natalya | Charlotte |
| 2015 | Nikki Bella | Paige | Sasha Banks | - | - | Charlotte | Naomi | - | - | - |
| 2016 | Charlotte Flair | Sasha Banks | Asuka | Becky Lynch | Bayley | - | Natalya | - | - | - |
| 2017 | Asuka | Charlotte Flair | Alexa Bliss | Sasha Banks | Bayley | - | Natalya | - | Naomi | - |
| PWI Women's 100 | ||||||||||
| 2018[239] | Ronda Rousey | Alexa Bliss | Charlotte Flair | - | Asuka | - | Carmella | - | Nia Jax | - |
| 2019 | Becky Lynch | Charlotte Flair | Ronda Rousey | - | - | Bayley | Natalya | - | - | - |
| 2020 | Bayley | Becky Lynch | Asuka | Charlotte Flair | Sasha Banks | - | - | - | - | - |
| PWI Women's 150 | ||||||||||
| 2021 | Bianca Belair | - | - | - | - | Sasha Banks | - | - | - | - |
| 2022[240] | - | Bianca Belair | - | Becky Lynch | - | - | - | Charlotte Flair | - | - |
| PWI Women's 250 | ||||||||||
| 2023[241] | Rhea Ripley | - | Bianca Belair | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2024[242] | - | - | Rhea Ripley | - | - | - | Bayley | - | - | - |
| Year Won | Award | Wrestler |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Manager of the Year | Sunny |
| 1999 | Manager of the Year | Debra |
| Woman of the Year | Debra | |
| 2000[243] | Woman of the Year | Stephanie McMahon |
| 2001[244] | Woman of the Year | Lita |
| 2002 | Woman of the Year | Trish Stratus |
| 2003 | Woman of the Year | Trish Stratus |
| 2004 | Woman of the Year | Victoria |
| 2005 | Woman of the Year | Trish Stratus |
| 2006 | Woman of the Year | Trish Stratus |
| 2007 | Most Improved Wrestler of the Year | Candice Michelle |
| Woman of the Year | Candice Michelle | |
| 2009[245] | Woman of the Year | Mickie James |
| 2010 | Woman of the Year | Michelle McCool |
| 2012 | Woman of the Year | AJ Lee |
| 2013 | Woman of the Year | AJ Lee |
| 2014 | Rookie of the Year | Charlotte |
| Woman of the Year | AJ Lee | |
| 2015 | Inspirational Wrestler of the Year | Bayley |
| Match of the Year | Bayley vs.Sasha Banks October 8 atNXT TakeOver: Respect | |
| Woman of the Year | Sasha Banks | |
| 2016 | Feud of the Year | Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks |
| Rookie of the Year | Nia Jax | |
| Woman of the Year | Charlotte Flair | |
| 2017 | Woman of the Year | Asuka |
| 2018 | Rookie of the Year | Ronda Rousey |
| Woman of the Year | Becky Lynch | |
| 2019 | Most Popular Wrestler of the Year | Becky Lynch |
| Woman of the Year | Becky Lynch | |
| 2020 | Feud of the Year | Bayley vs. Sasha Banks |
| Tag Team of the Year | Golden Role Models (Bayley and Sasha Banks) | |
| 2022 | Most Improved Wrestler of the Year | Mandy Rose |
| Woman of the Year | Bianca Belair | |
| 2023 | Comeback of the Year | Trinity |
| Rookie of the Year | Sol Ruca | |
| Faction of the Year | Rhea Ripley (The Judgment Day) | |
| Match of the Year | Rhea Ripley vs Charlotte Flair April 1 atWrestleMania 39 | |
| Woman of the Year | Rhea Ripley |
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2020[248] | Sasha Banks | Bayley | Io Shirai | |||||||
| 2021[249] | - | Bianca Belair | - | - | ||||||
| 2022[250] | ||||||||||
| 2023[251] | Rhea Ripley | - | Becky Lynch |
The following list shows the femaleWWE Hall of Famers (excluding Warrior Award recipients) and the years that they were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
For Information on WWE's current Women's division seeList of WWE personnel on section's Main Roster;Raw Women's division &SmackDown Women's division, Nonexclusive for the inactive current WWE Women's division and the Development roster section for theNXT (their rookie) Women's division.
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