Power Ranking the Top 50 Hottest Women in Wrestling Today -:-
Casual fans of today's
World Wrestling Entertainment have come to appreciate the physical features of
women in wrestling far more than they do their in-ring exploits.
While TNA Wrestling and independent
promotions across the country have worked hard to get women's wrestling over
with fans of the sport, looks, body types, and physical attributes will always
play a major role in the attention paid to a given Diva, Knockout, or women's
wrestler.
This is a list of the 50
hottest women of wrestling. Whether you believe that the abilities of a
specific woman between the ropes should take precedence (as I do) or not is
inconsequential. Women from WWE, TNA, Ring of Honor, and other independent
promotions are featured. Some you know, others you will be introduced to for
the first time.
So sit back and enjoy.
This
list, and the placement of the women involved, is the opinion of the writer. If
you agree or disagree, let your voice be heard in the comment section. Also,
Stephanie McMahon and Dixie Carter have been kept from these rankings because,
well, I simply forgot them.
50. Tamina
The daughter
of WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka has made quite the name for herself
early in her career, most notably challenging Beth Phoenix for the WWE Divas
Championship in February at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.
If she can
continue to evolve and improve, there is no reason she cannot do the one thing
her father never did: capture WWE gold.
Flag
49. Sarita
One of the most talented
women on any roster in the United States, Sarita has seen her television time
in TNA become non-existent as of late.
The veteran of the Lucha Libre style may need to return to
Mexico if she has any hope of having a productive conclusion to 2012.
48. Jillian Hall
At one time, Jillian was
WWE’s resident “Pop Princess,” a delusional songstress whose talents were not
quite as strong as she thought. That did not her from ranking on the iTunes
charts for a Christmas album released a few years back.
Now competing in the independents, Jillian remains a relevant
performer.
47. Christina Von
Eerie
After a brief, brief,
stint with TNA, the punk-inspired Von Eerie returned to the independent
circuit. Today, she can be seen competing for the new Shine promotion, as well
as the cult-favorite SHIMMER.
She is currently engaged to former TNA wrestler Jesse Neal.
46. Portia Perez
This Canadian is a favorite
performer in the SHIMMER promotion. A member of the Canadian NINJAS tag team
with fellow countrywoman Nicole Matthews, Portia has proven to be one of the
top female tag team competitors in the world.
She
has also proven to be really damn adorable, too, for those keeping track.
45. Vickie Guerrero
WWE’s resident “cougar” has
done more to get herself in shape and become one of the sport's most
recognizable women than any other on this list.
One of the most hated performers in the sport, she has worked alongside
some of the business’ most decorated and prolific stars and has far exceeded
any expectations anyone could have set for her.
44. Charlotte
The
daughter of the legendary, two-time Hall of Fame inductee “Nature Boy” Ric
Flair, Ashley Flair recently reported to Florida Championship Wrestling to
begin training for an in-ring career, the latest of the Flair children to
attempt to follow in their father’s footsteps.
Only time will
tell if this beautiful blond, now known as Charlotte, can live up to the legacy
set by one of the all-time great professional wrestlers.
Flag
43. Becky Bayless
The former “Cookie” in TNA,
Becky Bayless has the unique ability to attract your attention with her looks,
and then drive you crazy with her constant yelling and distracting of the
referee.
Always willing to do whatever it takes to ensure victory for her
man, Becky is a top manager on the independent scene.
42. Nicole Matthews
The second-half of the
Canadian NINJAS tag team, Nicole has been a mainstay with the SHIMMER promotion
since 2006.
At the DVD tapings for SHIMMER Vol. 28, she scored a major
singles win over Alison Danger and on March 17, 2012, she unsuccessfully
challenged Cheerleader Melissa for the SHIMMER championship.
On July 7, she teamed with Portia Perez to win the SHIMMER tag
titles for a second time.
41. Cheerleader
Melissa
Known to most wrestling
fans as Raisha Saeed during her days with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling,
Melissa has become one of the most recognizable and most decorated women’s
wrestlers in the world.
A highly skilled competitor, Melissa captured the prestigious
SHIMMER championship, defeating Madison Eagles on Oct. 2, 2011.
40. Lilian Garcia
A long-time ring announcer
for World Wrestling Entertainment, Lilian recently made her return to the
company after a two-year hiatus. A skilled singer, Lilian is as known for her
renditions of the national anthem as she is her ring announcing.
Recently,
she has released her second EP, My Time, available now
on iTunes and Amazon.
39. Brooke Hogan
The daughter of the
legendary Hulk Hogan,
Brooke has earned her share of criticism for her role as authority figure over
the Knockouts division.
Regardless, she has been far better than most thought she would
be and does not feel out of place in front of the camera. Only time will tell
what kind of impact (pun intended) she has on TNA in the future.
Brother.
38. Winter
Like the previously mentioned Sarita,
Winter has seen her television time dramatically reduced since Bruce Prichard
took over as the creative head of Impact Wrestling.
Before that, she was a dominant Knockout, capturing the
Knockouts title and serving as the division’s top villain.
While the future is murky for the British beauty in Impact
Wrestling, there is little doubt that she will continue to make her presence
felt across the globe.
37. Tara
A multiple-time WWE Women’s and TNA
Knockouts Champion, Tara has the resume of a Hall of Famer.
With
WWE, she developed into one of the best in-ring workers in North America. In
TNA, she has helped develop the constantly growing division.
Now
revving up for a program with current Knockouts champion, and real-life best
friend Brooke Tessmacher, Tara figures to continue to be one of the top female
performers in the sport.
36. Summer Rae
A former member of the
Lingerie Football League, playing for the Chicago franchise, Summer Rae has
made a name for herself in her short stint with Florida Championship Wrestling.
She has been the general manager of the developmental territory
and has recently begun her in-ring career.
No one can know for certain what impact she will have on WWE
television, if any, but Vince McMahon loves blondes and that bodes well for
Summer’s chances.
35. Taeler Hendrix
The first and only woman to
compete in TNA’s Gut Check competition, Taeler Hendrix elevated herself from
indie talent to a member of the second largest professional wrestling company
in North America overnight.
With recent departures seemingly opening up space in the
Knockouts division for new talent, it will only be a matter of time for the
Massachusetts native.
34. Paige
Known to fans in the United Kingdom as
Britani Knight, this 20-year-old second-generation competitor signed a WWE
developmental contract in 2011 and debuted with Florida Championship Wrestling
shortly thereafter.
One of the more experienced women on the developmental roster,
her fans’ expectations are high.
33. Madison Rayne
The self-proclaimed “queen”
of the TNA Knockouts division now ranks as one of the longest-tenured women in
the company.
A
multiple-time Knockouts champion, Madison has recently been featured in an
on-air relationship with referee Earl Hebner.
With
a lack of heel Knockouts on the roster, another program for the title may be in
the very near future.
32. Aksana
The Lithuanian beauty debuted on WWE
television as a part of NXT: Season 3 and was featured in a major storyline
that featured her marrying Goldust in order to stay in the United States.
Since then, she has cunningly manipulated Teddy Long and aligned
herself with the current US Champion Antonio Cesaro.
Now, with Santino Marella’s “cobra” trained on her, Aksana looks
to play a major role in the battle over the US title.
31. Leva Bates
Leva Bates is every fan
boy’s favorite female wrestler and for good reason. A self-proclaimed geek and
regular performer with the SHIMMER promotion, Leva graduated from the Team 3D
wrestling school.
Since then, she has appeared for numerous independent promotions
across the country and, most recently, was a part of the debut card for
Daffney’s Shine company.
30. Shelly Martinez
While many remember Shelly as “Ariel,”
the vampire manager of Kevin Thorn during the early days of the ECW reboot but
few realize just how long the Chino, Calif., native has been around the business.
Debuting in 2002, she has appeared in the two biggest companies
in pro wrestling and has made a name for herself in independent organizations
from one coast to the other.
Concentrating on more on outside projects since leaving TNA,
Shelly has proven herself to be a multi-talented individual.
29. Daffney
For nearly 13 years,
Daffney has brought uniqueness to women’s wrestling that was missing before she
exploded onto televisions across the world with one high-pitched scream in
World Championship Wrestling.
Citing Batman
villain Harley Quinn as the inspiration for her character, Daffney has
unleashed her unstable and ever-so-slightly character on the wrestling world
and gained a tremendous cult following as a result.
As a member of the TNA Knockouts division, Daffney reached her
largest audience since the days in WCW. Recently, she started her own women’s
wrestling promotion, Shine.
28. Jessie McKay
Australian Jessie
McKay has quickly become one of the more popular competitors in the SHIMMER
promotion. She is skilled in a number of different wrestling styles, including
technical and high-flying.
A tour of the United States in 2008 introduced her to an
entirely new fanbase, but Jessie continues to work in her homeland.
27. Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn was thrust onto WWE
television as a part of NXT: Season 3 as a replacement for another talent and
made the most of her opportunity, winning the competition and earning a spot on
the main roster, despite having little to no pro wrestling experience before appearing
on the show.
Kaitlyn has learned on the go over the last year and a half,
always improving and evolving. Her personality has gained her a strong
following of Internet fans and recently, she was awarded a Divas title match,
which she will receive at September’s Night of Champions PPV.
26. Natalya
Perhaps the most gifted
in-ring worker on today’s roster of WWE Divas, Natalya is a third-generation
performer, the daughter of Jim “the Anvil” Neidhart and granddaughter of the
late Stu Hart.
A
former Divas Champion, Natalya has found it difficult to break through and
stand out in the muddled mess that is the current Divas division. She remains a
favorite among Internet wrestling fans.
25. Taryn Terrell
Last seen as Tiffany in
WWE, this beautiful blonde recently made her debut on Impact Wrestling, serving
as a special referee for the Knockouts division.
With experience on the microphone and in backstage segments from
her days as the general manager of the rebooted ECW brand, Taryn has the
ability to move outside of the ring and contribute in other facets of the TNA
television product.
24. Alicia Fox
A member of WWE’s main
roster for four years now, Alicia has held the Divas Championship and has
proven to be one of the more athletic women on the roster.
Recently, television time has been few and far between for the
Florida native but Alicia has served as a tremendous spokeswoman for World
Wrestling Entertainment and its interests, such as the Be A Star anti-bullying
campaign.
23. Cameron
Infamous for her appearance on WWE Tough Enough
and the revelation of her favorite match of all-time (Alicia Fox vs. Melina,
for those that missed it), the Funkadactyl managed to make it to WWE’s main
roster and now fills the role of dancer for the Funkasaurus himself, Brodus
Clay.
22. Audrey Marie
One of WWE’s top
developmental Divas, Audrey has already captured the FCW Divas Championship and
has steadily improved her in-ring work since debuting.
Channeling the Mickie
James “country girl”
character, this Houston native has recently feuded with Raquel Diaz.
21. Veda Scott
Known to Ring of Honor fans
as the beautiful backstage announcer for ROH TV, Veda Scott trained for in-ring
competition under SHIMMER and ROH standout Daizee Haze.
While she has yet to make her mark between the ropes for the
third-largest company in North American wrestling, expect big things from this
lifelong wrestling fan in the future.
20. Raquel Diaz
The
daughter of Vickie and Eddie Guerrero, Raquel Diaz is the most promising developmental
Diva in FCW/NXT wrestling. She makes up for her lack of in-ring experience
by understanding the performance aspect of sports entertainment.
A
former FCW Divas Champion and Queen of FCW, she has accomplished all that there
is to accomplish in the developmental territory.
While
it remains to be seen what level of success she will have on the big stage of
WWE, this third-generation Guerrero certainly has the pedigree to succeed.
19. SoCal Val
Does anyone know what SoCal Val does with TNA? Does anyone care?
One of the longest-tenured employees of the No. 2 promotion in
sports-entertainment, SoCal Val has long been one of the hottest women in the
sport.
A former manager on the independent scene, Val now works as a
production assistant with the Dixie Carter-owned company.
18. Naomi
The runner-up in the NXT: Season 3 competition, Naomi appeared
set to debut on WWE television, her athleticism in the ring catching the eye of
the WWE fans.
A year-and-a-half passed before Naomi was again seen on WWE TV,
this time as one of Brodus Clay’s “Funkadactyls.”
Recently, this former model was applauded for a house-show match
against Natalya, where she filled in at the last minute for Kaitlyn. Hopefully,
Naomi will have a shot at competing between the ropes sometime soon.
17. Melina Perez
One of the most decorated Divas in WWE history, Melina has spent
the last year competing on the independent circuit, having a number of
memorable matches with former TNA Knockout Velvet Sky.
Known for her splits, her primal screams, and her ferocity
between the ropes, many expected Melina to land with TNA and bolster their
Knockouts division.
While that has not happened, it is not out of the realm of
possibility that the former Women’s Champion could find herself competing
alongside fellow former Divas Mickie James, Winter and Gail Kim.
16. The Garcia Twins
You
know them as Brie and Nikki, the Bella Twins, but earlier this year, the Garcia
twins left World Wrestling Entertainment, in need of a break from the hellish travel
demands.
Making
the rounds on the convention circuit, enjoying meeting and greeting their fans,
it is only a matter of time before the twins invade television screens across
the country once more, either with WWE or with one of the other major companies
in North America.
15. Mickie James
When “Hardcore Country” sounds throughout the Impact Zone,
Mickie James is ready to get down to business inside the squared circle.
A multiple time Women’s and Knockouts Champion, Mickie is one of
the last remaining women from the pre-model days of women’s professional
wrestling.
Now experiencing success in the music industry as well as the
pro wrestling business, Mickie has proven herself to be a woman of many
talents.
14. Angel Williams
The former Angelina Love, Williams recently departed Total
Nonstop Action Wrestling after five years with the company.
While with the company, she collected multiple Knockouts titles
and was among the most popular women in the sport, especially when partnered
with Velvet Sky as the Beautiful People.
Now making her way across the country in various independent
companies and appearing at many conventions, it remains to be seen if Angel
Williams will ever get another shot on national TV again. For her fans’ sake, I
hope she does.
13. Beth Phoenix
The self-proclaimed “Glamazon,” Beth Phoenix has done everything
there is to do in WWE. She is a former Women’s and Divas Champion and has
beaten every major women’s star to come through the company during her stay.
While the Divas division is made up of former models, Beth has
brought a legitimacy to the company’s women’s wrestling and has the resume of a
future Hall of Famer.
Whether or not that happens, it will be difficult to argue the
impact Beth had on WWE and its less-than-spectacular Divas division.
12. Gail Kim
Gail Kim is, perhaps, the most talented female performer in
professional wrestling today.
With in-ring skills matched by few, Gail has proven that she can
be an effective babyface and heel and has succeeded at carrying the entire TNA
Knockouts division on two separate occasions.
While the idiots behind the scenes at WWE decided not to allow
her to find success in the Divas division, Dixie Carter’s company has always
maximized Gail’s talents and given her the opportunities she has earned.
11. Rosita
A former
Knockouts tag team champion, Rosita made an immediate impact by tagging with
Sarita and capturing gold. Since they lost the titles, however, Rosita has been
missing from TNA television.
Making only a
brief impact during the Eric Young-ODB marriage ceremony, she has instead
turned her attention to the independents, where she remains active and popular.
10. Rosa Mendes
This spicy Latina has seen her role on WWE television increase
over the last year, becoming the manager of the team of Primo and Epico. A
long-tenured Diva, she has been with the company since shortly after the 2006 Diva
Search.
Always around, despite not doing much on TV, one has to wonder
if Rosa has peaked as a performer with WWE.
9. AJ Lee
The current Raw General Manager, AJ paid her dues, climbing
through the ranks of the independent scene before signing a developmental deal
with WWE. From there, she finished third in the NXT competition. A call-up to
the main roster nearly a year later netted little result.
Then, she became Daniel Bryan’s girlfriend and her dependent,
unstable character took off. She became a breakout star in 2012’s WWE and soon
become one of the company’s most popular performers.
A promotion to the authority figure role on the sport’s No. 1
program shows the company’s commitment to AJ and is an indicator of great
things to come.
8. Brooke Tessmacher
A casualty of backstage politics in WWE, Brooke made an unlikely
ascent as a member of the Knockouts division in TNA, currently enjoying her
second reign with the division’s top prize.
Also an accomplished fitness model and Hooters girl, Brooke is
easily one of the hottest women in the sport, both in terms of her career’s
upward movement and her physical appearance.
The future looks bright for Brooke and fans of the Knockouts
division.
7. Layla El
The 2006 Diva Search winner, and current Divas Champion, has
worked hard to evolve as a performer throughout her six-year career.
Originally floating around as a dancer in the Extreme Expose
trio (which also included fellow Top 50 Hottest Women Kelly Kelly and Brooke
Tessmacher), Layla broke free of the mold and became one of wrestling’s top
heels, teaming with Michelle McCool in “LayCool,” a Mean Girls-esque duo that
propped themselves up by tearing others down.
After the dissolution of the group in 2011, Layla was sidelined
with a serious injury. Returning earlier this year, she has been better than
ever, the Divas Champion the entire time.
6. Kelly Kelly
Maxim cover
girl. A member of the 2012 Maxim Hot 100. The most popular woman
in wrestling, prior to the rise of AJ Lee. Divas Champion. Kelly Kelly has
accomplished a lot since debuting in 2006 as an “exhibitionist” during the
reboot of ECW.
One of the first model hires of John Laurinaitis, not much was
expected of the 19-year-old. Six years later, she is WWE’s most marketed Diva.
While she is currently taking a break from the road, Kelly remains one of the
business’ most visible females.
5. Maryse Ouellet
This French-Canadian is a former two-time Divas Champion and, at
one point, seemed destined to be the future breakout star of WWE’s Divas
division. A cocky, arrogant heel character, Maryse knew she was hot and had no
problem flaunting it.
By the time she won her first Divas title in 2008, she was also
a rapidly improving professional wrestler. Unfortunately, a knee injury put a
halt to her progression and when Maryse returned, she was never the same in the
ring as she was prior.
The role of valet and host of NXT did nothing to make her stand
out and in 2011, Maryse was granted her release from WWE.
4. Christy Hemme
The original Diva Search winner, Christy Hemme is the female
sports entertainer to sell the most copies of a Playboy magazine in which she was
featured on the cover. After unceremoniously being dismissed from WWE in 2005,
Christy became a member of the TNA roster.
A manager early, it appeared as though Christy had finally
broken out when she impressed in a few encounters with the massive Awesome
Kong.
A neck injury ended her in-ring career and Christy became a
backstage interviewer and ring announcer for Impact Wrestling, a role she holds
to this day.
3. Velvet Sky
The most popular woman in the history of Total Nonstop Action
wrestling, Velvet Sky debuted with the company in 2007 and remained there until
leaving a few months back.
Known for her crowd-pleasing ring entrance, including her
tendency to “let the pigeons loose,” Velvet carved out a very impressive career
for herself in the company, amassing Knockouts singles and tag team titles.
She also became a popular merchandise seller over the last year
and figures to remain a favorite of fans on the independent scene.
2. Eve Torres
The 2007 Diva Search winner has become one of the top
villainesses in the sport, a scheming assistant to Smackdown’s General Manager,
Booker T.
Originally one of the sweetest and most charming women in the
company, a heel turn in early 2012 instantly made her one of the most-hated characters
on the show.
A former two-time Divas Champion, Eve continues to look for new
ways to advance her career, once going as far as to align herself with John
Laurinaitis.
Now appearing on NBC’s Stars Earn Stripes, Eve remains one of the most media-friendly
Superstars in World Wrestling Entertainment.
1. Maria Kanellis
The self-proclaimed “First Lady of Ring of Honor,” this former
WWE Diva was one of the most popular during her days with the company.
A Playboy cover girl and inaugural Diva Search
competitor, Maria made her debut in the business in 2004 and remained a WWE
employee until 2010, when she was unceremoniously released from her contract.
Always bubbly and personable, she filled whatever role was given
to her, including that of a ditzy blond interviewer, despite being considered
fairly intelligent off-screen.
Now serving as valet for real-life boyfriend “The Prodigy” Mike
Bennett in Ring of Honor wrestling, Maria continues to entertain fans around
the world.
Src – BR (bleacherreport)
