The 2010s marked a pivotal moment in the development of women’s wrestling. Rather than showcasing female wrestlers in a marginalized role as they had in the 2000s, wrestling promotions began to bill their female competitors as legitimate athletes instead of scantily-clad supermodels.

As a result, fans began to view female-centric wrestling with renewed appreciation, giving rise to numerous 2010s female wrestlers whose popularity rivaled their male counterparts in WWE, Impact, and NXT. Get to know them here.

Becky Lynch

A woman doesn’t earn the nickname “The Man” without good reason. Demonstrating consistent resilience, toughness, and an undying drive to win, Becky Lynch experienced one of the most inspirational professional rises in WWE history.

Overcoming constant injuries in the 2000s, Lynch became a formidable member of the NXT 2010s female wrestlers roster, eventually earning the respect of the crowd through her ascension to primetime television. Never one to back down from a match, Lynch’s successful track record made her a superstar on par with her male colleagues, matching the avid acclaim of Seth Rollins or Roman Reigns.

Charlotte

As the daughter of “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, it seemed safe to assume that Charlotte Flair might enjoy an extraordinary career at some point or another. Debuting to NXT in 2012, Charlotte drew on her father’s theatrical persona to some degree in her character.

Yet even then, the Queen managed to forge her own respected reputation in WWE throughout the remainder of the decade, becoming one of the first breakout 2010s female wrestlers from NXT.

Alexa Bliss

Like all the best wrestlers, Alexa Bliss has shown herself capable of adapting to any on-screen role imaginable, from a charismatic host to a Harley Quinn-esque female competitor.

Appearing first in NXT before transitioning to WWE’s main roster, Bliss’s astounding character work made her an instantaneous sensation among mainstream viewers, leading to her lengthy reigns as SmackDown and Raw Women’s Champion.

AJ Lee

In the grand scheme of things, without AJ Lee, one can wonder if WWE might ever have treated 2010s female wrestlers with the same distinction as their male counterparts. Rising to new heights in the early 2010s, AJ Lee won over fans with her impressive promo skills, figuring into prominent storylines opposite Daniel Bryan and CM Punk.

An impressive enough wrestler in her own right, Lee’s unstable character work won instant praise from viewers, helping her become a modern icon in the process.

Sasha Banks

Yet another future star-in-the-making to exit out of NXT, WWE had already established Sasha Banks as a genuine force upon her main roster debut in 2015. Strutting around with her vivid ring gear and dubbing herself “The Boss,” Banks’ larger-than-life personality outshined even the most skilled performers in NXT.

Excelling in her flamboyant character work, Banks became one of WWE’s premiere female athletes for close to a decade, even if her tenure with the company ended on less than amicable circumstances in 2022.

Bayley

Few wrestlers have proven themselves capable of undergoing one innovative transformation after another quite like Bayley. Whether dancing along to her inflatable Bayley Buddies or portraying a darker character, Bayley’s dedicated commitment to each and every one of her gimmicks defines her exquisite in-ring career.

A fantastic wrestler on NXT and upon her main roster debut in 2016, Bayley only continues to grow better and more inventive with each new year.

Paige

The stylistic successor to AJ Lee, Paige ranked as the most exciting female competitor in WWE, if only for a short time. Rising through the ranks of NXT, Paige made waves on WWE’s main roster, displaying her prodigious skills in the ring on a week-in, week-out basis.

Though her career came to a temporary halt after several serious neck injuries, Paige’s tenure in WWE no doubt played a part in the promotion shifting towards a more athletic brand of women’s wrestling in lieu of superficial Divas matches.

Asuka

A pre-established star in Japan by the time she signed with WWE in 2015, Asuka’s run in WWE has fluctuated over the years, alternating between momentous highs and more underwhelming lows.

At her very best, though, WWE has treated Asuka with the respect the Empress of Tomorrow deserves, as evidenced by her two-and-a-half-year long undefeated streak and her record-breaking reign as NXT Women’s Champion.

Nikki Bella

In the 2000s and early 2010s, the Bella Twins appeared as little more than average midcard wrestlers in WWE’s Divas division, best known for their novelty “Twin Magic” routine that saw one twin switch places with the other mid-match. In 2014, however, Nikki Bella broke out as a respectable singles competitor in her own right, leading to her record-breaking reign as Divas Champion.

Taking the time to improve her wrestling abilities, Nikki helped lay the groundwork for the Women’s Revolution of the mid-2010s, gauging audiences’ interest in female-oriented wrestling at a pivotal moment in sports entertainment.

Ronda Rousey

Departing the UFC for WWE in 2018, Ronda Rousey used her extensive experience in mixed martial arts to forge an indelible place for herself on the WWE women’s roster. Taking advantage of her critical popularity in the UFC ring, WWE also booked her as a legitimate athlete rather than a mere theatrical wrestler.

Known for her vicious technical offense, one might describe her as the female equivalent to Brock Lesnar or “Rowdy” Roddy Piper–two competitors Rousey took plenty of inspiration from.

Io Shirai

One of the most accomplished female wrestlers in the world, Io Shirai (AKA Iyo Sky) makes a habit out of defying the laws of gravity. Utilizing a rapid, high-flying wrestling style, Shirai could leap off the ropes with the ease of Will Ospreay or Rey Mysterio (the latter she cites as her foremost influence).

Competing the world over, Shirai has enjoyed decorated tenures in Japan, Mexico, and WWE, feuding with every major star in NXT (Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Toni Storm, etc.)

Gail Kim

With WWE failing to utilize her talents in the late 2000s, TNA legend Gail Kim made the wise decision to return to her roots in Impact Wrestling near the start of the decade.

Making her way back to the company in 2011, Kim reasserted her place as one of the promotion’s best female athletes, winning the Knockouts Championship six more times until her semi-retirement at the end of the 2010s.

Shayna Baszler

Like her close friend Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler departed from a successful career in UFC for a chance to make it big as a WWE superstar in the middle of the 2010s.

Drawing on her foundational MMA moveset, Baszler became a formidable opponent in the ring, decimating her rivals with her raw offense and remarkable technical maneuvers.

Mickie James

A wrestler destined to one day enter the WWE Hall of Fame, Mickie James has accomplished everything one could ever hope to achieve in the wrestling industry. One of the foremost stars of WWE’s Ruthless Aggression Era in the 2000s, James eventually embarked on a successful stint in TNA and GFW before returning to WWE in 2016.

An enjoyable talent in whatever company she appears in, James has the rare ability to elevate any rival she appears alongside, as seen from her immaculate feuds with Madison Rayne, Tara, and Alexa Bliss, among others.

Jordynne Grace

The breakout female star in TNA’s Knockout Division right now, Jordynne Grace seemed to have a bright future ahead of her the moment she debuted in 2009. Working across various independent promotions, Grace drew on her more unique physical appearance as her greatest in-ring asset, priding herself on her raw strength.

Climbing through the ranks of Impact Wrestling, the Juggernaut seems able to out-wrestle any one of her competitors–whether they’re male or female.

Taya Valkyrie

One of the most underrated female wrestlers in recent memory, Taya Valkyrie has shown herself capable of hanging with the most accomplished competitors imaginable.

Earning renown for her appearances in AAA, Impact Wrestling, and Lucha Underground, Valkyrie never backed down from a fight, facing down everyone from Tessa Blanchard to Brian Cage in the ring.

Rhea Ripley

Yet another female competitor whose popularity has only improved since the advent of the 2020s, Rhea Ripley first entered WWE as a background player in the 2017 Mae Young Classic.

Though she didn’t advance very far in the tournament, Ripley managed to eke out a formidable place for herself on NXT’s roster in the months that followed, rounding out the decade as a future star destined for great things in WWE.

Angelina Love

One of the prototypical TNA Knockouts, Angelina Love maintained her elite position as one of the promotion’s most talented in-ring competitors from the 2000s into the 2010s. Returning to TNA at the start of the decade, Love found herself the center of numerous enticing storylines, including her feud/reunion with The Beautiful People, her enigmatic partnership with Winter, and her role in the breakup of The Wolves.

Like all the best wrestlers, Love dedicates herself to each and every role she finds herself in, regardless of how much time seems to pass.

Toni Storm

More so than most of her contemporaries, Toni Storm has gone on to achieve widespread acclaim for her recent run in AEW, thanks in large part to ham-fisted character work under the “Timeless” Toni Storm gimmick.

Even in the 2010s, however, Storm demonstrated keen ability in the ring, alternating between various gimmicks while also showing off a more grizzled offensive moveset.

Deonna Purrazzo

Like her close friend/recurring rival Toni Storm, Deonna Purrazzo only seems to get better with time, as evidenced by her more recent tenure in Impact Wrestling and AEW.

Yet even in the late 2010s, the Virtuosa demonstrated unrivaled prowess when it came to her technical wrestling abilities, despite WWE never giving her a fair chance on mainstream television.