10 Most Influential People In Women's Wrestling History

2. Finlay

The demise of World Championship Wrestling in 2001 left many of the company's competitors looking for work elsewhere. Dave Finlay, one of the legit tough guys in the industry, was one of them. Finding a job as a producer for WWE, he was put in charge of the company's Divas roster. Later admitting during a broadcast of the company's expose show known as "Confidential," the Irish-born competitor suspected it was some sort of rib by his peers backstage. Willing to take on the challenge, though, he set out to craft the best division possible. And he did just that. Finlay helped develop in-ring personalities for each of the women he worked with. Seeing Jazz as the female Mike Tyson of the division, he worked on crafting a skill set for her that played up her character. Trish Stratus, the star of the roster, was given a more fan-friendly and dynamic move set. It worked. Fans could recognize each worker based on the styles they used between the ropes. With a variety of personalities, and the input from someone that had accomplished so much over the course of his career, the Divas thrived for the first time. Stratus, Jazz, Victoria, Molly Holly, Jacqueline and Ivory were just a few of the tremendous workers who saw their skills enhanced under the learning tree of Finlay. His contributions helped develop a division of WWE that, while not always up to the par of the generation that came before it, remained a major part of the company over the next 15 years. Today's Divas making history in both NXT and WWE can attribute their success and opportunities to Finlay, who ensured that the women under his charge would forever change perceptions within the sports entertainment empire in regards to a woman's worth in the industry.