20 Best Women's Wrestlers In The World Today
Diving deep into a rapidly expanding talent pool.
Women's wrestling has never been hotter than it is in 2017.
Its artistic peak came during the Japanese joshi boom in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the likes of Manami Toyota and co. were producing five-star bouts with frightening regularity - but the scene has never enjoyed as much global exposure as it does today. Once considered a neglected niche, women's wrestling still has a long way to go (particularly in WWE, where the "Revolution" has stalled), but it has unquestionably come a long way.
The talent pool is deeper than ever, too. WWE's Four Horsewomen are partly responsible for the boom, but the Performance Center isn't short of hot prospects, and the Mae Young Classic was stuffed with great performers. Japanese promotions like Stardom are doing their part too, and the indies are as efficient as ever in churning out new talent.
WWE love claiming credit for the boom, but the company only shifted focus when the wave became too strong to ignore. It's the wrestlers themselves, not Stephanie McMahon, who are responsible for this upturn, particularly those at the top of the pile, whose athleticism, skill, and sho(wo)manship have shattered every barrier placed before them.
20. Alexa Bliss
Alexa Bliss is one of the most consistent performers in WWE today, but her skillset is still relatively lopsided. She’s dynamite on the microphone, and her character work is second to none in Raw’s Women’s division, but she’s still far from elite between the ropes, which prevents a higher ranking.
It’s not that she’s bad, but Bliss is a clear step or two behind the likes of Sasha Banks. She has improved immensely, and her bouts tend to fall somewhere between ‘decent’ and ‘good,’ but Alexa isn’t the finished article yet, and it’ll be some time before she puts it all together.
That being said, when her ring work does eventually catch up with the rest of her skills, we’ll be looking at one of the most complete women’s wrestlers of all time. Her promos, mannerisms, and general acting skills are all top notch. She’s one of the most compelling personalities in the company, and she’s streets ahead of even Banks and Bayley in this department. Asuka’s imminent arrival poses a serious threat to her place atop Raw’s character mountain, but for now, Bliss is a standout.