In professional wrestling, the WWE Divas, the women, have always played second fiddle to the men. Over time, that is one thing that seems to have gotten even worse rather than improve. Women wrestlers today have come a long way, but they get even less airtime on flagship shows like WWE Raw than they did even 10 years ago. Because of this shortage of on-air opportunities, it is extremely difficult for a WWE Diva to hit the big-time. There are a small handful of women since WWE Raw came on the air that have transcended women’s wrestling. These women have become as popular and commercialized as many of the top male wrestlers.
Here are my five greatest WWE Divas of all time:
Trish Stratus – When you think of WWE divas, Stratus has to be one of the first women you think of. At the height of her popularity, she was getting pops that would rival even the hottest male wrestlers. Winning multiple titles throughout her time in WWE, Stratus had that perfect combination of beauty and in–ring ability. Wrestling fans love watch her for many different reasons.
Lita – Lita started out in the WWE as a member of Team Extreme. Backing up Matt and Jeff and putting herself in the ring with the men on occasion helped Lita to become a superstar in rapid fashion. Lita did things that no other woman’s wrestler would do and that made her stand out. Her feuds with Trish Stratus and countless others still stand the test of time.
Sable – Many people roll their eyes when you bring up Sable as a top WWE diva because of her imagined lack of wrestling skills. Sable was actually a decent wrestler towards the end and made incredible strides in that area. From the standpoint of beauty, sexual energy and bringing in male fans, Sable took a back seat to no one.
Sunny – This little lady was Sable before Sable. Sunny was the original and many would say the best. When I look back at old footage, it is interesting to note that she was doing things as a valet and entertainer that women still copy today. She was certainly before her time and an innovator for WWE divas of the future.
Mickie James – James is another WWE diva that gets shortchanged far too often. As far as competing in the ring and telling a great story, James tops the list for me. What I loved about James was her ability to get a crowd to their feet even when her opponent was subpar. All of these ladies have the ability to do that, but Mickie James did it consistently. Even at house shows, James would give 110%.
