The Top 50 WWE Divas of All Time

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There have been hundreds of women who have starred on WWE programming over the past 30 years.

We've seen evil managers, sexy valets, brave backstage interviewers and amazing wrestlers.

In the late '90s, they were no longer known simply as women, they became "divas." They had their own division, titles and storylines. Every fan seemed to have their favorite.

Even though the term "diva" is fairly new for WWE, the contribution of women to the company goes back much further.

This list takes a look at the greatest women wrestlers and personalities in WWE since the beginning of the WrestleMania era.

This is only for a woman's contribution solely to the WWF/E. So keep in mind, some women featured here may not be ranked as high as they would be on an all-time greatest list.

The criteria for the ranking is based on a mixture of how management pushed them, their importance to the company, their popularity and their in-ring abilities.

With E!'s Total Divas under way, let's take a look back at the ladies who paved the way.

Here is the top 50 of the most beautiful, breathtaking and butt-kicking women in WWE history.


No. 50: Ashley Massaro



WWE seemed to have big things in mind for Ashley Massaro before she gave up on the sport.

After winning the Diva Search contest, she joined the roster as a babyface. During her time, she managed Kendrik and London and faced off against the likes of Torrie Wilson and Mickie James.

Soon, Massaro was pushed as one of the top women in the company. She also reached out beyond the wrestling world as she posed for the cover of Playboy and became a cast member on Survivor.

Massaro's biggest match during her tenure in WWE was her shot at the Women's Championship at WrestleMania XXIII against Melina.

In 2008, a strange story emerged of Massaro involving an escort service scandal. Two months later she was released. The official story was that her daughter was sick, but whatever the real reason was, she has yet to ever return.

WWE Active Years: 2005-08
No. 49: Nidia



Working her way up from Tough Enough, Nidia enjoyed a brief run in the WWE as a fun mid-card character.

She debuted on SmackDown with her on-screen boyfriend Jamie Noble. The two were a solid act, and she soon began to feud with the classier Torrie Wilson. Nidia was solidly entertaining in her trailer trash heel role and was a great foil for Wilson.

Her storybook relationship with Noble didn’t last long after she was “blinded” by Tajiri’s mist. Noble used this to his advantage and would use Nidia to shield himself from the attacks of his opponents.

She took on her ex-boyfriend Noble in a blindfold match at No Way Out 2004, which Nidia lost. A jump to Raw was the beginning of the end of her WWE career, as she was released a few months later.

Her abrupt departure is a bit of a mystery, as she was pretty decent in the ring and one of the best characters in the division.

WWE Active Years: 2002-04


No. 48: Bull Nakano



Bull Nakano was not your typical WWE Diva. She was big, bad and a just a bit scary.

Nakano had two runs in the WWF, neither one lasting long enough.

In the mid '90s, during her second run, Nakano had a more prominent position in the company when she engaged in a feud with Alundra Blayze.

Check out her work with Blayze at SummerSlam 94 for a hard-hitting divas match the likes of which we  don't see anymore. She tossed the athletic Blayze around as if she were a rag doll.

While she came up short at this event, she eventually won the belt and held it for more than five months before dropping it back to Blayze.

Unfortunately, Nakano's second stay in the company was shortened because she was fired after she was found in possession of cocaine.

WWE Active Years: 1986, 1994-95

No. 47: Tori



Very few wrestlers can claim to have been a part of the legendary D-Generation X, but Tori can.

Tori was quickly thrown into the spotlight when she battled her former idol Sable at WrestleMania XV. Though Tori's character was a stalker when she debuted, she ended up as the babyface in the feud.

Things got even better for her as a character when she started dating the monster Kane.

The two started out as a surprisingly endearing couple until Tori grew increasingly paranoid and had Kane attack anyone who looked at her the wrong way.

In the ultimate act of betrayal, she broke up with The Big Red Machine to date his old friend-turned-nemesis X-Pac.

Tori continued as X-Pac's valet in DX until she suffered an injury and was sidelined for months. She was used sparingly upon her return but found a gig as a trainer on Tough Enough before her release.

WWE Active Years: 1998-01

No. 46: Maria Kanellis



Maria was ditzy, perky and a lot of fun.

Though she placed fifth in the Diva Search contest, Maria was still hired by WWE.

She started out as a backstage interviewer who had no clue what she was doing. She portrayed an airhead who would often mix up her words for comedic effect. The act caught on enough that she eventually worked her way into an in-ring role.

Maria began dating Santino in an entertaining pairing that saw her remain a face. She later moved to on-air relationships with Dolph Ziggler and Matt Hardy.

Even though she was popular, Maria was released in 2010 without much fanfare. However, she's recently talked about WWE reaching out to her for another possible run.

Let's hope it happens, as the division could use her.

WWE Active Years: 2004-10

Accolades:

Slammy Award Diva of the Year (2009)


No. 45: Jillian Hall



Jillian could have been more than just a comedy character, but she made the most of it.

Initially, Jillian joined up with JBL in his Cabinet stable. Something stood out though: a gigantic, disgusting and fake-looking mole on her face.

Vince McMahon was already a few years behind on the Austin Powers joke of a character accidentally talking about a someone else's mole. But the company went ahead with it anyway and revolved an entire gimmick around it.

Mercifully, it was “removed” by The Boogeyman when he bit it off her face.

Later, Jillian became a singer. She wasn’t good, but that was also the joke.

She sang often, loud and obnoxiously. It was good heat for a while but eventually it wore out its welcome. Once that gimmick ran its course, she was released.

You have to give Jillian credit for being able to stick around as long as she did after suffering through multiple lousy acts.

WWE Active Years: 2005-10

No. 44: Leilani Kai



One half of the Glamour Girls, Leilani Kai was a mainstay of the WWF women’s division in the 1980s.

Kai entered the WWF under the tutelage of The Fabulous Moolah. Moolah helped Kai capture the Women's Championship from her nemesis Wendi Richter before Kai dropped it back to her at the first WrestleMania.

Later, Kai teamed up with Judy Martin to form the Glamour Girls and wreak havoc on the women’s tag division.

Kai also competed at the inaugural Survivor Series and Royal Rumble shows. After leaving the company in 1989, she briefly returned to duel Madusa at WrestleMania 10 in a losing effort.

WWE Active Years: 1984-89, 1994

No. 43: Bertha Faye


Bertha Faye may not look like your typical Diva, and that’s because she most certainly wasn’t.

Faye had a raw power that few other women could match and delivered a devastating sit-down powerbomb as her finisher. It would absolutely level her opponents.

But this was all in Japan, where she was a big draw.

She decided to bring her talent to the WWF. Once she debuted, though, she was stuck with a silly gimmick.

Instead of being pushed as a monster heel, which made her so popular overseas, the WWF made her a joke. She lived in a trailer park and dated the much smaller Harvey Wippleman. It was basically the lame humor that the WWE still loves.

According to Bret Hart, the WWF also took away her power moves because the men were using the same ones.

Faye still did make an impact in her debut when she took the Women’s Champion Alundra Blayze out of action with a vicious beatdown. She later took her title at SummerSlam.

After dropping the title back to Blayze, Faye left the company shortly after.

Sadly, Faye never showed up in the WWF again as she committed suicide in 2001.


No. 42: Gail Kim


While Gail Kim is probably TNA's greatest Knockout, she ended up with a pretty mediocre run as a Diva.

Things did start off great for Kim when she became the only wrestler to capture the Women’s Championship in her very first televised match.

WWE, though, wasn't too impressed with her title run. Her Matrix-inspired babyface gimmick was scrapped, and she was quickly turned heel.

Kim then aligned herself with Molly Holly to take on Trish Stratus and Lita.

While Kim was arguably the most athletic Diva in the division, she was prone to botch a few moves now and then. In 2004, WWE released her, and she signed on with TNA.

Kim turned her career around there and became the face of the company's Knockouts Division. Another run in the WWE seemed like an exciting prospect.

A couple years later she did return. With a series of vignettes hyping her arrival, it seemed that big things were in store for her.

They were not.

Kim toiled away with virtually no storylines (except a quick run as Daniel Bryan’s girlfriend) for her entire run. She even got herself fired on purpose when she eliminated herself from a battle royal.

Luckily for her, she went back to a better home in TNA.

WWE Active Years: 2002-04, 2008-11

No. 41: Judy Martin



Judy Martin was one of the greatest WWF Women’s Tag Team Champions ever.

Granted, only four teams ever held the title, but Martin did it twice!

Along with her partner Leilani Kai, the two formed The Glamour Girls. They held the belts for 906 consecutive days, which puts CM Punk’s WWE title run to shame.

Martin was also involved in more WWF history when she competed at the inaugural Survivor Series as a member of Sherri Martel’s team.

After losing the titles to the Jumping Bomb Angels, The Glamour Girls later recaptured the gold. They held onto them for another 251 days until the titles were unceremoniously abandoned in 1989.

The WWF then began to disassemble the entire women’s division, and Martin was released.

Martin was a staple of the women's division throughout the '80s and could always be counted on giving her babyface counterpart a hard time in the ring.

WWF Active Years: 1981–85, 1987-89

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No. 40: Natalya



A good case could be made for Natalya being the most miscast Diva of all time.

While incredibly talented, it’s doubtful that Natalya will be remembered for her Divas title reign by the end of her career.

Natalya is a part of the legendary Hart family and is the daughter of Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart. She debuted in the WWE alongside fellow Hart family members Tyson Kidd and DH Smith.

The group broke up prematurely, and Natalya moved on to a singles career. After feuding with LayCool, she captured the Divas title. Things were looking good for her.

It wasn’t very eventful, though, as she soon dropped the title and was moved out of the spotlight. Her next gimmick was regrettable, to say the least.

In backstage segments, we found out that Natalya farted. A lot. She apparently couldn’t control it. Mercifully, the childish gimmick was dropped within a couple months, but the damage was done. Her character still hasn’t recovered.

It's doubtful that Steve Austin himself could come back from that one.

Currently, she’s stuck with The Great Khali in an on-air romance destined to go nowhere. While Natalya had a lot of potential, it’s looking more likely that her entire run in WWE will be a lost opportunity.  

WWE Active Years: 2008-present

39: Velvet McIntyre



Velvet McIntyre wrestled without boots, but she just didn't need them to dominate in the ring.

During her time, McIntyre was possibly the most athletic woman on the roster and put most of the lumbering male giants who dominated the era to shame.

Along with Princess Victoria, she was the first to hold the Women's Tag Team Championship.

She also had a big match at WrestleMania 2 against The Fabulous Moolah, which saw her coming up short. She did eventually capture the gold against Moolah, only to drop it back to her again.

When the WWF scrapped the division in 1990, McIntyre disappeared, but not before enjoying a successful run in the company.

WWE Active Years: 1984-90

No. 38: Rockin' Robin



Rockin' Robin always had wrestling in her blood, as her father was Grizzly Smith, and her half-brother is the legendary Jake "The Snake" Roberts.

In her debut WWF match, Robin emerged victorious at Survivor Series 1987, when her team (led by The Fabulous Moolah) defeated Sherri Martel's team. Martel and Robin then faced off in a lengthy feud that saw Robin win the WWF Women's Championship from her.

Not only could Robin wrestle, but she also sang "America the Beautiful" to kick off WrestleMania V. But much like nearly every other woman wrestler in the WWF, Robin was let go in 1990 when the division was dissolved.

Upon her departure, she was the last wrestler to hold the Women's Championship.

WWE Active Years: 1987-90

No. 37: Kaitlyn



Watching Kaitlyn give AJ Lee a spear is a thing of beauty. Christian could learn a thing or two from it.

Kaitlyn is just getting started in her WWE career, but it's already off to a solid start.

Kaitlyn captured the Divas title from Eve Torres (which effectively retired her), and had a nice five-month run before dropping it to her old friend and former Chickbuster partner Lee.

Since then, Kaitlyn has taken a bit of a backseat in the Divas division (possibly due to her lack of involvement on Total Divas), but expect her to be one of the top faces of the division for the next few years.

WWE Active Years: 2011-present

No. 36: Dawn Marie


Poor Al Wilson. He had no idea what he was getting into when he married Dawn Marie.

Apparently, she’s so hot she can kill a man.

You have to give Marie credit for being able to switch up her character after leaving ECW. She was no longer a ditsy bimbo. She became a manipulative villain.

Her main target was WWE’s poster girl Torrie Wilson.

Marie was inexplicably attracted to Wilson’s father Al, which didn’t please Torrie at all. In a bizarre storyline, even by pro wrestling standards, she became Wilson's evil stepmother.  The two faced off in the first and only stepdaughter vs. stepmother match in company history.

The good times didn't last long for Marie as Al ended up "dying" on their honeymoon. It was terribly awesome television.

The rest of her run was largely forgettable as she briefly feuded with Miss Jackie over Charlie Haas. Really, once you have a catfight at your husband's "funeral" with his daughter, there's nowhere else to go.

In a final low blow by the WWE, they released Marie while she was on maternity leave.

WWE Active Years: 2002-05

No. 35: Candice Michelle



Whoever would have guessed that the Go Daddy Girl would become the future WWE Women’s Champion?

Michelle joined the company in 2005 as a “makeup artist,” then transitioned into the role of wrestler. Perhaps her most memorable role was as a member of the trio of Vince’s Devils alongside Torrie Wilson and Victoria.

At first, Michelle was a pretty terrible wrestler but actually grew to be a pretty decent one. She also grew into a good, overbearing heel persona.

Some wrestling historians consider Michelle a trailblazer. She competed in the first ever Playboy Pillow Fight at WrestleMania 22, the first ever Pudding Match at One Night Stand 2007 and, of course, the classic first ever Wet and Wild Match.

After having a few years with a pretty big push, she fell off the map. In 2009, Michelle was drafted to the SmackDown brand but never actually appeared on TV again.

Perhaps Michelle has opened the door for future commercial stars to cross over. How long will it be until we see Flo the Progressive Girl in the ring?

WWE Active Years: 2005-09

No. 34: Melina



Who could forget that scream?

If you watched Tough Enough, you may never have guessed that Melina would someday make the main roster. But she did, and for a while, she was the division’s most interesting character.

Melina made her WWE debut alongside Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury. The trio, known as MNM, were a constant target of the paparazzi. They were flashy and exciting to watch. She led them to multiple runs with the Tag Team Championships.

After MNM broke up, Melina began to break out on her own. She was surprisingly pretty good in the ring and delivered perfectly obnoxious promos. She became the division's top heel and feuded with the likes of Torrie Wilson and Ashley Massaro.

Behind the scenes, Melina was known to be a bit of a headache. This probably explains why later in her run she always lost.

WWE eventually gave up and parted ways with Melina. It’s too bad that the two sides just couldn’t have gotten along.

WWE Active Years: 2004-11


No. 33: The Bella Twins



OK, so technically the addition of The Bella Twins would make this the 51 Greatest Divas of All Time.

But WWE has never pushed the two as a singles act or given them individual personalities, so they're going in together.

In 2008, Brie Bella first debuted in the WWE. But something odd was happening. Every match she'd roll under the ring. She'd then emerge and Hulk up as if she hadn't been competing at all.

And she hadn't, as it was her sister Nikki who was taking her place.

Eventually her opponents figured this bit out. Somehow the referees still haven't, as they've been pulling that trick for more than five years.

Perhaps the twins are best known in the WWE for flirting with the guest celebrities on Raw, their brief title runs and their on-air relationship with Daniel Bryan (and in Brie's case, her off-air relationship with him).

The two left the company in 2012 but rejoined in 2013.

Besides the Bellas now dating two of WWE's top stars (Nikki is dating John Cena), they're promoted as the stars of E!'s Total Divas.

It's clear that someone in management is a big fan of Twin Magic.

WWE Active Years: 2008-12, 2013-present

No. 32: Maryse Ouellet



Currently engaged to The Miz (Really? Really?), Maryse was one in a long line of WWE Divas who quit well before she turned 30.

Maryse, who holds a black belt in martial arts, joined the company as many of the Divas did around her time: competing in swimsuit competitions, pillow fights and various other beauty contest nonsense.

She eventually turned to a more serious competitor and became the top heel in the division. Maryse captured the Divas Championship and ended up holding it for more than than seven months (a record).

One of her final roles in the company saw her manage Ted DiBiase Jr. It seemed like a great pairing, but WWE creative never got behind it. After briefly hosting NXT, she was done with the company and has yet to return.

Perhaps she should be most fondly remembered for making Santino Cobra himself in the throat.

WWE Active Years: 2007-11

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No. 31: Terri Runnels

Terri Runnels may have had one of the strangest careers a Diva has ever had.

She was introduced to the WWF audience as Marlena, the valet of Goldust. While they were married in real life, the two made an incredibly strange on-air pairing.

She was classy and beautiful. And Goldust was...well, Goldust.

But with a cigar in her mouth and a long gold dress, she helped complete “The Bizarre Ones” act.

Her other clientele as manager was a collection of one odd act after another: Meat, The Hardy Boyz, Raven and even Saturn when he was dating a mop were all under her tutelage.

In the ring, Terri was pretty bad. That didn’t keep WWF from using her quite often, though, usually in eye-candy matches.

Later she became a backstage interviewer, which kept her with the company for some more time.

In the end, she wasn’t exactly great at anything (manager, wrestler, interviewer), but she good enough in several areas to be popular for a few years.

WWE Active Years: 1996-04

No. 30: Jazz



You may want to think twice before facing off against a woman whose finisher is called “The Bitch Clamp.”

Chyna had just left the WWF, and the company needed a new dominant woman. Enter Jazz.

Jazz was immediately thrust into the main Divas program when she set off to feud with Trish Stratus. It took her a couple tries, but she was eventually able to capture the title from the division’s top star.

What separated Jazz from the rest of the Divas was her look and wrestling ability. Jazz looked like she was ready to fight and was a solid wrestler inside the ring. At Stratus' Hall of Fame ceremony speech she even thanked Jazz for helping out her career.

Jazz had her career highlight when she defeated Trish and Lita at WrestleMania 18 in a triple threat match.

The good times didn't last long. Unfortunately, Jazz became injured while she was the champion, and WWE had her drop the belt back to Stratus. She was sidelined for more than six months before returning to reignite their feud.

She appeared in one more WrestleMania match, in another triple threat. This time it was a losing effort. Under the managerial services of Teddy Long, Jazz captured the title once more before again having to drop the title due to injury.

WWE ran out of ideas for her and let her go. She briefly resurfaced in the ECW relaunch, but it’s probably just best to forget about that run.

WWE Active Years: 2001-04, 2006

No. 29: Layla El



Amazingly, right now Layla is the most tenured active female wrestler on the roster.

Cena, Kane, Undertaker, Triple H and Mark Henry have all been employed for more than a decade, but it’s not often that a female wrestler is able to stick around for very many years.

It’s a testament to Layla’s talent and her ability to reinvent herself.

She joined the company after winning the Divas Search Contest in 2006 and soon joined the sleazy Extreme Expose group on ECW.

It wasn’t until Layla joined LayCool that she found herself as a character. The duo dominated the Divas division for a couple years on SmackDown before McCool went off into retirement.

After an injury, Layla returned as a face. So far it’s been pretty lackluster, but don’t count out Layla finding herself yet again.

WWE Active Years: 2006-present

No. 28: Mae Young



Mae Young has mostly been played for comedy in her WWE years, but few acts in wrestling have discovered such an enduring role as the one she has found.

Young started wrestling in 1939 and actually trained The Fabulous Moolah!

Her WWE run though didn’t start until 1999, but it continues to this day.

Alongside Moolah, the two engaged in a feud against Women’s Champion Ivory. Young even helped her senior citizen friend win the gold from her.

Young hasn’t been afraid to get physical either. If doesn't matter if she's competing against women a third her age, being slammed through a table by the Dudleyz or even giving Eric Bischoff a Bronco Buster.

Perhaps most notoriously, Young took part in one of the strangest moments in the company’s history when she became pregnant from Mark Henry in her 70s and somehow gave birth to a hand.

Most fans are still trying to figure that one out. For now, let's also try not to think about her giving birth to Hornswoggle.

As long as Young is healthy enough, expect her to be a part of WWE TV for as long as she wants.

WWE Active Years: 1999-present (sporadic)

No. 27: Luna Vachon



Luna Vachon was the niece of Mad Dog Vachon, and she carried that same temperament to the ring.

Before she was brought into the WWF, she was actually working in a restaurant. She fell so far off the radar that it took the work of a detective to track her down.

Luna's WWF debut came at WrestleMania IX when she accompanied Shawn Michaels to the ring. After the match, she brawled with Michael's former manager Sherri Martel, which helped set the mood for the rest of her run.

She had another Mania moment at WrestleMania X when she teamed up with Bam Bam Bigelow. Together they defeated Doink the Clown and Dink.

Luna left the company for a few years and re-emerged to take on Sable at WrestleMania XIV. Luna, though, was under orders not to "hurt" Sable due to her upcoming Playboy shoot.

Luna later joined up with The Human Oddities for a short while, as well as briefly teaming with her real life husband Gangrel.

Despite never holding a title in the WWF, Luna will be remembered as one of the toughest and most colorful characters to ever step foot in a wrestling ring.

Sadly, Luna passed away in 2010 at the age of 48.

WWE Active Years: 1993-94, 1997-00

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No. 26: Jacqueline



In order for Sable to become as popular as she was, she needed a strong heel to feud with. Jacqueline was cast in that role.

After Marc Mero and Sable went their separate ways, Mero enlisted the services of the rough and tough Texan Jacqueline.

After her lengthy feud with Sable, she wasn’t featured as prominently on TV. She had a short run in PMS, but the less said about that group the better.

Eventually, she became a referee for a short time and was a trainer on the first season of Tough Enough.

Among her last memorable moments in WWE was capturing the Cruiserweight title from Chavo Guerrero during an open challenge. The reign was short-lived.  She dropped the title back to him in a match where he had one arm tied behind his back.

Maybe it’s best to forget about that last run and just remember her contributions to the Attitude Era.

WWE Active Years:  1998–04

No. 25: Ivory



Ivory may just have one of the great American success stories.

She started out as one of The Godfather’s "hos" and ended up a three-time Women’s Champion.

While she never reached the heights of her contemporaries Trish Stratus or Lita, she was cast as their evil counterpart.

The peak of her run may have been when she joined the Right to Censor and tried to reinstill lost morals upon the WWE audience. During this time, she took on the much more physically intimidating Chyna and lost to her at WrestleMania XVII.

Ivory then turned traitor and had a run with The Alliance before briefly turning face.

This run didn't quite work out well for her, but she did lend her talents as one of the trainers on the second season of Tough Enough. Ivory then took on hosting duties for WWE Experience before her contract ran out and wasn’t renewed.

Unlike some of the other Divas over the years, Ivory hasn’t even made a cameo with the company since her departure.

WWE Active Years: 1999-05

No. 24: Victoria



No one played a psycho better than Victoria did.

Just like Ivory, Victoria made her WWF debut as one of The Godfather’s "hos." Perhaps it wasn't such a bad business after all.

This was never mentioned on TV again when she was later reintroduced.

Victoria’s best time in the WWE was shortly after her return. She was a crazed woman who had it out for Trish Stratus. The two had a great feud that contained some of the company’s best women’s matches ever.

She was athletically gifted, had great offense and had a wicked-looking finisher.

But the later years were not so kind to Victoria.

Her babyface run was lousy. It was most notoriously remembered for her awful and awkward dance sequence during her ring intro.

Luckily that was soon scrapped, and she joined Vince’s Devils but was more of a jobber than an in-ring threat.

Had WWE pushed her the way it did upon her debut, she would have been much higher on the list.

WWE Active Years: 2002-09


No. 23: Molly Holly



Molly Holly was the ultimate trooper.

She was a superhero, was pantsed by Trish Stratus in front of millions of people multiple times and even had her head shaved at WrestleMania.

She was also really talented.

After playing Miss Madness in WCW, Nora Greenwald joined the WWF as Molly Holly, the cousin of Crash and Bob Holly.

Her perky personality was a great contrast to Crash’s goofball character and Bob’s constantly annoyed one.

The group didn't last long as The Invasion hit, and she defected to WCW to become Mighty Molly alongside The Hurricane. It was a popular pairing that showed how versatile Holly could be.

After that, she went back to being a singles act and was one of the most successful women in the division. She became a more serious, conservative woman who was the perfect foil for Stratus.

Holly was never the top star of the division, but she was a key supporting character for years. She was also a good hand in the ring and finished her matches with the cool-looking move The Molly Go-Round.

It’s too bad that she deprived fans out of years of enjoyment. Despite leaving the WWE eight years ago, Molly is still only 35 years old.

WWE Active Years: 2000-05

No. 22: Kelly Kelly



Despite debuting with a stripper gimmick at the age of 19, Kelly Kelly worked her way up to become the face of the Divas division.

Her placement so high on this list may cause controversy, but there's no doubt that WWE was enthralled with Kelly for a couple years.

It can’t be denied that Kelly was hired purely for her looks. She had absolutely no wrestling experience when she was brought in to be a part of the biggest wrestling company in the world. In fact, John Laurinaitis contacted her after only seeing photos of her modeling career.

Within two months of being in OVW she was promoted to the main roster. After a sleazy beginning in Extreme Expose, Kelly started to break out on her own.

During this time she began to pick up some wrestling moves and won over the fans.

Kelly competed at WrestleMania XXV and XXVI, but it was at WrestleMania XXVIII that she received the biggest spot on the card for a Diva. She teamed up with TV personality Maria Menounos and defeated Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres.

There was a solid stretch of time where Kelly was the top babyface in the company, and then she suddenly disappeared from TV. She briefly returned, only to go away again.

At the ripe old age of 25, Kelly was increasingly looking into outside ventures and was released from her contract.

WWE Active Years: 2006-12

No. 21: Lillian Garcia



While Lillian Garcia has only wrestled one match in her WWE career (against Howard Finkel in an evening gown vs. tuxedo match, which Finkel unfortunately lost), she has to be considered one of the greatest Divas in the company's history.

Besides doing a solid job with ring introductions, she also had a memorable storyline with Viscera during his World's Largest Lover Gimmick.

The big man had his sights set on Garcia, who was eventually wooed over by him. She even proposed marriage to him. It wasn't meant to be though, as Vis wanted to stay a bachelor.

With Garcia, though, it's all about the voice. It's been a part of WWE for so long that in some ways it's become iconic.

There are very few people in the entire company who have had the staying power that Garcia has and been at least a small part to so many big moments.

WWE Active Years: 1999-09, 2011-present

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No. 20: Michelle McCool



Michelle McCool didn’t win the inaugural Diva Search, but she ended up having a much better career than the winner.

After losing to Christy Hemme and finishing seventh place, the company signed her and sent her down to developmental.

When she re-emerged, she was a fitness trainer. This was a weird decision and didn't take off. Later she took on the role of a sexy schoolteacher. That gimmick worked better, but it wasn’t until she joined up with Layla to form LayCool that she really hit her stride.

Sure, the duo seemed like a knockoff of TNA’s Beautiful People, but they got over as their own version of a couple of mean girls.  

From 2009-11, the two were often the focal point of the division, and McCool captured the Women’s Title on multiple occasions.

McCool even became a pretty good wrestler during her run in the company and was named the No. 1 female pro wrestler in Pro Wrestling Illustrated for 2010.

McCool has called it a career (for now), and is raising her child at home with her husband The Undertaker.

WWE Active Years: 2004-11

No. 19: Debra McMichael



“Puppies!”

Was there any other way to start this entry?

After a run in WCW, Debra rose to prominence during the Attitude Era in the WWF as Jeff Jarrett’s manager. During his matches, she couldn't help but stand on the ring apron and unbutton her blouse.

This was very distracting for his opponents and for the male viewers alike.

Jarrett and she had a volatile relationship. Jeff was downright abusive at times. She stuck by his side though, and along with Owen Hart, the trio were a popular part of the midcard.

Even though McMichael was a heel, the fans loved her. Jerry Lawler, especially, took a shine and coined the “Puppies” phrase (which, for younger readers, referred to her breasts).

Fans across the country chanted “We want puppies” whenever she appeared in the arena. It remains one of the most defining chants of the time.

After Jarrett left for WCW, McMichael didn’t have much direction. She disappeared from TV for a while but returned by Steve Austin’s side after the two were married in real life.

During the Invasion days, she was mainly known for baking horrible cookies. When Austin left the company, she went along with him.

We haven’t seen McMichael in years, but fans will not soon forget her...or the puppies.

WWE Active Years: 1998-02

No. 18: Eve Torres



Eve Torres began as a backstage interviewer and worked her way up to the most valuable Diva in the company.

Her start was a slow one. She debuted at a time when the Divas were treated as nothing more than eye candy. It felt like every time she showed up it was to do an idiotic dancing or costume competition.

After a forgettable run as Cryme Tyme’s manager, she jumped to Raw. Things only became more embarrassing after aligning with Chris Masters and, most notoriously, with R-Truth in an awful dancing gimmick.

It's amazing that she overcame that one.

While Torres had won the Divas title, she didn’t really find herself as a character until her heel turn against on-air boyfriend Zack Ryder. She then became Assistant to the Executive Administrator of Raw, and through some hard work, became the Assistant General Manager.

Torres was great as a femme fatale who showed no remorse to the men she seduced for her own personal gains. Unfortunately, her next feud against Kaitlyn would be her last.

At the peak of her career, Torres wanted to focus on becoming a self-defense instructor and left the WWE at the age of 28.

WWE Active Years: 2008-13

No. 17: Beth Phoenix



Beautiful, dominant and destructive are good words to describe Beth Phoenix.

She originally debuted on TV as a friend of Trish Stratus. She was quickly injured, though, and didn’t return to the main roster for more than a year.

When she came back, she found her calling as a monster heel.

With her new moniker “The Glamazon,” Phoenix was on a course of destruction. She laid out smaller Divas like Mickie James and Candice Michelle and eventually gained the Women’s Championship.

Fans enjoyed her run as the dominant Women’s champion, but it didn’t last long. She was inexplicably paired with Santino in the lame pairing of “Glamarella." This unfortunate couple even included Santino throwing her out of a Divas Battle Royal at WrestleMania XXV.

Phoenix then turned face and feuded with LayCool for the better part of six months. She finally captured the title again off of Michelle McCool.

Another heel turn was in Phoenix’s future as she joined up with fellow badass diva Natalya. It seemed that WWE was going to get her back on track, but it wasn’t for long. WWE lost interest in the duo, and they were far from dominant.

Beth’s last year in the company was a bad one. She was basically reduced to the role of a jobber, even though most fans felt this was greatly unjust.

WWE Active Years: 2006-12

No. 16: AJ Lee



AJ Lee has only been with WWE for a couple years, but she’s already earned her spot as one of the greatest Divas in the company’s history.

Recall back to the show NXT. This was the where WWE threw up its hands, didn't care and hosted silly competitions for an hour.

Lee was a contestant on the third season of the show, and while she was eliminated, she became the biggest star to come out of it.

She joined the SmackDown roster alongside her friend Kaitlyn. The two became The Chickbusters and feuded with The Divas of Doom.

But it wasn’t until Lee started dating Daniel Bryan that her career caught fire. Bryan was a bit verbally abusive and aloof toward her, but she stuck by his side until she found CM Punk…and Kane.

A bizarre love story began where Lee couldn’t make up her mind on which man she wanted. She was playing every guy, and the fans loved it.

WWE stumbled with the character when they cast her as the General Manager of Raw. She was overly exposed and poorly booked.

Recently, she turned heel again, captured the Divas Championship and is reclaiming her former glory.

WWE Active Years: 2010–present

No. 15: Alundra Blayze



After three years of being dormant, the WWF decided to bring back the Women’s Championship.

The company decided to cast Alundra Blayze as the face of the division. It was a solid choice. Besides being easy on the eyes, Blayze was athletic and capable of putting on entertaining matches.

During her run, Blayze had her biggest rivalries against the physically intimidating Bull Nakano and Bertha Faye. Blayze was overpowered but engaged in exciting showdowns with the two. She ended up losing her title to both of them, only to later reclaim it.

Unfortunately, the WWF still wasn’t very serious about the women’s division, and Blayze was used sparingly. She ended up leaving the company after a couple of years.

In the most infamous moment of her career, after Blayze left the WWF she took the women’s title with her and dropped it in the trash can on a live episode of Nitro.

WWE Active Years: 1993-95

No. 14: Vickie Guerrero



If you don't think that Vickie Guerrero is one of the best Divas in company history, I got two words for ya:

"Excuse me?"

Guerrero may be one of the most surprising success stories in WWE history.

She had made a few appearances when her husband Eddie was alive, but after his passing, she became a featured TV character.

It was awkward.

It seemed that WWE had her on TV as more of a favor to her family than anything. Her babyface segments were often painful to watch. She was simply a terrible actress.

Somehow, she became a great character after she turned heel. She quickly grew more comfortable in the role and was getting more crowd heat than any other wrestler (male or female) on the entire roster.

By now, some may be tiring of her act, but there’s no denying how enduring it is.

Whether she’s running the show or by a wrestler’s side, she still draws an incredible crowd response. To see how far she’s come from a character perspective since her debut is truly amazing.

WWE Active Years: 2006-present

No. 13: The Fabulous Moolah



If you look at the history of professional wrestling, The Fabulous Moolah may be the greatest female wrestler of all time.

But even though this list focuses on the WrestleMania era, Moolah still undoubtedly deserves her spot.

Moolah was the very first WWF Women’s champion and competed at the first WrestleMania, even though she was more than 60 years old at the time!

After feuding with Wendi Richter, she again captured the WWF Women’s Title and held it for more than two years. (She also held the NWA Women’s Championship for 28 years.)

Moolah then mostly disappeared from the company for more than a decade before making a surprise return in 1999.

Along with her friend Mae Young, the two would often appear in comedic roles and sometimes (somehow) even wrestled.

Moolah became the oldest WWE champion ever when she won the Women’s Championship at the age of 76. Very few wrestlers can claim to have as successful and memorable of a career as she had.

A true legend of the sport, Moolah passed away in 2007.

WWE Active Years: 1983-87, 1998-07 (sporadic appearances)

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No. 12: Stephanie McMahon



The McMahons just have evil in their blood, and it can be pretty entertaining to watch.

We were first introduced to The Billion Dollar Princess during the Attitude era. At the time, Stephanie McMahon just seemed so nice and sweet. A girl you’d like to take home to the family.

We later found out she could be downright cruel.

McMahon soon became heavily featured in WWF storylines. Some of them were the most memorable angles of the era, like when she was kidnapped by the Ministry of Darkness and her engagement to Test.

Her on-air marriage with Triple H brought both characters to a whole new level. She was good at being bad.

Stephanie wasn’t afraid to get in the ring, either. She took on Trish Stratus, Lita and even her own father.

Later, she became the General Manager of SmackDown for an extended run when the two brands were actually competing. She also made out with Eric Bischoff in a story that was basically never mentioned again.

When McMahon became a mother, her appearances became few and far between. Currently she's back to full-time work on Raw, and with the company to someday be hers, expect her to pop up from time to time for years to come.

WWE Active Years: 1999-present (mostly sporadic after 2005)

No. 11: Stacy Keibler



Sure, Stacy Keibler was a terrible wrestler, but she helped make any act she was involved with more exciting.

Debuting in the WWF in 2001 as part of WCW, Keibler became the manager for The Dudley Boyz. It seemed like a terrible pairing, but it worked out well, and she was given the nickname of the “Duchess of Dudleyville."

After they turned on her, she began to wrestle more and engaged in feuds with Torrie Wilson and Trish Stratus. Poor Keibler, though, always came out on the losing side until she turned babyface.

Along the way, she had more strange relationships with Randy Orton, Vince McMahon, Test, Scott Steiner and The Hurricane.

Stacy later competed on Dancing with the Stars, and WWE completely failed to promote her participation. She soon left to pursue other adventures, quitting wrestling at the age of 28.

She never won the Women’s Championship, but she was still one of the most popular and sexiest Divas of all time.

Currently, she just ended her relationship with George Clooney and hosts Supermarket Superstar, so she doesn’t appear to miss the squared circle too much. As of now, she's perhaps the most successful female wrestler post-WWE.

You can imagine if WWE could bring back any Diva who has ever left the company to come back full time, it would be her.

WWE Active Years: 2001-06

No. 10: Mickie James



Initially, Trish Stratus and Mickie James were just a couple of pals.

Then things got creepy.

While James always seemed a bit excited over Stratus, we found out that she was downright obsessed.

She dressed up like Stratus in a “fulfill your fantasy" match at Taboo Tuesday and later confessed her love to her.

When Stratus rejected her advances, she turned on her idol, and the two faced off at WrestleMania XXII. The two battled a few months longer, trading the title back and forth. It’s often remembered as one of the most entertaining Divas feuds in the company’s history.

Due to James’ popularity with the crowds, she was later turned face and took on the likes of Jillian Hall and Maryse.

With Lita and Stratus leaving the company, though, it seemed that WWE was quickly losing interest in its Divas division.

Unfortunately, James was held back in favor of younger, thinner wrestlers like LayCool during her last year in the company. She had one of the worst exits a Diva has ever had, as WWE reduced her to taking part in the “Piggy James” storyline.

Had she not fallen out of favor with management, she had the potential to place in the top five greatest Divas.

WWE Active Years: 2005-10

No. 9: Torrie Wilson


Who would have predicted that Torrie Wilson would become one of the most successful WCW wrestlers to join the WWE?

Alongside her friend Stacy Keibler, the two were at the forefront of trying to take over WWE in 2001.

Later during The Invasion angle, Wilson turned face and became a fan favorite when she left WCW because of her boyfriend Tajiri. The fans immediately took a liking to her.

While never a great in-ring worker, Wilson almost always won her matches. At times, it felt like she was a female John Cena. She was one of the most visible and heavily-pushed women in the company.

Her feud with Dawn Marie may have been her most memorable one, as they fought over Marie’s relationship with Wilson’s dad.

Yes, it was absolutely ridiculous, but it was also ridiculously fun.

Wilson turned heel in 2005 and aligned herself with Victoria and Candice Michelle, but fans just didn’t seem to care that much about booing her.

In 2008, she was released from her contract.

While Wilson surprisingly never won the Women’s Championship, she can take solace in winning WWE’s coveted Golden Thong Award in 2002.

WWE Active Years: 2001-08

No. 8: Sunny



Often referred to as “the first Diva,” Sunny helped to pioneer a new kind of role for women in professional wrestling.

She could do it it all. She served as a manager, a valet, an occasional wrestler, an interviewer and a TV host for the WWF.

Originally joining the company as a manager of The Bodydonnas, she quickly overshadowed the men she was managing. The fans embraced her perky personality and her amazingly good looks.

After that, Sunny was added to a variety of other wrestlers whenever they needed a boost. She managed The Smoking Gunns, Farooq and The Legion of Doom during her time in the WWF.

Unfortunately, it fell apart too soon.

Due to accusations of drug use, she was let go right as the Attitude Era was kicking off. While she went on to have runs in ECW and WCW, she never had a steady job with WWE again.

Had she stayed clean, she could have had a great rivalry challenging Sable as the female face of the company.

WWF Active Years: 1995-98

No. 7: "Sensational" Sherri Martel



Sherri Martel will be remembered as one of the greatest managers of all time for some of the biggest names in the business.

Martel made quite the debut in the WWF when early on she defeated The Fabulous Moolah for the Women’s Championship.

She held on to the title for 15 months until dropping it to Rockin’ Robin.

When the WWF disbanded the women's division, nearly all of the talent was let go. Martel was retained and moved into a managerial position where she continued to excel.

Alongside Randy Savage, the two set off to feud with Hulk Hogan and Miss Elizabeth in the biggest story the WWF had going at the time. Martel more than held her own and was one of the company's best heels.

After parting with Savage, she lent her services to future Hall-of-Famers Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair (in WCW).

A year before her untimely death, she was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. It's doubtful we'll ever see another manager as crazy and entertaining as Martel was.

WWE Active Years: 1987-93

No. 6: Wendi Richter



"Is Wendi Richter more popular than Hulk Hogan?"

That is the question Pro Wrestling Illustrated posed on the cover of its magazine during her prime. Unfortunately, Richter was forced out of the business before it could ever be definitively answered.

It all started with the Fabulous Moolah's 28-year run with the WWF Women's Championship (which dated to the NWA Women's Championship). It took Richter 10 minutes to end that reign.

At The Brawl to End it All card that aired on MTV, a record number of viewers for the channel saw Richter, with Cyndi Lauper by her side, take the gold in the main event.

Richter's popularity soared, and she was one of the company's biggest stars before the “original screwjob” (which predated the Montreal version by more than a decade) went down.

At a house show in Madison Square Garden, Richter was pinned by the mysterious Spider Lady. This was not planned.

Vince McMahon had Fabulous Moolah don a mask and pin Richter to take the belt off of her.

Due to the betrayal, Richter never wrestled for the company again. It wasn't until 2010 when she finally appeared on WWE television again when she was inducted into their Hall of Fame.

It makes you wonder how successful she, and all of women's wrestling, could have been in the WWF without all those lost years.

WWE Active Years: 1983-85

No. 5: Chyna



Had Chyna's personal demons and backstage troubles not interfered with her career, she could have been the greatest Diva of them all.

Chyna joined the WWF in 1996 alongside her real-life boyfriend Triple H.

Together they helped form a group of renegade outlaws known as D-Generation X. She was a vital part of the group's rebellious counterculture and fit in perfectly.

Chyna showed that she was never afraid to get involved. She was tough, easily provoked and didn't think twice about dishing out a mean low blow.

Besides her successful run in DX, Chyna was involved in other memorable feuds with Chris Jericho and Jeff Jarrett. She also showed off her romantic side in an entertaining relationship with Eddie Guerrero.

Over the years, her physical appearance changed dramatically, but she remained consistently popular with fans. While in the WWF she released a best-selling autobiography and graced the cover of Playboy.

Her story was truly inspirational but had a sad ending.

After an affair between Stephanie McMahon and Triple H was revealed, Chyna was not long for the company. She left in 2001 and has never returned in any capacity.

WWF Active Years: 1996-01

No. 4: Sable



With the crack of a whip, you knew something good was about to happen.

Sable probably had the hottest run a Diva ever had in WWF, but it didn’t last long enough.

She originally joined the company alongside Hunter Hearst Helmsley in 1996. The two weren’t meant to be, and she offered her managerial services to her real-life husband Marc Mero.

Sable quickly eclipsed him in popularity and began drawing the best crowd reactions in the entire company, next to Steve Austin. The WWF turned this into an angle, and she feuded with her jealous husband Mero and his new valet Jacqueline.

The WWF and Sable didn't get along, though. She turned heel, which immensely hurt her popularity. She then left the company, alleging sexual harassment.

She tried to sue them for $110 million but was miraculously brought back in 2003.

Upon her return, she played the role of a cougar who preyed on the younger Torrie Wilson. And like most women on the roster at the time, she also was Vince McMahon’s mistress.

That run didn't last long, and Sable left to raise a family.

Now that she’s married to Brock Lesnar, is it possible that we’ll once again see a Sable Bomb?

WWE Active Years: 1996-98, 2003-04

No. 3: Miss Elizabeth



The "first lady" of professional wrestling, Miss Elizabeth was the object of desire for many men in the 1980s, as well as "The Macho Man" Randy Savage.

Elizabeth wasn't a wrestler. She didn't need to be. She didn't even have to cut promos. Her presence was enough to make her one of the most popular wrestling stars of her time.

Perhaps no other female performer in WWF history has been in as many memorable storylines as Elizabeth.

She was an integral part of the Mega Powers tag team with Hulk Hogan and Savage, and she was the source of the friction that tore them apart. Her eventual reunion with Savage was an emotional and lasting moment for the company.

Shortly after Savage left the WWF for WCW, Elizabeth joined him and never appeared on WWF TV again.

Tragically, Elizabeth passed away from a drug overdose in 2003 at the age of 42.

Though she and Savage have remained WWE's most iconic couple, neither has yet to be inducted into the company's hall of fame.

WWE Active Years: 1985-92

No. 2: Lita



Who would have guessed that Essa Rios’ valet would become one of the biggest female stars in WWE history?

While Steve Austin and The Rock were running the show in the Attitude Era, Lita’s run with the Hardy Boyz and Team Extreme was a big part of bringing in the teenage and female audience.

Lita was flashy in the ring, and she was flat-out cool. She was a woman who girls could look up to and the guys would love to date.

She didn’t seem to mind giving her fans a little bit of a show, as her trademark look was having her thong exposed. She also didn’t mind busting out a moonsault now and again either.

Her on-and-off feud with Trish Stratus over the years was the biggest rivalry that the women’s division has ever had. The two faced off in one of only two instances where a women's match main-evented Raw.

A terrible neck injury took her out of action for nearly a year-and-a-half, but she came back as good as ever.

Later in her career, Lita started to step away from the ring and became a vital component to Edge's act. Together the two became true top stars.

The duo turned a real affair of Lita cheating on Matt Hardy with Edge into compelling TV.

Due to her bad neck and a desire to pursue other ventures, Lita retired well before fans would have liked her to.

On Raw 1000, though, she showed that she still has it when she laid out Heath Slater with her moonsault that looked as good as ever.

WWE Active Years: 1999-06

No. 1: Trish Stratus



Watching Trish Stratus’ debut promo was so painful, it’s amazing to think she ever got a second chance to speak.

Luckily WWE gave her another chance, and through hard work and dedication to her craft she became the greatest Diva the company has ever had.

Stratus originally joined the company aligned with Test and Albert, and formed the relatively forgettable tag team of “T & A."

Stratus’ star clearly shined brighter than those two, and she broke out on her own. Of course, she did time as one of Vince McMahon’s many mistresses, but this led her to a feud with his daughter, which gave her more exposure.

While her first few years usually consisted of her competing in eye candy matches, she dramatically improved as an in-ring worker and developed a personality to root for.

For more than five years, Stratus was the face of the Divas division. She developed a big following because her character came across as so genuine and tough that it was hard not to love her.

She was our star.

Her heel turn alongside Christian was among some of her best work as well. She could do it all inside and outside of the ring.

But you just can’t mention Stratus without talking about Lita.

The two were intertwined during their run. It was hard to decide who should get the nod for No. 1 all-time greatest Diva. You really can't go wrong with either one.

They were both incredibly popular, presented themselves well and were great in the ring. So how can one choose?

To break the tie, you have to go with how productive they were in the company over their entire careers.

Stratus had 239 televised matches in her WWE career compared to 149 for Lita. Due to Lita sustaining a horrible neck injury, WWE simply had to rely on Stratus far more often to carry the women’s division.

In the end, it’s too bad that Stratus retired in 2006, as there’s no telling how many more great moments of Stratusfaction we could have had.

WWE Active Years: 2000-06

Accolades:

WWE/F Women's Champion (seven times)

WWE Hardcore Champion (one time)

WWE Diva of the Decade

PWI Woman of the Year (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006)

Most pay-per-view matches for a woman (39)

berun

-electrifying-

fuh meleleh tgk kopek trish. haha
bg aku trish,lita,chyna,debra,kelly2 is the best

bedahmulutpuaka

No. 14- Excusee Meeee!!!!!!

hahah..kalau nengok dia, kompem tergelak

siape_aku

paling aku menyampah si Vickie!!! eeee...dgn lidah pendek...terjerit2....pojaan hatiku...Lita!! trish x minat...

roblucci

kawe suko tengok Sherri Martel.Tak bosang tengok karenah dia.jahat tapi cantik

Gospodinkvic

Debra McMichael
Stacy Keibler
Stephanie Mcmahon
Lita
Chyna
antara yang the best bagi aku....