2010-2020: WWE's Best Female Wrestler

[Nash Diesel]

I'm watching this Bayley-Stone Cold interview and wow, incredible episode. It made me think about how many fantastic female wrestlers have been in the WWE over the last 10 years and it made me wonder how is the best we've seen in the last decade. I think the talent pool is deep enough to have this conversation.

Anyone other than me want to start? It's hard for me to really narrow it down. In wrestling there's no real criteria beyond the basics. Match wise, character work, some can outweigh the others enough to make that person the best.

I'm leaning toward Bayley. Charlotte is very close. If Asuka had a few more wins over Charlotte I'd throw her name in the mix.

NXT applies here as well.

[mth]

Asuka gets my vote. Charlotte, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks all have a strong case.

[Tyson]

This is an amazing thread, the topic could be debated for days.

Really need to do some more in-depth research on this, my initial answer is Charlotte because of her 12 title reigns as a singles competitor.

[Kdestiny]

Charlotte is the obvious choice.

Bayley would be higher up if her main roster run had just included her recent heel work.

[Dreyski]

Charlotte for her 12 title reigns
Bayley for her NXT body of work and heel persona
Becky for being The Man
Asuka for her undefeated NXT streak

Bubbling under: Paige and Sasha Banks. Bianca Belair could be up there in the near future.

[Romford Pele]

Ah this is tough.

I would like to through AJ Lee in there. She was carrying the division for years before the NXT group turned up.

[Fanny Batter]

Asuka if they didn't waste her every Wrestlemania. She's clearly been the best but when they programme the fans that only one event matters, and she's either been in filler or a warm up to the John Cena segment, it hurts her legacy to this point. So on that, Charlotte Flair - been in arguably the best match at Wrestlemania 3 times, winning all 3. In addition to the first main event. She's been put in the best positions to succeed and has largely put in big performances when it mattered. Becky third, Sasha 4th, Bayley 5th. Then there's a huge drop off to probably Io, Shayna or Rhea. Respect to AJ, Paige etc. but pre-Takeover women's matches weren't a patch on what came after.

[3puppies]

I'd love to say Bayley but I know it's purely recency bias. She and Asuka understood how to work to the cameras in the no-live audience era better than most of the roster.

Becky Two Belts, really became the Man and when she took a broken nose to a new level for the women's division.

Charlotte really is better in the ring than everyone, but too often the booking hasn't helped her - see now her story is purely about her dad again.

I agree that Paige deserves some love, and I still pray for her to have an Edge or DB level recovery.

I'll go with the one woman not mentioned, who stepped in and hit home runs every time, if only for a too brief year. Because I hope she comes back. Rowdy Ronda Rousey.

[Tyrone]

Asuka and Charlotte are interchangeable as the #1. Both impressive in different ways. Would put Becky in second tier with Sasha, Bayley.

[3puppies]

Sasha is distantly behind Bayley. Sasha is this generation's Natalya - good enough to help get others over, but never really the best. Her ring work is pretty good at times, but only against better opponents, and she never impresses me as being strong enough so that her offense could hurt or do anything other than startle anyone. Her mic work is okay at best. I'll take Alexa Bliss over Sasha in a heartbeat - because she manages to get her storylines over despite looking like she's unable to punch her way out of a bag.

[Nash Diesel]

Fanny Batter's take on Asuka is exactly why I didn't see as the #1 female wrestler in WWE this past decade. Had she beat Charlotte, then still had the same run-even if she had to still job to Carmella-would have put her top.

I lean toward Bayley because I felt her NXT title reign was very important for the business in general. She hasn't had the greatest run on the main roster in terms of booking, but I think her big wins were very significant. She ended Charlotte's ppv winning streak and retained at the following Mania. Being the 1st Grand Slam women's champion was huge.

And I realize that this thread is a little fucked for me saying "2010-2020" as a decade when it's obviously 2010-2019 so I apologize if that causes any issues moving forward because obviously Bayley had a great 2020 with Sasha but it's not part of the decade.

[Ringo]

All round

1. Sasha
2. Asuka
3. Charlotte Flair
4. Becky Lynch
5. Bayley
6. Shayna Baszler
7. Io
8. Rhea Ripley
9. Kairi Sane
10. Carmella/Ember Moon

Not sure if I forgot anyone but it's possible.

[BuffyRocks]

Great topic, Nash.

I, too, lean heavily toward Bayley. As you've already said, her NXT work was incredible, not just for the women's division, but for literally all of NXT. Plus, as soon as she hit her stride as a heel, I was hooked; I actually am not sure if I want to see her as a face ever again. Plus, they've managed to make her truly relevant in this story with Bianca and not have it revolve around a title, and I think that speaks volumes. I say this, and I am Becky Lynch's biggest fan so it kills me not to just automatically list her as the top, but I think I would put Bayley OR Asuka as #1, with Becky, Charlotte, and Sasha (in that order) following. Of course, there are plenty more women worth talking about from the past 10 years.

I hope by the end of this next decade, we will be talking about Rhea, Kay Lee Ray, Io, Bianca, Toni, Piper, and Nikki Cross with the same fervor.

[Nash Diesel]

It really is a shame that someone like AJ Lee will probably come up in a top 10 but at the lower half. She just didn't have the dance partners that came literally right as she was going out the door. She didn't get to work with a lot of them on a consistent basis. Imagine a few more years into the "divas revolution" and we'd definitely have more of AJ Lee v. the likes of Paige (belongs in the conversation of top 10 imo), Becky, Charlotte, Bayley, etc.

In terms of her as a character in general, AJ Lee is easily top 10. The only time I was like "oh this is so weak" was that short stint as GM which I'm not even sure was supposed to be anything more than what it lead into.

For me it's literally teetering between Bayley and Charlotte. I feel like Bayley had a better NXT run and what her contributions meant to women's wrestling as a whole based solely on NXT work-fucking incredible. But I will have to admit that A-I'm not a fan of Bayley v. Charlotte matches and B-I think if you lined up everyone they've worked with, Charlotte edges her out by a slight margin. Like the size of Ellsworth's chin margin. Other than Sasha. I don't give a fuck who those 2 wrestle, they have the best chemistry in the division and overall, gender aside, some of the best chemistry I've ever seen in 35 years of being a fan of all promotions, all styles.

[chatty]

Asuka
Charlotte
Becky
Bayley
Sacha

In that order for me. Have missed a lot of WWE the last 3 years though so I'll have missed plenty but from when I have watched, that's the order I'd put them in.

[Kdestiny]

Charlotte's 2020 was absolute trash.

If that is being included then her being at the top for me is a bit more in question.

[Nash Diesel]

Charlotte's 2020 was absolute trash.

If that is being included then her being at the top for me is a bit more in question.

It's weird because I probably should've left off 2020 in the thread title since it's not part of the decade I was trying to cover, mindlapse.

In her defense, she was barely around for 2020 and the first quarter was good with her winning the Rumble and going on to beat Rhea in probably the best match on the card. The handful of NXT matches against Bianca, Shirai, the triple threat with Ripley. She just didn't do anything else after that for 6+ months. Kind of glad in a weird way because it was nice not having her wearing a title or being in a title feud.

[NWo4LifeOr2Years]

Charlotte, hands down.

i mean the Charlotte before plastic surgery, 2 breast enlargements, fake whitened teeth (did I miss anything?)

that Charlotte ain't done so hot.

[gUnit]

Becky Lynch is the best combination of in-ring and mic skills

Asuka is better in the ring
Bayley has better character work

I also think Emma gets slept on far too much, Emma v Paige was vital for where women's wrestling has gotten to in WWE

It's a shame NXT UK isn't focused on so much as they have some truly great wrestlers in the UK. Kay Lee Ray is phenomenal to watch live, but it doesn't really get highlighted on TV much

[Nash Diesel]

I'm not a fan at all of Kay Lee Ray but I am a fan of people like Piper Nevins. I don't know what the women's wrestling scene is like over there but you would think Paige had to have inspired and opened up eyes to women over there. I mean, it's safe to say the top 2 women NXT UK has had were not even from Europe.

[BuffyRocks]

I'm not a fan at all of Kay Lee Ray but I am a fan of people like Piper Nevins. I don't know what the women's wrestling scene is like over there but you would think Paige had to have inspired and opened up eyes to women over there. I mean, it's safe to say the top 2 women NXT UK has had were not even from Europe.

That's a shame you aren't a fan of Kay Lee Ray; I particularly love her matches with Piper. But we are both big on Piper. She's crazy athletic for her size, as is Jinny. Too bad COVID is ruining everything, as I could totally see KLR, Piper, and Jinny enter in the women's RR this weekend.

[Nash Diesel]

That's a shame you aren't a fan of Kay Lee Ray; I particularly love her matches with Piper. But we are both big on Piper. She's crazy athletic for her size, as is Jinny. Too bad COVID is ruining everything, as I could totally see KLR, Piper, and Jinny enter in the women's RR this weekend.

Yeah I'm just not a fan of the look, the moveset is very bland. She's not terrible but like a lot of wrestlers in NXT UK I just haven't seen enough on a consistent basis to get won over. And those that I have seen, like KLR who I've watched since before she was in NXT, it might not ever happen until they go to a different show.

[BuffyRocks]

Yeah I'm just not a fan of the look, the moveset is very bland. She's not terrible but like a lot of wrestlers in NXT UK I just haven't seen enough on a consistent basis to get won over. And those that I have seen, like KLR who I've watched since before she was in NXT, it might not ever happen until they go to a different show.

Absolutely valid. I was hopeful that KLR was going to drop the title to Jinny, and enter the RR/come to Raw/SD, but she's still holding the title. Hope she gets the opportunity to win you over one day!

[Dreyski]

AJ might be the most influential in the last 10 years, if her tweet quoting Patricia Arquette was the catalyst for the women's revolution (rather than having the four horsewomen waiting in the wings), but I don't think I could take her seriously in the ring against a Charlotte/Rhea type. Its a mile away now from when she was facing 'stiff plastic mannequins' (though at least Naomi improved)