5 Revolutionary female wrestlers in WWE

Professional wrestling is for everyone. Regardless of age, sex, ethnicity or otherwise, it is an artform that can be partaken in and enjoyed by all. With that being said, professional wrestling is a sport where representation matters immensely.

When you are a minority fan, it feels amazing to be able to put yourself in the shoes of a larger-than-life character that looks exactly like you. So when you look at some of the women in the WWE, you're looking at the heroes of so many little girls all around the world.

And now with the first the first ever all-female pay-per-view WWE Evolution coming this Sunday, decades of progress made in the world of women's wrestling can be celebrated. At this time, I would like to take a few moments to talk about some women who helped revolutionize women's wrestling.

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#5 Bull Nakano

Bull!

To the average wrestling fan, this name may not ring any bells. Be assured, Bull Nakano was one of the most formidable wrestlers of the 80's and 90's. You look at the above picture and you see a truly grisly image: giant spiked hair, a painted face, a leather vest and a permanent scowl.

This picture embodies everything I love about this woman: she is brutal as hell. She lived to cause pain, taking joy in crushing her opponent's limbs or yanking on her hair, all with a painted-up grin on her face.

If you're coming up in the Japanese wrestling scene, there's no doubt that you must be tough. So to stand out in a pack like that must mean you're the baddest of the bad, and that she was. She competed and won titles all over the world before landing in the WWE in 1994, defeating future Hall of Famer Alundra Blayze for the WWF Women's Championship.

Her WWE career was short, but the trail of bodies she left in her wake throughout her 15 year career. Just go back and watch some of her matches with the likes of Manami Toyota and Aja Kong and you'll see some of the best wrestling you've ever seen.

#4 Naomi

Feel the glow!

If you are looking for the prototype for the modern female wrestler, look no further than Naomi. You'd be hard-pressed to find a woman more athletically gifted than the former Orlando Magic cheerleader, as she can make nearly every move she does look effortless. Plus she has the personality and confidence that any wrestler should have.

Her glow-in-the-dark, rave-influenced entrances are innovative and colorful, and her offense is just as flashy as her neon-colored tights.

For many years, fans had been begging to see Naomi be recognized for her overwhelming talent. When she wasn't stuck as the valet for the Usos, she was lumped together in a hodge-podge "Divas Revolution", where she was wasted in meaningless six-man tag team matches.

However, our wishes were finally granted when she won the SmackDown Women's Title in her hometown at WrestleMania in 2017. Now she has taken her rightful place as one of the best performers WWE has.

#3 Paige

The one who needs no introduction

What do you think of when you hear the word 'Diva'? Glitz, glamour, perfect hair and the finest clothes, right? Take the opposite of that idea, and you have the 'Anti-Diva' Paige. Clad in spikes and leather, her rebel persona was the antithesis of what you'd expect from a woman in WWE. With one banshee-like scream, she could rile up a crowd and get them ready for a fight.

There was nothing dainty about this English-born wrestler. Her style was hard-hitting, in-your-face and as intense as it gets. She'll hurt you any way she knew how, whether it was a boot to the jaw, a well-applied submission move (one of which belonged to another person on this list), or even using her own head.

Paige came into the WWE in 2014 and made an immediate impact, winning the Diva's Title from AJ Lee on her very first night and becoming the youngest Diva's Champion ever in the process. She held that title twice and had memorable matches with everyone from AJ to Emma to Charlotte Flair. Though her career was tragically cut short due to injuries earlier this year, there's no denying the impact that this young lady has left on the business.

#2 Trish Stratus

By and large, Trish Stratus is one of the most influential women of the modern wrestling era. Ask anyone in the world and they will say that she played a hand in finding their love for professional wrestling, from the more surprising names such as Kia Stevens (better known to some as Awesome Kong), to the more obvious such as Carmella and Alexa Bliss.

She held the Women's Championship a record seven times, had some amazing matches and helped break down barriers for women in the wrestling world.

While Trish is certainly one of the most decorated champions in the history of the company, the beginnings of her career definitely did not show the future that she would have. Initially brought into the WWE solely based on her looks, it was her love and passion for the business that pushed her to work hard at her craft.

Whether she was a lovable face or a despicable heel, Trish knew just what to say or what facial expression to make to either get the fans on her side or to hate her guys. When you talk about someone who is a pioneer, Trish Stratus is one of few that can make legitimate claim to said title.

#1 Lita

Lita was my very first crush in wrestling, and I can bet she was the first for many other fans out there, male or female. With fiery red hair and an attitude to match, it could be argued that fans in the late 90's-early 2000's were getting a look at the prototype of the 'Anti-Diva'. Sure, she was gorgeous, but wasn't her entire identity.

She wasn't the most technical wrestler on this list, but her style was awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping. Whether she was hitting her low-angle moonsault to win one of four total WWE Women's Championships or using her famous Litacanrana to interfere on her friends' behalf, she could bring the fans to their feet with the greatest of ease.

Even in her earlier days of being the valet for essa Rios, I saw great potential in Lita becoming one of the most popular women to ever lace up a pair of boots. Her high-octane daredevil style led to her being paired up with the Hardy Boyz and forming Team Xtreme, easily the most popular stable in the latter half of the Attitude Era.

Aside from that, she made up one half of possibly one of the greatest rivalries in women's wrestling with Trish Stratus, their bouts setting the standards for how wrestling should be for years to come. Looking back on everything she had done, even after losing a large chunk of her career to a neck injury, it's hard to argue why Lita is not only my all-time favorite female wrestler, but easily one of the greatest to ever do it.