UNLIMITED
PWI Women’s 150
FOR THE 14TH consecutive year, Pro Wrestling Illustrated has compiled a ranking of the top wrestlers from women’s divisions and promotions across the sport. This year’s list features competitors from myriad regions, hailing from every continent (except Antarctica), who are proficient in a wide range of styles from high-flying and technical wrestling to anything-goes melees.
In what was likely our most competitive women’s ranking to date, one wrestler emerged as the bEST: 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Bianca Belair. Belair, who remains humble away from the ring despite her many accomplishments, leads a top 10 that includes world-class talent from WWE, Stardom, IMPACT, and AEW.
CRITERIA: In-Ring Achievement, Influence, Activity, Technical Ability, and Breadth/Quality of Competition. Emphasis was placed on success within women’s divisions and promotions.
1. Bianca Belair
YEARS PRO: 5
2020 RANK: 23
ENTRANCE THEME: "WATCH ME SHINE"
PATH TO NUMBER 1
85 IN 2018
36 IN 2019
23 IN 2020
WHY SHE’S NUMBER 1:
The fact that Bianca Belair’s first main-roster WWE match in front of fans came in the main event of WrestleMania speaks to her meteoric rise through the company since being called up from developmental a year earlier … Despite its accelerated pace, Belair’s elevation was well-earned, as she consistently proved herself one of the finest-tuned athletes in the sport … Accomplished collegiate track star is deceptively strong—as evidenced by her K.O.D. torture rack/facebuster finisher—and remarkably agile … More importantly, the Knoxville, Tennessee, native has developed a genuine connection with fans, which made her extended title celebration at WrestleMania all the more emotional and memorable … These factors made all the more confounding WWE’s decision to have Belair’s title reign end in 27 seconds at the hands of a returning Becky Lynch at SummerSlam … Although Lynch’s new role as a villain could help solidify Belair as a sympathetic fan favorite, the same goal could have been achieved without compromising her mystique and momentum … If WWE can get her back on track, Belair has the potential to eclipse even Lynch at her peak in terms of popularity and marketability.
TOP FIVE MOMENTS DURING EVALUATION PERIOD:
1. Defeated Sasha Banks in the historic main event of WrestleMania, night one, on April 10 to capture her first WWE Smackdown Women’s championship.
2. Outlasted 29 other competitors to win the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble match on January 31.
3. Beat last year’s number-one ranked wrestler, Bayley, to retain her championship in a Hell in a Cell match on June 20.
4. Retained her title in a defense against Carmella on July 23 at the Rolling Loud Festival at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
5. Days after losing the title, bested Carmella, Liv Morgan, and Zelina Vega in a fatal four-way on August 27 to become number-one contender.
2. Utami Hayashishita
PATH TO NUMBER 2
46 IN 2019
65 IN 2020
YEARS PRO: 3
2020 RANK: 65
HOMETOWN: AMAMI, KAGOSHIMA, JAPAN
WHY SHE’S NUMBER 2:
As the premier championship in the premier women’s wrestling promotion on the planet, the World of Stardom title has, over the last decade, been worn by some of the sport’s most talented performers and biggest stars, including Io Shirai, Kairi Hojo (Sane), and Bea Priestley … And, even among those, Utami Hayashishita has the potential to be extra special … The “Queen Of The Roses” has ascended to almost mythical proportions in World Wonder Ring Stardom, following a string of impressive title defenses against a range of challengers … Despite her success in the ring, still had her share of naysayers, in part because of the relative inexperience of PWI’s 2019 Rookie of the Year 2nd runner-up, and because of her background as a Japanese reality show star … Ironically, it was in the one title defense that she did not win that Hayashishita won over many doubters … Her epic clash with Syuri in June, which ended in a no-contest when neither woman could continue, was heralded as one of the best matches of the year.
TOP FIVE MOMENTS DURING EVALUATION PERIOD:
1. Won the World of Stardom championship by ending Mayu Iwatani’s year-long reign at the Sendai Cinderella event on November 15, 2020.
2. Kept her title in a grueling 43-minute war with Syuri in Tokyo on June 12 that ended in a double-knockout.
3. Successfully defended the “Red Belt” for the first time against her Queen’s Quest stablemate, Momo Watanabe, at the Stardom Osaka Dream Cinderella event in December.
4. Again retained her title in a defense against former champion Bea Priestley at the Stardom Yokohama Dream Cinderella in Spring show in April, winning with her signature modified Razor’s Edge.
5. Defeated tag team partner Saya Kamitani, with whom she once held the Goddess of Stardom championship, to retain her world title at the Stardom 10th Anniversary PPV at Budokan Hall in Tokyo on March 3.
3. Deonna Purrazzo
YEARS PRO: 12
2020 RANK: 23
NICKNAME: “THE VIRTUOSA”
PATH TO NUMBER 3
34 IN 2017
49 IN 2018
85 IN 2019
30 IN 2020
WHY SHE’S NUMBER 3:
Within weeks of being released by WWE in May 2020 after an unspectacular two-year run in NXT, Deonna Purrazzo found herself in an IMPACT Wrestling ring … Within another few weeks, she found herself as Knockouts champion … And, but for a three-week span last fall, that’s the way it’s been ever since … Along the way, Purrazzo has essentially cleaned out her division, picking up wins against both current contenders, like Lady Frost and Kimber Lee, and legends like ODB and Jazz (ending the latter’s career) … In doing so, Purrazzo has cemented herself as the most dominant champion in IMPACT in years, and also a bona fide headliner for the company … The “Virtuosa” fancies herself a world-class technician, capable of tying opponents in knots with submissions holds, like her Fujiwara armbar, or devastating them with innovative moves, like her Queen’s Gambit cradle belly-to-back inverted slam … Despite her technical proficiency, Purrazzo’s well-earned arrogance has kept her in the rulebreakers’ locker room … Well-traveled New Jersey native has honed her skills in promotions around the world, including Ring of Honor, Stardom, and AAA.
TOP FIVE MOMENTS DURING EVALUATION PERIOD:
1. Beat SuYung at IMPACT Wrestling’s Turning Point pay-per-view on November 14 to recapture the Knockouts championship.2. Defeated Faby Apache in a title-vs.-title match at AAA’s Triplemania event to win the Reina de Reinas championship.3. Used her4. Beat five-time WWE Women’s champion Melina to retain her Knockouts title at the NWA’s EmPowerrr PPV event on August 28.5. Beat Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Wrestling champion Trish Adora in a non-title match at Global Syndicate Wrestling’s Inception event on February 20.
