Women's wrestling has never been as fierce, competitive or as popular as it is now, especially in the WWE. After Trish Stratus and Lita left the WWE in 2006, the popularity of women's wrestling drastically declined. Female performers such as Gail Kim and Awesome King tried picking up the slack in TNA, but they were not able to get the exposure provided on the WWE's stage.
The faces of the WWE's women's division has also largely changed over the past few years, and many say that Triple H is the main driver behind this. It's claimed that Triple H is intent on hiring a diverse group of women based on their potential. In the past, it's been rumored that Vince McMahon has recommended that women be let go due to them not looking like a traditional WWE diva. According to Jim Ross, Vince McMahon was hesitant to hire Gail Kim due to her race. Ironically, Gail Kim would go on to become the face of TNA's Knockouts Division, which many say truly revolutionized women's wrestling before the time of the Women's Evolution.
With that in mind, Gail Kim wouldn't just be hired by the WWE in this day and age -- she would excel much more than she ever got to in either of her runs. As Triple H begins to gain more power in the company and have more control over future talent development, we have seen more diverse women being brought on into the company. These women are brought on due to their athletic potential and/or wrestling ability, and not just due to their looks. Prior to this, Vince McMahon had a more vocal role in who got signed during a time where many women were picked from modeling catalogs.
Based on all of this, here are eight women whom we think Triple H would make a part of the company and seven women we think Vince would sign.
15 15. Triple H Would Want: Mia Yim
Often seen as the spiritual successor to Gail Kim, Mia Yim offers so much to the sport. She was once seen as the future of the Knockouts Division, where she was best known as a member of the Dollhouse stable. But she was on WWE's radar even before her TNA days, when she worked as enhancement talent on NXT.
She would make a recent return to WWE, where she competed as Mia Yim in the Mae Young Classic. She would win her first match against the former Crazy Mary Dobson, Sarah Logan, before losing to Shayna Baszler. The fact that the WWE trusted Yim against a greener Baszler shows that they trust Mia's abilities to put on a great match. She's also wrestled matches in top women's promotions, including Shine and Shimmer. Ranked one of the 10 best women's wrestlers in the world in 2016, Mia Yim is at the top of her game. She would make a great addition to NXT along the likes of fellow indy darlings Ruby Riot, Abbey Laith and Logan.
14 14. Vince Would Want: Santana Garrett
Like Mia Yim, Santana Garrett also has served as NXT enhancement talent and worked the Mae Young Classic. While Vince didn't hire many popular women's wrestlers on the independent circuit, Santana Garrett also works as a model and actress. Her look, which is very similar to a Diva look, would fit very well with Vince's agenda.
But let's not overlook Santana's accomplishments as a wrestler. In addition to her shared ties with Mia Yim with NXT and the Mae Young Classic, she was also a former TNA Knockout. She was ranked as the fourth-best women's wrestler in the world by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. It's shocking why she hasn't been signed by the company, as her NXT appearances date back to 2013. We definitely think that Vince McMahon would have signed Santana Garrett to a major contract by now.
13 13. Triple H Would Want: Piper Niven
One of the most impressive performers to compete in the WWE's Mae Young Classic was none other than Piper Niven. Also known as Viper, Piper Niven impressed many with her combination of strength and agility. She is more than just someone who is quick for her size. Piper Niven is quick. Period.
Rumors began to circulate that the WWE was interested in signing Niven to a deal after she (along with Toni Storm) were flown in from Japan to attend the Mae Young Classic's finale. It's not hard to see why they were so interested. Unlike other women with a larger frame, Viper is more well-rounded athletically. She is as strong of a brawler as she is a technical wrestler. Her versatility is one of her biggest assets and shows that she can work well with performers of all backgrounds. She could truly help elevate the Women's Revolution to another level.
12 12. Vince Would Want: Mandy Leon
The "Exotic Goddess" Mandy Leon is absolutely stunning. Not only is she vivacious, but she has a natural allure to her. She also has an appearance that is similar, but slightly different, from The Bella Twins. It's safe to say that The Bella Twins have been one of the biggest names produced by the WWE in the last 10 years.
Like The Bella Twins, Mandy Leon is also extremely marketable. She may not be the most skilled performer, but she is at least passable. This could be overseen by her looks, and the company could still invest plenty of resources into her. With the right grooming and training, Mandy Leon could become a big star in today's environment. But it would have been much easier for that to have happened a few years ago.
11 11. Triple H Would Want: Candice LeRae
There's a unique charm that is unique to Candice LeRae. You can't duplicate her bubbly personality or her in-ring talent. Some may say that she looks a little young, but she is fearless. Widely recognized as one of the most in-demand talents in all of indy wrestling, it's not a surprise that she's caught the WWE of Triple H.
Unlike most female wrestlers today, Candice LeRae has also been a huge supporter (and participant) of independent wrestling. Her major break (and rise of popularity) came after an intergender tag match where she teamed up with Joey Ryan to take on The Young Bucks. Vince McMahon likely wouldn't want such a small woman to partake in such a thing, but the fact that Candice was able to do so well in that match speaks well of her talent. Like Piper, Candice was also flown in to watch the Mae Young Classic finals live. Do not be surprised to see her signed in the very near future.
10 10. Vince Would Want: Taeler Hendrix
While Taeler Hendrix may have one of the most unique looks in professional wrestling today, it's hard to deny that she is simply stunning on the eyes. Her unique sense of beauty would elevate her to the top of Vince McMahon's list of prospects. She also has a strong, powerful stage presence about her. This appearance has definitely evolved over time. As Taeler's confidence has grown, so as her beauty.
Over the last few years, she's luckily improved in the ring as well. Many wrestling fans became familiar with her for the first time when she competed in TNA's Gut Check promotion, where she was signed to a TNA contract. Sadly, she was poorly used and eventually let go by the promotion. But that proved to be a major blessing for the star, who truly found her calling in Ring of Honor.
9 9. Triple H Would Want: Allie
Before Allie made her way to TNA, she was one of the most prolific names on the indy circuit - male or female. The former Cherry Bomb wasn't showcased for her wrestling abilities, but she is more than able to have hard-hitting matches with the best of them. It's unfortunate that TNA has not used Allie to the best of her abilities as frequently as they could have.
The WWE would be a fantastic place for Allie to showcase her talent. There is no doubt that Allie is the most over female in TNA/GFW right now (except for MAYBE Gail Kim on occasion). But Allie can also get just as over as a heel, and that is something that takes an immense amount of talent to do. The WWE would be stupid to pass over Allie whenever they have a chance to sign her.
8 8. Vince Would Want: Chelsea Green
Interestingly enough, Chelsea Green once appeared on WWE television. Introduced to WWE fans by Stephanie McMahon as the woman that Daniel Bryan was allegedly having an affair with, Chelsea Green has had multiple opportunities with WWE since then. She's worked house shows with the company and even appeared on a season of the WWE's show, Tough Enough.
Since then, Chelsea's wrestling has vastly improved, but she's also found herself more in her appearance. She isn't afraid to show off her body on Instagram photos and she has the model physique that was so strongly associated with the Diva years. Vince McMahon would definitely love to hire the beautiful blonde bombshell. But luckily for the Women's Revolution, Chelsea can absolutely go in the ring. In case you forgot, she was trained by Lance Storm!
7 7. Triple H Would Want: Sienna
Sienna isn't the typical female wrestler that you would have seen a few years ago. She isn't the skinniest wrestler. She doesn't have stereotypically pretty features. That doesn't mean that she isn't beautiful though both inside and outside the ring.
Sienna is a genuine powerhouse that is absolutely incredible to watch. The way that she executes moves with such genuine precision and fluidity is rare in the business. She was also included on a survey of prospective talent given to WWE fans, alongside Angelina Love and Kelly Klein. It's clear that the WWE has their eyes on the wrestler, who also fights in MMA. Sienna's offense could serve as a strong crossover and fusion of both styles that is not as apparent in other WWE stars with MMA backgrounds, such as Zeda, Sonya Deville and the allegedly signed Shayna Baszler.
6 6. Vince Would Want: Alisha Edwards
Some may say that Alisha Edwards is a newer name to the wrestling scene, yet she's truthfully been around for a long while. Trained by Bobby Roode, Alisha Edwards has been wrestling for more than a decade. Yet she still has that girl next door look that Vince would go gaga for.
Formerly competing as Alexxis Nevaeh, Alisha recently joined TNA/GFW to help her real-life husband, Eddie Edwards, in his feud against Davey Richards and Angelina Love. Since the feud ended, Alisha has not been seen on television since, which is a shame. She was branded as the future of the Knockouts Division on the company's Knockouts Knockdown special, where she was awarded a contract with the company. Yet with the likes of Laurel Van Ness, Allie, Rosemary, Gail Kim and others getting more screen time, she appears to be lost in the shuffle.
5 5. Triple H Would Want: Taya Valkyrie
A member of Lucha royalty, Taya Valkyrie made a name for herself after being offered a WWE contract in the early 2010s that was rescinded. She ended up going to Mexico, where she made a name for herself in AAA. She was introduced to more Western audiences in America as a cast member of Lucha Underground and most recently in WWE.
Taya has a unique appearance and sense of charisma that draws heat like no other. She's established herself as an egotistical, self-absorbed heel that would give Charlotte Flair a run for a money. As a matter of fact, that would be a potential dream match that we would love to see happen. Perhaps the WWE will explore the possibility of signing her after they first do the expected Charlotte vs Rousey match at WrestleMania.
4 4. Vince Would Want: Madison Rayne
Out of the three most well-known members of The Beautiful People, we feel that Madison Rayne would most likely catch Vince McMahon's eye. Angelina Love was formerly signed by the WWE (but let go in 2007, months before becoming an inaugural member of the TNA Knockouts Division) and Velvet Sky was rejected from the 2006 Diva Search. Angelina and Velvet have a more alternative look to them, while Madison's cookie cutter, girl next door look would likely be very appealing to Vince McMahon.
Although Madison Rayne's husband, Josh Matthews, currently works for TNA, Madison recently became a free agent. She left the company in July, and she is still fairly young. In only her early 30s, Madison could easily showcase her skills and work with a generation of growing talent.
3 3. Triple H Would Want: Tessa Blanchard
At the age of 22, Tessa Blanchard is one of the brightest prospects in women's wrestling. Making her debut only three years, she has managed to hit multiple of wrestling's biggest stages, from Lucha Underground to the WWE. It's clear that wrestling talent flows in her veins, as she is the daughter of one of the Four Horsemen, Tully Blanchard.
Tessa has an intensity to her in-ring work that is so rare, even in today's booming world of women's wrestling. She also has plenty of connections to WWE, from the family, to working the Mae Young Classic, to serving as the stunt double for Paige in the upcoming WWE Studios movie about Paige's life. And let's not forget that at 22, Tessa can still be overwhelmingly groomed as the future of the company.
2 2. Vince Would Want: Ava Storie
Some people may see this name and wonder, "Who is Ava Storie?" Just starting her wrestling career last year, Ava Storie got on the radar of many wrestling fans when she was introduced as one of TNA's most recent Knockouts. However, her in-ring abilities are still very green.
While her in-ring abilities could use some work, she has a very strong look to her that Vince would love. She's not necessarily the blonde archetype, but she could still very much fit the Diva mold as the girl next door. As far as her in-ring skills go, she isn't a lost cause. She was trained by Jay Lethal and with the WWE's Performance Center, she could grow into a much more seasoned grappler.
1 1. Triple H Would Want: Toni Storm
Out of all of the wrestlers that competed in the Mae Young Classic that were not already signed by the WWE, Toni Storm left the strongest impression. The amount of charisma that the 21-year-old, nearly decade-long veteran has rivals top male stars like Shinsuke Nakamura. Also a practitioner of strong style, Toni Storm isn't afraid to be ruthless and innovative in the ring.
Rumors have arisen that Storm was one of the few names that the WWE wants to pick up from the recent Mae Young Classic. Her career has truly picked up over the last few years since she had a WWE tryout in 2014 alongside Peyton Royce and Billie Kay. Toni Storm is one of the few performers that could truly immediately jump to the main roster with no problem. The WWE would be foolish to not sign her.