It's no secret that appearance plays a crucial part in WWE where many Superstars strive due to their look while others are held back for not meeting the standards. For many years, such was the case for female wrestlers who became known as Divas, and were mostly used for sex appeal to the audiences. Women's wrestling was struggling during that era as the focus shifted towards Divas who were plastered on men's magazines, as well as swimsuit contests and similar matches. Today, the women's division is arguably the best it has ever been - reaching accolades that previously would have been deemed to be unrealistic.

The majority of the female wrestlers are also talented in the ring, and aspire to be more than just eye candy. But even in modern times, the female wrestlers are still some of the finest athletes around with an added appeal to a certain degree. It may not be so blatant like the old days, but you can bet that many members of the audience love to see female wrestlers for more reason than just one.

What may shock some of our readers is that many of our favorite female stars didn't always look the way we have come to know them, but thankfully they turned out to be late bloomers. When it comes to guessing how one may look, it's always unpredictable to do so especially in this day and age. Today, we look at 15 once awkward looking female wrestlers that grew up and look great:

15 15. Becky Lynch

Despite being one of the better talents around, Becky Lynch always seems overlooked as fans believe that she hasn't been properly awarded by the company yet. Following an impressive display at the first ever Women's Royal Rumble, it only proved that she always seems to be overshadowed one way or another. When it comes to the looks category, that is also the case for Becky Lynch who isn't always listed among the hottest WWE Divas but it goes to prove our theory.

There is no doubt that she was a cute kid, but that doesn't always transition once someone gets older, so it's not exactly an insult to say that Becky Lynch was awkward at the time. Fortunately for her, that is from reality today and if you aren't already a fan due to her in-ring talent, then her appearance has probably already gained your attention in many ways.

14 14. Sasha Banks

Not many would have thought that Sasha Banks would grow to be a WWE Superstar. Appearance has always been just as important as talent and she did look awkward as a kid, but thankfully she has done a 180 since growing up to change that image. Banks' promos have told her backstory numerous times, she wanted to become a wrestler like her favorite Superstar Eddie Guerrero.

Banks has been one of the main figures of the Women's Revolution taking place in the WWE after having been apart of some historic moments. And while Banks dislikes being referred to as a Diva - due to years of not so flattering women's division - she is certainly one of the steamiest wrestlers today. It goes to show that there is always hope to outgrow the awkward stage that we go through as younger children, and Banks has done just that with her remarkable transformation over the years.

13 13. AJ Lee

Most fans would be shocked to learn that AJ Lee is 30 years old today. Almost three years since leaving the WWE, she remains as fine as ever. A lot has changed since we last saw, mainly with the women's division which is currently undergoing a major revolution. She was one of the brightest spots of the division at a time when women's wrestling was struggling, and carried the Divas Championship a record of three times.

And while she has always had the baby face look that would probably make most guess that she was much younger, AJ Lee looked somewhat awkward during her younger years. While some people end up looking much different as they get older, you can clearly see that she practically only looks like a grown up version of herself. Time was very kind to AJ Lee and did wonders for her as we have all come to know.

12 12. Bayley

Unlike so many female wrestlers, Bayley doesn't have the image of a Diva. She doesn't try to be steamy nor does she wear revealing ring attire. And when it comes to her personal life, she hasn't been involved in any affairs nor does she have a controversial past. Bayley has been a wrestling fan since her younger days and dreamed of growing up to become a Superstar.

As a kid and during her teen years, she certainly had an awkward look - which is pretty common during those times - but she has completely shed that image as a grown up. Despite not coming off as a Diva like some other names, there are plenty of men who have a crush on Bayley. She has also become famous for having a truly fine behind, which earned her even more fans for reasons completely unrelated to professional wrestling.

11 11. The Bella Twins

The Bella Twins are arguably the two finest female wrestlers in recent years and most would be inclined to agree. Many believe that they may have achieved even greater success in previous eras when wrestling talent meant very little and you could get by just through your appearance. But having strong connections like John Cena and Daniel Bryan has certainly helped their careers - they have their own reality show which has become popular to gain them a following outside of wrestling fans.

But looking at older photos of the twins, not many would have expected them to turn out the way they did since they looked pretty awkward during their younger years. They had become The Bellas we know by their teen years, but it didn't happen overnight which goes to show that it is entirely possible to grow up to look much better than you once did as nothing lasts forever.

10 10. Alexa Bliss

We're going back to a time when Alexa Bliss was only Four Feet Of Fury! In all seriousness, Alexa Bliss actually has a lot of childhood photos where she looks like she could've been in various commercials for kids toys or clothing. She had that classic all-American look that advertisers love. However, like any kid, Alexa went through some awkward phases of childhood, and that included getting braces at one point.

Alexa would run into more serious problems coming out of high school, as she developed an eating disorder and admitted her life was once in danger. Thankfully she was able to overcome that after discovering fitness and she's the goddess we all know and love today. Alexa definitely blossomed into someone spectacular.

9 9. Carmella

Before Carmella went on to become fabulous, she was more awkward than anything else as evident by the photo above. That's not to insult her appearance because she was never on the other end of the spectrum, but we are willing to bet that even she didn't anticipated being as hot as she is right now. And we also wouldn't be surprised that plenty of people who once knew Carmella are also impressed by her transformation.

When Carmella isn't stealing the spotlight thanks to her looks, she is usually doing so in the ring. She is currently holding a Money In The Bank briefcase and has been one of the top female wrestlers in the WWE for the past two years. She is one of the few Superstars who not only have talent, but also look just as good which as we all know is extremely valued by the company.

8 8. Paige

Paige claims to be the reason behind the Women's Revolution in the WWE and not many disagree with that notion as she was one of the better wrestlers a few years ago when the division was still behind. After assisting in pushing women's wrestling to new levels, Paige has found herself battling injuries and personal issues. More recently, it is being reported that she may be forced to retire from WWE following yet another injury.

Out of all the female wrestlers, Paige has one of the strongest followings - many admire her due to her wrestling talents but there are also those who simply have a crush on her. And while we can all agree that Paige is currently hot, that hasn't always been the case - not even a few years ago. But she went from being awkward in her teenage to early adult years to become one of the steamiest names in wrestling history.

7 7. Stephanie McMahon

Stephanie McMahon may not be a full-time wrestler but we have seen her get into the ring enough times to consider her as one, not to mention that she has been prominently featuring for so many years now. Regardless of how you may feel about her character or management style, most fans would agree that she is one of the finest women in wrestling history.

Despite being the daughter of Vince McMahon, she still found herself in the centre of many storylines that revolved around relationships, which should tell you plenty about her appearance. But believe it or not, The Billion Dollar Princess may have always been wealthy, but didn't always look as good as we know. After finding some older photos of her, it was hard to believe that was indeed Stephanie in the photos since she looked much more awkward than one would have expected.

6 6. Charlotte Flair

Charlotte has never been promoted as a sex icon nor does she try to be one, and while opinions may be divided regarding her looks - we certainly approve of her. It may be simply her awkwardness, or perhaps the fact that she resembled her father Ric Flair way too much - but Charlotte didn't always look as great as she does today. There was an old episode of WCW in which cameras rolled around Flair's home and we got to see young Charlotte, who was much more awkward and timid back then compared to now.

Her confidence has certainly grown since then to become the face of the women's division and one of the better Superstars around in the WWE. While some were iffy about Charlotte during her early run, most fans have changed their mind by now as she continues to impress day after day in and outside of the ring.

5 5. Nia Jax

Nia Jax is a pretty positive role model outside of her on-screen character, as she's sent positive messages regarding women of all shapes and sizes and how they should feel comfortable with their bodies. Jax has often talked about how she always felt insecure about her body despite eventually doing some modeling once she grew up. Even today, Nia has admitted she still has certain insecurities at times.

Well, this is a blast way from Nia's past as she and her siblings took a Christmas picture with Santa Claus and Nia still sort of had that imposing look that she does today. It'd be great if Nia eventually got a chance as a babyface where she could further spread her positive message on-screen, as well as off-screen.

4 4. Naomi

Before Naomi established herself as one of the better female Superstars, she didn't exactly give you a vibe that she would become a professional wrestler. It's safe to say that she exceeded all expectations in more ways than one, she has had an impressive career thus far while managing to look as fine as she does. She has undergone a remarkable transformation, going from looking like an awkward and timid girl to a charismatic fine looking woman.

Naomi has also found the perfect complimentary look which also enhanced her appearance, as well as helped in increasing her popularity among fans. One thing is for sure is that Naomi has always had that very same charming smile that we have all become familiar with. If you happen to be dreaming of becoming a WWE Superstar but have worries regarding your appearance, Naomi should serve as a motivation that ageing can be a wonderful thing.

3 3. Kelly Kelly

Kelly Kelly is one of those names that most would have expected to have been great looking since birth, but such wasn't the case. While we can't deny that she was cute in her own right, she still looked far too different from the Kelly that we know - and a bit too awkward for someone who ended up stealing the spotlight for many years. And while she was never known for her wrestling talent, Kelly managed to outlast a high number of female wrestlers simply due to her appearance.

She probably wouldn't have made it today unless she have significantly improved her talent as a wrestler, as it isn't enough to just be hot anymore. Kelly Kelly was a product of a different era and she rose to fame thanks to raunchy segments that would never air today. If Kelly Kelly was once awkward looking, there is no reason to think that we can't all have a similar transformation.

2 2. Natalya

Coming from a legendary wrestling family, Natalya was always destined to be a WWE Superstar. Towards her early beginnings, she appeared to be preparing to embrace the full "Diva" image as she took part in some steamy photo shoots that she wouldn't want you to see now. But due to her family background, as well as the rise of women's wrestling, Natalya became the Superstar we know today.

She may not be the most popular, talented or hottest female wrestler today, but she does combine all three which is more than we can say about fellow wrestlers. And while she may not be everyone's cup of tea, most would agree that Natalya is definitely attractive. And while she didn't look bad at all in her younger years, she didn't have that same charm that she does today and had a much more awkward look, especially if compared to her current one.

1 1. Lita

Lita is considered to be a modern pioneer for women's wrestling as she helped keep the division alive for several years. She also introduced a new, unique look that wrestling fans hadn't previously seen and everyone was quick to fall in love with her. Fans may remember Lita for various reasons, from her run with The Hardy Boyz to serving as Edge's manager, and her famous feud with Trish Stratus. She managed to become an icon for her look while also impressing in the ring - a rare feat that only few have accomplished in WWE history.

But while we can all agree that Lita sits on the top of the list for the best Divas of all time, these old photos of her will certainly shock some fans. It's safe to say that years have done wonders for Lita who went from an awkward looking teen to perhaps being WWE's most complete Diva along with Trish Stratus.