When fans talk about Canadian pro wrestling, names like Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, and Edge are usually among the first to enter the discussion. As a result, the many talented female performers that the nation has produced are often overlooked.
In recent years, The Great White North has produced some of the best female talents to ever set foot inside the squared circle. In order to make sure these amazing ladies are given their due, we are going to highlight and rank some of the biggest female Canadian icons and rising stars in wrestling. The number one spot may not be much of a surprise, of course, but let's enjoy the ride nonetheless!
10 Laurel Van Ness
Laurel Van Ness (aka Chelsea Green) is a relatively young up and comer out of Victoria, British Columbia. Despite the fact that she’s only been performing since 2014, the 28-year-old has already accomplished a great deal since turning pro.
The former WWE Tough Enough contestant has worked for several major promotions, but is best known for her run in TNA/Impact wrestling from 2016 to 2018. Her volatile character made her a star in the promotion and led to a reign as Impact Knockout’s Champion. She went on to sign with NXT in 2018 and has a good chance to make her way further down lists like this in the coming years.
9 Allie
Holding down the number nine spot is Toronto’s own Allie. The 32-year-old began her pro wrestling journey back in 2005 and has gone on to make quite a name for herself.
She is currently signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), but is best known for her time in Impact Wrestling. While wrestling for Impact, Allie would become a breakout star and capture the Knockouts Championship on two separate occasions. Over the years, the Canadian starlet has shown a ton of versatility, portraying characters that range from a nervous assistant to a fierce, demonic wrestler. She will no doubt build on her already impressive resume in AEW.
8 Angelina Love
Angelina Love is a pro wrestler who is originally from Toronto, Ontario. The 38-year-old veteran made her in-ring debut in 2000 and has had an extremely memorable career. Love is known for being one of the most decorated females in the history of Impact (formerly known as TNA) wrestling.
This top-shelf Canadian performer broke out in 2007 as a member of TNA’s all-female faction The Beautiful People. As a singles competitor, Love captured the TNA Knockouts Championship an impressive six times. She also held the now-defunct TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship with her partner Winter. Love is currently performing in King of Honor as a member of The Allure.
7 Rosemary
Rosemary is a talented female wrestler who was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She is 35 years of age and has been in the business since 2005. Since portraying the demonic Rosemary, the Canadian performer has established herself as one of the best character wrestlers around.
Early in her career, Rosemary began to have success in Shimmer – an all-female promotion – under the ring name Courtney Rush. However, her big break came after signing with TNA (now Impact) Wrestling back in 2016. She would adopt a supernatural persona that was a big hit with fans and has a rabid cult following. Rosemary also captured the TNA Knockouts Championship in the process.
6 Taya Valkyrie
Victoria, British Columbia’s Taya Valkyrie was trained by Canadian legend Lance Strom and debuted in 2010. In less than a decade, the 35-year-old has had success in several major promotions and is regarded as one of wrestling’s top in-ring performers.
Valkyrie first made a name for herself wrestling in Mexico for Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. She would later become a star in North America after singing with Lucha Underground. The blonde grappler solidified her status as one of wrestling's top female acts after signing with Impact Wrestling. She would then go on to become the current and longest reigning Knockouts Champion – having held the title since January of 2019.
5 Velvet McIntyre
Velvet McIntyre is a name that some newer fans may not recognize. However, the Vancouver, British Columbia product was one of WWE’s top female stars in the 1980s. The now 56-year-old shared the ring with some legendary figures and had a remarkable career in her own right.
She is a former WWF Women’s Tag Team Championship who is perhaps best remembered for challenging the Fabulous Moolah at WrestleMania 2. While she would lose her WrestleMania debut, McIntyre would later defeat Moolah and captured the WWF (as it was then known) Women’s Championship in 1986. McIntyre also feuded with the Sherri Martel. In her prime, Velvet McIntyre was widely regarded as the best Canadian female wrestlers of the era.
4 Maryse Ouellet
Maryse Ouellet is a model-turned-pro-wrestler out of Montreal, Quebec. The 36-year-old former Miss Hawaiian Tropic Canada debuted as part of WWE’s Diva Search back in 2006. While she didn’t win the competition, WWE signed her anyway, and she would go on to have a remarkable career.
The French-Canadian star had a great deal of success as a singles competitor and captured the WWE Divas Championship on two separate occasions. Her star power increased after appearing on the hit E! reality show Total Divas. These days, the blonde reality star appears alongside her husband (The Miz) on another show, Miz & Mrs. In terms of name recognition, Ouellet is one of the biggest stars on our list.
3 Gail Kim
Speaking of name recognition, Gail Kim is a legendary wrestling veteran. The Toronto native has had a career for the ages and was a star in both World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Impact Wrestling.
The now-retired 42-year-old had two memorable runs in WWE, which included winning the women’s strap in her first televised match with the promotion. However, she is arguably better known for her time in Impact/TNA wrestling, where she won the Knockouts Championship seven times and earned a reputation as one of the best female performers of her era. In 2016, Kim became the first member of the TNA Hall of Fame and still works with the company as a producer.
2 Natalya
Natalya is a member of the famous Hart wrestling family, which includes her father Jim Neidhart and uncle Bret “Hitman” Hart. She has been a stand-out performer in WWE for roughly a decade and counting.
During her time in WWE, Natalya has set the standard in terms of in-ring performances in the women’s division and has helped train several other WWE stars. She is a two-time women’s champ and reality star who has appeared on the E! show, Total Divas. Her consistency and longevity in WWE have helped make her one of the most well-respected individuals in the industry.
1 Trish Stratus
It probably isn’t going to surprise anyone to see Toronto's favorite daughter Trish Stratus in the number one spot. After all, the retired 43-year-old has enough accolades to warrant their own article.
Stratus is not only one of the greatest Canadian female wrestlers of all time. One could also make the argument that she’s the best woman to have ever done it – period. The Hall of Famer, seven-time women's champ, and WWE’s “Diva of the Decade” was one of the Attitude Era’s brightest stars and perhaps the most popular female performer the company has ever seen. Her athleticism and natural charisma have helped make her a mainstream star who transcends the world of professional wrestling.