WWE's women's evolution was something that was desperately needed at the time, and when it came along it totally changed the landscape of WWE. The fans had been crying out for more women's action and for them to be taken more seriously, and when that happened it was certainly welcomed.

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Of course, every female wrestler in history played a part in making that happen, but at the time there were some very specific names. While the Four Horsewomen often gain all the plaudits for their work in driving this, there were a lot of unsung heroes at the time who were equally as important in making it all happen.

UPDATE: 2023/08/19 14:30 EST BY ANDREW KELLY

WWE’s women’s evolution was a major movement, with it really bringing to life the women’s division for the first time in decades, and even then this was perhaps the biggest shift the division had ever seen in WWE. There are many heroes of this evolution, with the most prominent including the likes of Bayley, Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and more, but there are actually many more individuals that you think who played a key role in the changes that WWE ended up making. Whether it be unsung heroes, forgotten wrestlers, or even names you might not even consider, there are more than just a few.

12 Kaitlyn

When considering AJ Lee’s importance in the women's evolution, it is easy to forget the person who helped to get AJ to that next level. Kaitlyn and AJ Lee’s feud was one of the better ones for quite some time in WWE, and their PPV match at Payback 2013 was one which was given more time than most women’s matches, and it delivered in a big way.

Kaitlyn didn’t stay in WWE too long after this, though she would’ve fit right in to what would become the new era. This match was a major step for the main roster, though Kaitlyn is the forgotten dance partner for AJ.

11 Ronda Rousey

Ronda Rousey didn’t join WWE until at least three years after the “evolution” began, but her impact is one which perhaps isn’t thought about by many. Rousey’s dominance in the UFC, becoming one of the first major female draws in sport as a whole, was a big reason why the world started looking at all other women’s sports too.

She proved that not only could females draw in a male-dominated industry, but they could also be the face of a brand and company. This changed a lot of perceptions in WWE, with many looking to Rousey and thinking “why can’t we be like that?”

10 Naomi

Naomi is someone who went under the radar for much of her WWE career, and it is easy to forget her role in the women’s evolution. She was someone who successfully made the transition from the Divas era to the new era of women’s wrestling.

She showcased the ability to play more than one style of character, working well in both shorter and longer matches. She also played a role in the Team B.A.D. faction which helped to introduce Sasha Banks to the main roster.

9 Emma

Emma is someone who it bitterly overlooked when it comes to the women's evolution because she was crucial to it all happening. Her match against Paige at NXT Takeover: Arrival is the one that really got everyone talking as they were giving lots of time and they stole the show.

It's one of the most important matches on the road to the women's evolution, yet people don't talk about Emma. While Paige rightfully gets tons of credit, it seems that Emma slips under the radar, perhaps because her WWE career didn't quite play out overall.

8 AJ Lee

Speaking of someone who had a major rivalry with Paige, AJ Lee is another name that has been slightly forgotten about over time. This is because she left the company and brought an end to her excellent run.

However, it was AJ who first got the ball rolling in a massive way when she tweeted about how WWE should 'Give Divas A Chance.' She made a big change to women's wrestling by doing that, which her in-ring performances certainly backed up.

7 Finlay

People might be thinking, how has Finlay got anything to do with women's wrestling. Well, the truth is that the Irish wrestler has tons to do with it. For years, long before the women's evolution, Finlay has always been very hands-on with the women's storylines and matches.

His work as an agent putting matches together has been crucial in this evolution. He is beloved by the women's division of the company and that is purely down to the hard work that he put in with them behind the scenes to ensure their matches were just as good.

6 Beth Phoenix

She might have just missed out on actually getting to be part of the women's evolution due to the timing of her retirement. However, there's no doubt that her work in the years prior to it happening had a key impact on the division overall.

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Beth Phoenix was a totally different type of wrestler to what the company had at the time. She was physical and wanted to have actual wrestling matches, making everything as good as the men's work, which is why she was so popular.

5 Sara Del Rey

There is no doubt that the Four Horsewomen really were the driving forces of the women's evolution due to their incredible work together. However, behind the scenes, it was Sara Del Rey putting the work in as the trainer for the women's division at the Performance Center.

Sara Del Rey has always been considered to be one of the best women's wrestlers of all time, and that training certainly helped others. While she didn't do the work on television, behind the scenes, Sara was as big a part of things as anybody else.

4 Renee Young

Another woman who played a massive part in the women's evolution was Renee Young. While she may not have been a wrestler, she was still a massive part of the product, driving the importance of women on the card overall.

She broke boundaries within the broadcasting world of WWE and has gone down as one of the most popular women of all time. Renee deserves all the credit she gets, but she also deserves plaudits for her work in the evolution as well.

3 Asuka

When people think about Asuka, fans automatically just think of women's wrestling being a steady part of the product by that point. However, the truth is that the women's evolution was only just getting started and every step was still crucial.

Asuka came in and took the division to new heights. Her incredibly dominant run in NXT (and for some time on the main roster) was something that hadn't been seen in women's wrestling before. That instantly caught the attention of everyone, with her Takeover matches often being the most important on any card.

2 Natalya

Natalya often doesn't get the credit that she deserves for her impact on the women's division. She wrestled all the way through some of WWE's weakest moments in terms of women's wrestling when there were matches that got no time, and yet Nattie still thrived.

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She helped raise the standard of the entire division and was a constant professional. No matter what segment she was given, Natalya made the most of it, and while she was never the main story, that doesn't mean she didn't play a huge role in the division's growth.

1 The Bella Twins

There are lots of people who won't want to admit it, but The Bella Twins were a massive part of the women's evolution. Outside of the ring, Total Divas had a huge part to play in drawing more interest to the women of WWE in general.

However, inside the ring, they were just as influential. They worked hard to make massive improvements and Nikki Bella's run with the Divas Championship was a fantastic one packed full of great matches, and it really helped raise the stakes of the entire division.