Over the past several years, WWE has shown more of an interest in booking strong women's wrestling, with a number of stars truly breaking out as some of the most popular WWE Superstars, regardless of gender. WWE's women's roster is at any given time a mix of long-time veterans, up-and-coming young studs, and legends returning for one more run. But who exactly is the best in the company right now?

UPDATE: 2024/04/06 14:30 EST BY ETHAN SCHLABAUGH

Now that the WWE is finally in WrestleMania season, there is no better time than now to look at the entirety of the WWE women's roster and see who has had a stand-out year. There are plenty of names to give praise to, and many more will start to change the tides in the company soon. Ranging from top contenders to stars who have been slowly rising up the rankings, here are some of the best of the best in WWE at this moment.

21 Chelsea Green Is Set For A Huge 2024 In WWE

Her Character Work Is Turning Heads

• Chelsea Green Returned With A New "Karen" Gimmick In 2023
• She Became One Half Of The WWE Women's Tag Team Champions
• WWE Is Looking To Push Green In 2024

Although Chelsea Green hasn't had a load of extended opportunities to showcase her skills in longer matches in WWE, it is her character work that has allowed her to shine over the last several months.

Green may have lost the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles recently, but her character work within that reign was great, plus, it allowed the titles to have some meaning and presence for the first time in a while.

20 Lola Vice Won The NXT Breakout Tournament

Lola Vice Will Be On Top Of NXT By The End Of 2024

• Made Her On-Screen Debut Against Dani Palmer On NXT Level Up.
• Took Part In The Fourth NXT Women's Breakout Tournament.
• Won The Tournament After Beating Kelani Jordan at NXT Halloween Havoc 2023.

Just making her on-screen debut in 2023, Lola Vice was able to rise to the top rather quickly as she entered the NXT Women's Breakout Tournament alongside names like Kelani Jordan and Karmen Petrovic. Vice was able to secure the victory against Jordan at Halloween Havoc and now holds a contract guaranteeing her a title shot for the NXT Women's Championship whenever she wants.

With this in her back pocket, Vice is now a name for NXT fans to keep an eye on, as she can easily become the NXT Women's Champion at any moment. Seeds have been planted with Lyra Valkyria and Lola coming face to face on NXT.

19 Zoey Stark Is Coming Into Her Own

Working With Trish Stratus & Shayna Baszler Has Been A Huge Help

• Challenged For The Women's World Championship At Crown Jewel & Survivor Series 2023.
• Had A Stellar Storyline With Becky Lynch & Trish Stratus in 2023.
• Has Started Focusing On A Tag Run With Shayna Baszler.

Zoey Stark started in the NXT brand in 2021 to not much fanfare at first before starting to impress the crowd with her athletic style of wrestling. After some time in the black and gold brand, Stark is finally getting the chance to show off on the main roster to much larger audiences. Stark got to main-event Raw with Lynch as well on the August 28th episode, before attempting to help Stratus get the victory over Lynch during their Steel Cage match at Payback.

Stark turned on Stratus after the match due to Stratus slapping Stark and yelling at her. Stark is now starting a partnership with Shayna Baszler following a loss against her on Raw. With Trish Stratus not being the focal point of Stark's career now, hopefully, fans will get to see her more on the mic and start to develop more of a character besides being tough. 2024 is a make-or-break year for her.

18 Nia Jax Has Shown Improvement Since Her WWE Return

WWE Brought Nia Jax Back Last Year

• Nia Jax's Mic Work Has Been Much Stronger Since Her Return
• She Defeated Becky Lynch In The Best Match Of Her Career
• Fans Are Responding To Nia Jax More Than In The Past

There were some groans when Nia Jax returned to WWE in September, but it is hard to deny that she has been great since returning. Jax has felt like a very real threat, her matches have been far better, and her character work feels more fine-tuned.

Perhaps Jax was someone else who needed some time away to then re-find herself upon a return, like many others such as Cody Rhodes, Jinder Mahal, and Drew McIntyre. She is certainly one of the best larger performers in the women's division for sure, and is earning her spot among the better workers in the company right now too, especially if she keeps up this momentum.

17 Dakota Kai Sided With Damage CTRL

Fans Are Happy To See Her Return From Injury

• Captured The Women's Tag Team Titles Twice With Iyo Sky.
• Tore Her ACL During A Title Defense.
• Was Managing The Other Members Of Damage CTRL.

After returning to the WWE at SummerSlam 2022 alongside Bayley and Iyo Sky, Dakota Kai quickly became a vital asset to the WWE women's tag division. Kai and Iyo started the year as champions and both participated in the Royal Rumble, with Kai earning five eliminations. Whether being a face or heel, Kai has proven herself on the mic and fans are already into her as far as in-ring skill goes.

Kai would finally return from her injury and quickly reinserted herself in a huge storyline as she turned on Bayley, siding with the other members of Damage CTRL. She is now going to be participating in a huge six-woman tag alongside Kairi Sane & Asuka to take on Naomi, Bianca Belair, & jade Cargill at WrestleMania 40.

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15 Zelina Vega Is The WWE's Female Underdog Babyface

Started To Really Stand Out As A Singles Competitor

• Challenged For The Women's World Title At Backlash.
• Has Been A Major Part Of The LWO Storyline.
• Challenged For The WWE Women's Title On SmackDown.

2023 was a stand-out year for Zelina Vega, getting the chance to be in featured matches and feuds more than she ever has been. Two years ago, Zelina became the first-ever Queen of the Ring, and at the start of 2022, she captured her first championship in WWE when Carmella and herself won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships.

Last year she has really shown what she can do as an underdog babyface. Zelina got the chance to represent Puerto Rico during the Backlash event, wrestling against Rhea Ripley. Vega and the rest of the Latino World Order have also been given a massive amount of screen time, really helping Vega have a second coming on the WWE roster. A few more big wins could really help any remaining non-believers in her case as a competitor for any titles.

14 Raquel Rodriguez Became A Threat

Stood Her Ground Against Rhea Ripley

• Challenged For The Women's World Championship Twice.
• Captured the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles Twice.
• Became The Most Decorated Women's Tag Team Wrestler In WWE.

Another name that benefited from their work against Rhea Ripley last year is Raquel Rodriguez. She and Liv Morgan won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships twice in 2023, beating big names like Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey.

Her feud against Ripley during Payback pushed Raquel up as an actual threat to Ripley's title reign despite the loss at the event. Another loss on the September 11th episode of Raw now pushed her down the rankings and fans are wondering what might be coming next. Rodriquez is in desperate need of a gimmick change/new character to put her over the top.

13 Shayna Baszler Ended Things With Ronda Rousey

Has Been Teaming With Zoey Stark

• Held The WWE Women's Tag Team Titles.
• Beat Ronda Rousey At SummerSlam in a maligned MMA Rules match.
• Challenged For The Women's World Title At Crown Jewel 2023.

The year started with Shayna Baszler teaming with Ronda Rousey to win the Women's WrestleMania Showcase fatal four-way tag team match before capturing the WWE Women's Tag Team titles. The two beat Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn to unify the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship not long after.

Baszler then became the breakout star of the team when she turned on Rousey at Money in the Bank, leading to a match between the two at SummerSlam, one that Baszler would win. Now Baszler has been positioned more as a badass as she always should have been, doing some good work alongside Zoey Stark as a team, and being a part of Nia Jax's return storyline. Baszler got to have some fun over WrestleMania weekend as she competed against Masha Slamovich at Josh Barnett's Bloodsport event.

12 Charlotte Flair Is One Of WWE's Mainstays

Despite An Unfortunate Injury, Flair Is Still A Big Deal In WWE

• Captured The SmackDown Women's Title At The End Of 2022.
• Had An Amazing Match Against Rhea Ripley At WrestleMania 39.
• Was On The Winning Team Of Survivor Series WarGames 2023.

Charlotte Flair started 2023 off hot as she beat Ronda Rousey to capture the SmackDown Women's Championship and put the belt on the line against Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania. The two had a stellar performance and saw Flair take a couple of months off before returning and immediately challenging for the WWE Women's Championship.

She stuck around and even was a part of the winning team at Survivor Series WarGames alongside Lynch, Belair, and Shotzi. Shortly after Survivor Series, however, Flair would be on the receiving end of an ACL, MCL, and meniscus injury that is keeping her on the shelf for nine months, missing out on the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 40.

11 Jade Cargill Is A True Superstar

With More Time On TV, Fans Will Get To See That

• Had A Dominant Showing At The Royal Rumble.
• Gives Off A Superstar Aura That Not Many Have.
• Is Getting Her First WrestleMania Match Alongside Some WWE Veterans.

Despite only having a few appearances under her belt in the WWE, Cargill has proven that she has a uniqueness that not many in the company possess. Her upcoming WrestleMania debut could be the launching point for a more constant appearance and the potential to start vying for a title or two.

Her run in the Royal Rumble at the start of the year was a little teaser into what the WWE and Cargill can do together, and that left fans dying to see more from her.

10 Liv Morgan Is A Top Contender

Her Positions At The Royal Rumble And Elimination Chamber Prove That

• Captured The WWE Women's Tag Titles Twice.
• Lasted 1:01:07 In The 2023 Royal Rumble.
• Starred In The Film "The Kill Room" And Made A Guest Appearance In The Chucky TV Series.

Coming off one of the best years of her career in 2022 and becoming a fan-favorite name in the WWE Universe, Liv Morgan got the chance to run with the SmackDown Women's Championship and put on a decent feud against Ronda Rousey. The start of 2023 saw Morgan last over an hour in the Rumble before getting eliminated last by Rhea Ripley. Morgan also avenged her Extreme Rules loss to Ronda Rousey when she and Raquel beat the duo at Money in the Bank to start their 2nd title reign.

With a relatable charm on promos and great in-ring skills accompanied by some clever and hard-to-pull-off moves, Morgan has all the makings to be a much bigger star as time rolls on. She made her return at the Royal Rumble, coming out at number 30 and being the runner-up for the second year in a row. Her spot on the card was confirmed even more when she was the final person eliminated in the Elimination Chamber for a shot at Rhea Ripley's title.

9 Tiffany Stratton Is WWE's Resident Barbie

Proving That It Is Always Tiffy Time

• Made A Return From Injury At NXT: New Year's Evil 2023.
• Captured The NXT Women's Championship At NXT Battleground 2023.
• Had A Great Feud With Becky Lynch Over The Belt.

Tiffany Stratton returned to NXT after a head injury kept her out of action. Her first match back saw her get a win over Indi Hartwell and participate in the ladder match at NXT Stand & Deliver. After making it to the finals of an eight-woman tournament to crown a new champion after Hartwell vacated the belt, Stratton beat Lyra Valkyrie for the title at NXT Battleground.

Stratton defended the belt against names like Thea Hail and Kiana James before moving into a feud with Becky Lynch over the belt. Lynch beat Stratton and became the NXT Women's Champion on the September 12th episode of NXT. Starting as the Daddy's Little Girl character, Stratton has come into her own, proving to be a great competitor and amazing on the microphone. Now on the main roster, Stratton has been very well-received by the fans and is slowly becoming a fan favorite.

8 Lyra Valkyria Controls The NXT Women's Division

Worked An Amazing Match Against Becky Lynch

• Picked Up Wins Over Names Like Cora Jade, Amari Miller, And Ivy Nile.
• Faced Tiffany Stratton For The NXT Women's Title At NXT Battleground 2023.
• Beat Becky Lynch For The NXT Women's Title At NXT Halloween Havoc 2023.

Joining the U.S. branch of NXT in late 2022, Lyra Valkyria has been hovering around the NXT Women's Championship since her arrival. 2023 alone saw her challenge for the belt at NXT Stand & Deliver and NXT Battleground. Lyra impressed fans during her time in NXT UK but now is getting to mix it up with some of the best in the promotion at the moment, plus she has also shown her skills on the microphone more recently during her work with Rhea Ripley.

Racking up wins against names like Ivy Nile and Cora Jade en route to these title matches. She had some big moments, like a great match against Ripley, where she was able to impress the champion. This led to her facing Lynch for the NXT Women's Championship and becoming the new champ.

7 WWE Officials Have Loved Roxanne Perez

The Main Roster Is Waiting For Her

• Competed In Her First Royal Rumble At The 2023 event.
• Held The NXT Women's Championship After Winning It In 2022.
• Is Rumored For A Main Roster Call-Up Here Soon.

Roxanne Perez was flying high at the start of last year, entering as the NXT Women's Champion and competing in her first Royal Rumble match. NXT Vengeance Day saw her retain against Gigi Dollin and Jacy Jayne in a triple threat and a follow-up match against Meiko Satomura at Roadblock.

Her reign ended at 109 days when Indi Hartwell captured the belt at NXT Stand & Deliver. Perez lost her rematch for the belt and moved into a feud against Blair Davenport, leading to a Weapons Wild match at The Great American Bash, with Roxanne emerging as the victor. The fanbase that Roxanne has created for herself on social media is impressive, to say the least, with many accounts just dedicating their time to hyping her up whenever she is on-screen. Whatever happens after NXT Stand & Deliver, rumors have been swirling that WWE higher-ups want her on the main roster immediately.

6 Bayley Has Done It All In The WWE

Her Rumble Win Etched Her Legacy Even More

• Her Match Against IYO SKY Has Been Hyped Up For WrestleMania.
• Her Character Work In Damage CTRL Has Helped The Group.
• She Had A Strong Showing Inside WarGames.

Ever since returning from her injury in 2022, it has taken Bayley some time to find her best form. Recently, her work in the Damage CTRL group started to bring out the best in her. With some great subtle character work and a long overdue babyface run finally arriving.

She helped carry the women's division in both NXT and on RAW & SmackDown during the pandemic, but hasn't been shown the right level of booking and respect for a while. That looked to change this year as WWE is starting to push Bayley once again as a top name, with her being one of the most talented names on the roster. The face turn has worked wonders for Bayley, with many fans wanting to see her dethrone IYO SKY at WrestleMania after everything the two have been through.

5 Asuka Made A Major Character Change

Brought Back A Character She Portrayed In Japan

• Made A Return At The 2023 Royal Rumble.
• Won An Elimination Chamber Match To Challenge For The Raw Women's Title.
• Became The First Holder Of The New WWE Women's Championship.

Asuka had a change in character at the Royal Rumble when she emerged with new face paint and a different attitude. Showcasing her venture to Japan on social media and teasing the concept of being the same performer she was before coming to the WWE. Her return at the Rumble saw her almost win the match before getting eliminated by Rhea Ripley. After the draft, Asuka entered a feud against Bianca Belair over the Raw Women's Championship with a match happening at Night of Champions.

Asuka beat Belair to capture the belt for her third time and was crowned with the new WWE Women's Championship on SmackDown. Asuka held the belt for 70 days before losing to Bianca Belair in a triple threat at SummerSlam. After suffering a title loss to Belair and being pushed away from the title picture, all it will take is another big win over a name like Charlotte or Bayley to get her back in the spotlight. Asuka has proven to be a vital member for IYO SKY's new Damage CTRL.

4 Even Without Championship Gold, Bianca Belair Is Still At The Top Of Her Game

Has Been A Constant In The Title Scene

• Held The Raw Women's Championship For 420 days.
• Retained Her Title At WrestleMania 39.
• Remained Near The Top Even Without her Title.

Bianca Belair entered 2023 as the Raw Women's Champion, a title she won back at WrestleMania 38 against Becky Lynch. Things started with a feud against Alexa Bliss at the Royal Rumble. After retaining, Belair faced Iyo Sky at Backlash and became the longest-reigning Raw Women's Champion, surpassing Becky Lynch's reign of 398 days.

Belair lost the belt to Asuka at Night of Champions but quickly became champion again once she beat Charlotte Flair and Asuka at SummerSlam for the WWE Women's Championship. That same night saw Iyo Sky cash in her Money in the Bank briefcase, beating Belair. Now getting the chance to take a little bit of time away from the ring, fans are already anticipating her return and can't wait to see what she does next. Hopefully, with the arrival of Jade Cargill into the company, a dream match could be on the horizon.

3 Becky Lynch Became A Grand Slam Champion In 2023

Plus Had A Contender For Feud Of The Year

• Captured The NXT Women's Championship On An Episode Of NXT.
• Feuded With Trish Stratus During The Summer.
• Has Been Working Outside Wrestling Such As Releasing An Autobiography.

As mentioned before, Becky Lynch was a part of the feud at the start of the year against Damage CTRL, a feud that saw her capture the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, becoming a Triple Crown Champion. After losing the belts, Lynch and Stratus started a feud, with the end coming at Payback 2023, where Lynch beat Stratus in a Steel Cage match.

After that feud ended, Lynch went straight into a feud against Tiffany Stratton over the NXT Women's Championship, even going to NXT to challenge the champion and win the belt for the first time, officially making her a Grand Slam Champion. Lynch held the NXT Women's title and started feuds against names that hadn't got much time to shine, such as Tegan Nox, while continuing her feud against Tiffany. Lynch dropped the NXT Women's title to Lyra Valkyria before moving back to the main roster and kicked off her WrestleMania title feud against Rhea Ripley.

2 Iyo Sky Is Finally Reaching Her Main Roster Potential

Cashed In To Become WWE Women's Champion

• Won The Money In The Bank Ladder match.
• Won The WWE Women's Championship At SummerSlam.
• Retained Her Belt against Bianca Belair At Crown Jewel.

IYO SKY is a legendary name in the world of Stardom and Joshi wrestling and has been given the chance to show off once more now that she is the WWE Women's Champion. SKY won the title off of Bianca Belair after Belair had a match against Asuka and Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam.

IYO used her Money in the Bank briefcase to capture the belt and has been notching together solid performances but more importantly, has shown more character in her Damage CTRL turmoil storyline than ever before in WWE. A major helping point for Sky was the decision by WWE to let stars deliver promos in different languages, giving fans a fun moment between Asuka and Sky in 2023. Whether she remains a champion after WrestleMania is yet to be seen, fans can still expect some amazing work from her.