Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1975-1994
Net Worth: $150,000*
Leilani Kai hopped right into wrestling after graduating high school and was trained by the notorious Fabulous Moolah before making her 1975 debut. Leilani Kai (birth name, Patty Seymour) joined the WWF (now the WWE) and was part of its Rock ‘N Wrestling Connection, which was a fan-favorite storyline combining music and wrestling.
In 2000, while she was in the Rock ‘N Wrestling Connection, she defeated Wendi Richter and took the Women’s Champion Title (which she held onto until WrestleMania). Leilani had always wrestled for WCW briefly under the name “Stone grinder.” Today, at the age of sixty, she is considered semi-retired.
Cheerleader Melissa
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1999-Present
Net Worth: $1.5 million*
A natural athlete, Cheerleader Melissa (birth name, Melissa Anderson) joined her amateur wrestling team in high school as one of the only female competitors. She went on to train professionally and her first promotion was ChickFight, where she went head-to-head with fellow-wrestler, Wesna.
In 2008, Melissa gained recognition while working on TNA and wrestled under the names Raisha Saeed and Alissa Flash. Presently, Melissa is wrestling in the indie circuit, for promotions like Shimmer Women and Pro Wrestling Revolution. In 2019, she made number 48 on the PWI list of Top 100 Female Wrestlers.
Ayako Hamada
Birthplace: Mexico
Years Active: 1998-2018, 2019-Present
Net Worth: $500,000*
Though her name sounds Japanese, Ayako Hamada was actually born in Mexico City. However, Hamada’s wrestling career began in Japan, and the first title she ever won was the Twin Star of Arsion Championship. Hamada continued to win championships, and then transferred to TNA and thereafter to the WWE. Hamada announced her retirement in 2018 but couldn’t escape her love of wrestling and returned to AAA.
Unfortunately, she was forced to retire after she was arrested for possession of narcotics that year. Determined to stay in the world of Wrestling, Hamada returned to AAA for a Tables, Ladders, & Chairs Match against Tessa Blanchard (who defeated her in the match.)
Judy Grable
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1953-1966
Net Worth: $100,000*
Judy Grable was a pioneer for her time being a female wrestler in professional organizations during the 1950s and 60s. Grable was the youngest of six kids and was a tomboy who loved sports, fishing, and hunting, and later on, wrestling. Grable was also trained by The Fabulous Moolah and was very acrobatic. Full of surprises, Grable developed special skills during her time spent with the Ringling Brothers Circus. She was in the circus for six months before she fell off a high wire.
Grable was also nicknamed “The Barefoot Contessa” during her career because she preferred to wrestle barefoot. Grable became a bit of a legacy and one of her daughters also became a wrestler. Like mother, like daughter!
AJ Lee
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2007-2015
Net Worth: $4 Million
AJ Lee (birth name, April Jeanette Mendez) first entered the independent wrestling circuit in 2007. She signed with the WWE in 2009 and defeated Serena Mancini the following year to take the Queen of FCW title. After suffering some losses, Lee then won over Naomi in the FCW Diva’s Championship.
In 2010, she appeared in the third season of NXT and was involved in many complex storylines. Lee later won a battle royal in 2013 and, in 2014, became the longest-reigning Divas Champion. In 2015 she retired after sustaining a spinal injury.