Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2002-Present
Net Worth: $6.67 million*
Awesome Kong, also known as Kharma, was born in 1977 as Kia Stevens in California. She is well-known for her career with TNA and is a two-time Knockouts Champ. Stevens debuted in 2002 after appearing on a reality TV show and immediately stood out among her competitors for her tall, formidable frame.
She wrestled in Japan for five years and later in the U.S. on TNA. Currently, Stevens stars on the Netflix show GLOW.
Trish Stratus
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 2000-Present
Net Worth: $8 million*
Trish Stratus first became a recognizable face as a fitness model. She eventually made her way over to WWE and entered the ring. Stratus made a name for herself as a technical wrestler, but she really drew attention when she took the Diva of the Decade Award. Stratus became a mainstay of the WWE franchise as well as a trainer for a WWE spin-off show, called Tough Enough.
In 2013 she was inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame. Stratus is married to a bodybuilder, Ron Fisico, and, at age forty-four, is still involved in the WWE.
Natalya
Birthplace: Canada
Years Active: 2000-Present
Net Worth: $5 million*
Canadian-born Natalya Neidhart was the first woman to be a third-generation wrestler. Natalya was trained as a wrestler by her uncles, Bruce and Ross Hart, and debuted for Stampede in 2003. After competing independently for a few years, she wrestled in Japan and England before returning to America.
Natalya won two championships in 2005 and 2006, and shortly after, she received a contract offer from the WWE. While in the WWE, Natalya won the SmackDown Women’s Championship at SummerSlam in 2017. Today she is currently a member of Total Divas.
Becky Lynch
Birthplace: Ireland
Years Active: 2010-Present
Net Worth: $4 million*
Irish wrestler, Becky Lynch (birth name, Rebecca Quin) began wrestling as a teenager and entered the independent market in 2005. She became a part of SuperGirls Wrestling in Canada and eventually went to Shimmer Women Athletes in 2006. After suffering a serious head injury in 2006, Lynch took a six-year break from wrestling (appearing only a few times to perform) to focus on her health. She returned full-time in 2013, signed a contract with WWE.
She was the first female to be drafted to the SmackDown brand in 2016 and defeated Natalya in the first match. In 2019, she became the first woman to win the Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Most Popular Wrestler of the Year. As of May 2020, Lynch is on maternity leave.
Mildred Burke
Birthplace: USA
Years Active: 1935-1955
Net Worth: $10,000*
Mildred Burke (birth name, Mildred Bliss) was a stenographer before she became a wrestler. Burke became interested in wrestling after she discovered that wrestling promoter, Billy Wolfe, was training female wrestlers.
Wolfe would not work with Burke at first and refused to train her. He even asked a male wrestler to body slam her in order to discourage her. In a counter-move, Burke body-slammed the male wrestler instead, and Wolfe realized Burke was a serious contender. Though they were not necessarily friends, in the beginning, she and Wolfe later married. In 1955, Burke retired after a twenty-year career.