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!
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.)
Leilani Kai
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.
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.
Taya Valkyrie
Birthplace: Canada
Years Active: 2010-Present
Net Worth: $1.5 Million
Taya Valkyrie (birth name, Kira Renee Forster) was actually a classically trained ballerina before taking on a more gritty persona in women’s wrestling. She began her training at Storm Wrestling Academy in 2010 and competed exclusively in Canada. Although Valkyrie signed with the WWE in 2011, she never made an official debut and decided to return to the independent circuit in Canada. She made a debut for AAA Lucha Libre Worldwide in 2012 as a part of a six-member tag team match.
Valkyrie continued to appear on AAA Lucha Libre Worldwide but transitioned to Lucha Underground in 2016. As of today, she can be seen full time in various AAA promotions.