WWE: Ranking the 10 Most Memorable Divas Never to Capture a Championship

Trish Stratus. Lita. Victoria. Mickie James. Sable. Michelle McCool.

These women are among the most memorable and beloved women in the history of sports-entertainment. For Women's Champions, they dominated the Divas division in World Wrestling Entertainment during their time with the company. They are highly-decorated women, having held the championships of their division on multiple occasions.

For every WWE Diva to capture gold, however, there are dozens of others who were never given the opportunity to wear a championship. Some of those women were Diva Search failures who stayed long enough to have their names spoken by a WWE announcer, then were quickly released due to their uselessness. Others were long-tenured employees and even among the most popular women on the roster.

These are the most memorable WWE Divas never to capture a championship during their time in the company.

Torrie Wilson

Torrie Wilson was arguably the most popular WWE Diva during her stay with the company, which lasted from 2001 until her departure in 2007. In that span, she graced the cover of Playboy magazine twice, was featured in numerous magazine spreads, captured the illustrious (*ahem*) Golden Thong Award at the first, and last, WWE Divas Undressed special and was the unquestioned face of the Divas division on Smackdown during the program's hot streak in 2002.

Torrie was also one of the most marketed and printed Divas in history, appearing on program covers, promotional materials, pay-per-view posters and was even featured in the WWE Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain video game commercial.

Despite her overall popularity, Torrie was never given the opportunity to hold the Women's Championship. For whatever reason, the powers-that-be never saw fit to give one of their most visible stars a run with the gold. One can hardly blame them. At Torrie's peak, the Divas division was populated with talented in-ring performers, such as Trish Stratus, Lita, Jazz, Molly Holly, Ivory and Victoria. At that point in the division's history, focus was as much on in-ring production as it was beauty and story-telling. Torrie, for all her positives, was never a strong wrestler. Perhaps that weakness cost her a golden opportunity.

Despite her lack of championship credentials, Torrie Wilson was responsible for some of the most entertaining gimmick matches in the history of the industry. Whether it was the Bra and Panties match, the Paddle on a Pole match, the School Girl match or the Wet and Wild match, she is responsible for many of the lighter-hearted moments in WWE Divas history. Torrie's "girl next door" personality and supermodel beauty made her one of the most sympathetic and beloved women in sports-entertainment history.

Maria Kanellis

Maria Kanellis was always slightly different from the other Diva Search rejects that managed to make the WWE roster. Other beauties came and went, rarely showing any signs of the intangibles that make a successful Diva. Those women were all looks with little or no substance. Maria initially stumbled out of the gate but would go on to succeed in the company as one of its few female characters, with a bubbly personality and typically positive attitude.

During her time with the company, Maria would serve as a backstage interviewer, a valet and on-screen girlfriend to Santino Marella and an in-ring competitor. She would become a very popular member of the Divas roster but, because of more talented in-ring workers such as Mickie James and Michelle McCool, would never achieve the goal of becoming champion.

Ariel

Shelly Martinez's departure from World Wrestling Entertainment was highly controversial. A backstage run-in between Martinez and former multi-time World Champion Dave Batista resulted in her unceremonious termination from the company and a huge, HUGE missed opportunity for Vince McMahon and the creative team.

In the summer of 2006, Shelly and WWE developmental star, Kevin Fertig, debuted as a part of the ECW re-launch. With the Sci-Fi network suggesting more science-fiction-friendly characters, the creative team introduced Fertig and Martinez as a duo of vampires. At the time, the vampire gimmick seemed out of place, if not cool. It also seemed to be a retread of the Gangrel gimmick, which had gotten over to a degree in the Attitude era.

Kevin Thorn and Ariel were one of the few really interesting gimmicks to be introduced during the "New Breed" era of the relaunched ECW brand. They were moderately successful during their shortened run but, had WWE been aware of the absolute explosion of the vampire genre in film, television and popular culture, the company likely would have overlooked the spat between Shelly and Batista and retained her services.

Dawn Marie

In 2002, Dawn Marie and Torrie Wilson were apart of one of the most ludicrous, idiotic, moronic storylines in the history of professional wrestling. Despite that, however, Dawn Marie proved to be one of the more talented heel Divas on the WWE roster.

Dawn was an affective talker who could get over just by being the bitchy and conniving woman that would stop at nothing to gain an advantage, even marrying the father of her most hated rival. Never the strongest in-ring competitor, and a member of the Smackdown roster far before WWE implemented a second women's title in 2008, Dawn Marie was never afforded the opportunity to hold championship gold in the company. She was released from World Wrestling Entertainment in 2005 when it was revealed she was pregnant.

Terri Runnels

If ever there was a prime example of a "company woman," it would be Terri Runnels. During her seven-year stay with WWE, she performed under two different characters and was involved in some of the most memorable (at times entertaining and, at others, embarrassing) moments during the company's hottest period.

Entering WWE as Marlena, the director/valet for the enigmatic and controversial Goldust, Terri established herself as one of the hottest women in the company and one of the top managers/valets in what was becoming a dying art form. In 1997, Marlena and Goldust split on screen just as their marriage off screen was deteriorating.

In 1998, Terri returned to television as the lover of Goldust's rival, Val Venis. After a two-month fling, she broke away and formed the Pretty Mean Sisters (yes, that's PMS; gotta love Vince Russo), a duo also involving Jacqueline that lashed out against the men they believed had treated them poorly. It was a mildly entertaining group but, like most stories during the Russo-fueled Crash TV days not involving Steve Austin, it was dropped prematurely and Terri was left with little or nothing to do.

That would change when she was paired with another beautiful blonde who had nothing better to do, The Kat. The exchanges between the two were often cheesy but they proved to be entertaining at least and led to a blow-off between the two at the 2000 SummerSlam event, when they met in the first, and only, "Thong Stink Face Match" in WWE history. From there, Terri would serve as manager to Saturn and Raven before becoming a backstage interviewer. She left the company in 2003.

Terri Runnels was never in position to be a champion in WWE. Regardless, she was a loyal employee who was never hesitant to perform in an angle as long as it was entertaining for the fans of the product.

Luna Vachon

Perhaps the most unique woman in the history of WWE, many wondered if Luna Vachon was simply living the gimmick or if there was, legitimately, something off.

Luna debuted with WWE in 1993 at WrestleMania 9, when she accompanied Shawn Michaels to the ring for his match with Tatanka. From there, she would serve as manager for Bam Bam Bigelow and be featured prominently in the "Beast from the East's" rivalry with Doink the Clown and his sidekick, Dink. After the on-air relationship dissolved, Luna managed Bull Nakano in her feud with Alundra Blayze over the Women's Championship.

Luna would return to the company in late 1997, partnering with the Artist Formerly Known As Goldust to form the most bizarre pairing in history. When the Goldust character was temporarily retired in the spring of 1998, Luna once again found herself directionless...until a certain faction of Oddities debuted. She would manage Golga, Giant Silva and Kurgaan throughout the rest of 1998 before turning heel and feuding with Sable in early 1999.

A short return in 2000 was largely forgettable. Unfortunately, Gertrude "Luna" Vachon passed away in 2010. One of the more underrated in-ring performers of her time, and the adopted daughter of Butcher and niece of Mad Dog and Vivan Vachon, Luna had wrestling in her blood and is, perhaps, the saddest example of a woman not to capture gold during her time with WWE.

Stacy Keibler

A former Baltimore Ravens cheerleader, Stacy Keibler entered the chaotic world of wrestling during the dying days of World Championship Wrestling, the winner of a contest to become the new Nitro Girl. When the company was purchased by WWE, however, Stacy's contract was a part of the deal and the leggy blond from Baltimore would become one of the most popular women in wrestling.

Stacy Keibler was the rare woman capable of playing either heel or babyface effectively. On one hand, she could portray the snobby, spoiled blond who used male superstars to get what she wanted, or she could play the beautiful, sympathetic babyface.

Stacy was very much the equivalent to today's Kelly Kelly. She had limited skill inside the ring, but her beauty and her attitude, not to mention her forty-one-and-a-half inch legs made her one of the most popular stars on the roster. The closest she ever came to capturing the Women's Championship was a short, month-long feud with Trish Stratus in 2004.

Stacy departed from WWE in 2005. She appeared in several television programs after leaving. Today, she dates some guy named George.

Ashley Massaro

Ashley Massaro won the 2005 edition of the WWE Diva Search for several reasons. The first was her connection with the fans. Throughout the competition, she gave out her cell phone number and e-mail address. She was accessible for those that had supported her throughout the competition and that was appealing to many. Secondly, she was different. While every other woman in the competition was transparent, a model looking to hit it big fast, Ashley embraced the "punk rocker" persona and set herself apart from her Barbie doll opposition.

In 2006, Ashley was the centerpiece in a rivalry between Trish Stratus and Mickie James over the Women's Championship that fans still look back at admirably. After a very serious injury sidelined her, Ashley returned and in 2007, graced the cover of Playboy. She even competed for the Women's title on the grandest stage the sport has to offer, in front of 80,000 fans at WrestleMania 23.

Ashley would be criticized, however, for numerous backstage instances in which many questioned if she was in any shape to perform. Drug rumors persisted and, in 2009, Ashley was released from her contract with World Wrestling Entertainment.

Christy Hemme

The winner of the inaugural Diva Search competition, Christy became one of the more popular Divas on the roster during her short stay with WWE.

Her most memorable moment with the company came at WrestleMania 21, when the highest-selling Playboy cover girl in WWE history challenged Trish Stratus for the Women's Championship. The match was critically panned, but Christy gained experience. In July of 2005, she feuded with Victoria and appeared to be slowly but steadily improving in the ring. In the fall, she was moved to Smackdown, where she managed the new Legion of Doom (Animal and Heidenreich) and appeared to be on track for a rivalry with Melina.

Suddenly, in December of 2005, Christy was unceremoniously released from her WWE contract. She would go on to fill many a role in TNA Wrestling, where she is currently employed as ring announcer for the Impact program every Thursday night on Spike TV.

Sunny

Perhaps the most influential woman in the history of sports-entertainment.

Sunny (real name Tammy Sytch) was the original Diva. A woman capable of getting over with the fans based on her sex appeal, Sunny was a manager, hostess, commentator, ring announcer and referee during her time with WWE (1995-1998).

Debuting as the manager for Skip, her real life boyfriend Chris Candido, Sunny would manage no less than three teams to tag team championship gold in 1996. She would once again slip into the role of manager in 1998 when she led the reunited Legion of Doom to victory at WrestleMania 14 in a gigantic tag team battle royal.

Off-screen demons would lead to Sunny's release from her WWE contract some time in 1998. From there, she appeared in ECW and WCW before focusing mostly on the independent scene.

Sunny was the first woman to prove marketable in the world of wrestling. She was a pioneer for women in the sport to fill a more profound role. In many ways, Sunny became bigger than the talent she managed. She was a pivotal part of Vince McMahon's company during its transition towards the Attitude Era.

In 2011, Sunny was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, a well-deserved honor.