Power Ranking Most Thrilling WWE Divas Matches of 2015

Through a succession of stellar bouts, women like Sasha Banks reshaped the definition of a WWE Diva in 2015.

The more dramatic and ferocious matches they produced at both WWE and NXT, the harder it was to even use the term "Divas." Again and again, Charlotte, Nikki Bella, Becky Lynch, Bayley and others tore the house down, demanding by way of their performances to be called "wrestlers" instead.

The year will be remembered for the clashes that comprised what WWE came to call the Divas Revolution.

Banks and Bayley put on two instant classics. Lynch scrapped her way to near victory in a hard-hitting contest. Charlotte's championship pursuits produced some memorable matches, too.

Which of these women's bout most thrilled? The depth of the narrative, the excitement of the action and the number of big moments help answer that question. On top of that, how much emotion these matches stirred up helps place them in order.

Honorable Mention

• Nia Jax vs. Bayley (NXT TakeOver: London)
• Charlotte vs. Nikki Bella (Night of Champions)
• Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte (NXT, March 4)

A few years back, any of these matches would have been far and away the best women's bout of the year. The competition has stiffened of late, though.

This trio of clashes deserves kudos, but each lacked an element that 2015's very best offerings delivered. 

For Jax vs. Bayley, it didn't boast nearly as much action or as many big spots as other matches on the list. This was more of a grind-it-out affair—more dependent on its story than its highlights.

Still, the David-versus-Goliath narrative was well-told, well-worked and continued Bayley's impressive run as NXT women's champ.  

Charlotte and Nikki thrived against each other at Night of Champions, but they outdid themselves in the rematch that followed. This was more of a one-note song with Nikki working over the resilient challenger in repetitive fashion.

The intensity that they exuded and the power of Charlotte finally ending Nikki's historic title run makes this well worth saluting, though.

Banks and Charlotte's excellent chemistry made for strong work earlier in the year. It didn't, though, have the buildup or story behind it that other Banks and Charlotte bouts had later on.

It was two talented performers putting on an excellent wrestling display. The year boasted a wealth of that, and some simply managed to resonate more.

7. Charlotte vs. Paige (Raw, Nov. 23)

Paige looked her best all year against Charlotte in a rematch of their WWE Divas Championship match at Survivor Series.

At the pay-per-view, the rivals were too respectful of each other, even after as intense as their issues got. That wasn't a problem here. The smashmouth slugfest they had on Raw outdid the PPV bout. 

Viciousness powered it. They knocked each other around with haymakers. And they told the story of two friends-turned-allies better this time around.

Paige clamping on the PTO atop the table to cap off a post-match brawl served as the exclamation point.

As it was meant to be a setup for them meeting again at TLC, it felt a touch unfinished. It was a transitional chapter that managed to outdo the more marquee matches before and after it.

6. Charlotte vs. Nikki Bella (Hell in a Cell)

Nikki Bella vs. Charlotte was the kind of vicious, hard-hitting battle that Paige and Charlotte pulled off in November, only better.

Nikki was fantastic as the heel here, relishing how much she tortured Charlotte. The champ, meanwhile, did well in the gutsy-babyface role. WWE got away with those clear character distinctions as Charlotte's reign rolled on, but this was a classic good-versus-evil story.

And both Nikki and Charlotte looked to push the violence envelope here. 

Charlotte pulled off a risky move from the top rope to cap things off. Nikki shocked the crowd by cracking Charlotte's spine against the ring apron with an Alabama Slam.

As strong as this showing was, it didn't have the benefit of NXT's often superior pre-match storytelling. Anticipation just wasn't as great here as the women's battles on the TakeOver specials for that reason. 

5. Asuka vs. Emma (NXT TakeOver: London)

A showcase of two stellar grapplers stole the show at NXT TakeOver: London. Asuka and Emma kicked off the night by trading blows, whipping the audience into a frenzy and making their case as who should be the next No. 1 contender.

When Aubrey Sitterson of the Straight Shoot Podcast tweeted that it was the night's best match, he wasn't alone in thinking that. It's an easy argument to make.

Asuka's sudden submissions and Emma's excellence as an in-ring sadist bolstered this back-and-forth match. The bout featured a great mix of strikes, painful holds and theatrics.  

It helps too that NXT had been building toward this moment for months. Emma and Dana Brooke had long established themselves as Asuka's chief rivals by mocking her upon her arrival. From then on, Asuka played the prowling predator hungry to tear into her opposition.

She did so in a match that was a lot of fun. Only more intense rivalries and more emotion-rich matches topped this effort all year.

4. Becky Lynch vs. Bayley vs. Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte (NXT TakeOver: Rival)

Electricity ran through the Fatal 4-Way for the NXT Women's Championship. A fast pace, a number of moving parts and a fusion of in-ring narratives made it quite the thrill ride.

Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch's crumbling relationship added depth. Bayley added to her list of failures, setting up just how powerful her eventual title win would be. And this proved to be Lynch's coming-out party, as she put on her best performance up to this point.

Charlotte crashing into the LED board was the kind of moment not seen often enough in the women's division. It provided the match with both a jawdropping image and an opportunity that allowed Charlotte to lose the title without losing a ton of steam.

All four women rose to the occasion on this night. 

The NXT women's division simply caught fire after this, though. Banks, Bayley and Lynch elevated their artistry in 2015's three best women's matches.

3. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks (NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable)

Take the intensity of Charlotte vs. Paige at Hell in a Cell and double it. That's what Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks composed at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable.

Champion and challenger tore at each other's limbs in a match that often made the crowd cringe. These two former friends attacked with no mercy, looking to leave the other with an arm out of socket. 

In addition, it was a technical wrestling display, a celebration of these two mat workers.

James Montgomery of Rolling Stone nailed it when he wrote, "This was not only the match of the night, it was another significant step forward for the entire Women's Division, proof positive that the formula of 'Workers + Time' really does equal greatness."

It was an indeed a step forward. Just months after this fight, Banks twice outdid herself. Her two bouts with Bayley had the benefit of the kind of engaging action that this did, only the emotion was cranked up.

2. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley (NXT TakeOver: Respect)

NXT gave Sasha Banks and Bayley a spot on center stage, and they made the most of it.

The women main-evented NXT TakeOver: Respect—a first in WWE history. They did so with a stellar 30-minute Iron Man match—a bout that had yet to come to the women's division.

In the process of making history, Banks and Bayley wowed the crowd with momentum swings and a hard-hitting war. Memorable moments were plentiful from Banks throwing Bayley into the LED display to Banks stealing a little girl's headband. Consider too that this match called back to the original by having Bayley go after Banks' hand.

With a ticking clock echoing behind them, two desperate, battle-fatigued warriors made magic that night. 

The rematch to their match in Brooklyn was a massive success, but it didn't quite reach the heights that the original did. Zack Zimmerman of ProWrestling.net spoke for many a fan when he wrote, "Splendid main event. In the interest of full honesty, I'll admit that I think I liked their match from Brooklyn a bit more."

1. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley (NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn)

Sasha Banks vs. Bayley II was a certified classic. Banks vs. Bayley I, though, was tauter, more electric and ended with a more emotional moment.

The story of Bayley finally triumphing after all her stumbles and after Banks damaged her hand is the kind of narrative that makes pro wrestling great. This match made it hard not to cry and easy to fall back in love with the art form.

The legitimate Match of the Year contender was every bit the excellence on the mat that Becky Lynch vs. Banks was, only with a longer, more enthralling leadup and a more moving climax.

More than any other match, Banks vs. Bayley spearheaded the Divas Revolution, forcing WWE to rethink what the women's division can be—what women's wrestling looks like.