Bayley, Stephanie McMahon and the Women Who Are Reshaping the WWE Landscape

Pro wrestling has always been a man's world, but the past few years have seen a shift toward making women a more integral part of the show, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.

As someone who was highly critical of the old Divas division only having matches lasting as long as it took for me to run to the bathroom, this writer could not be happier.

Female athletes have been finding more and more success over the years, from the Williams sisters owning the world of tennis for more than a decade to Ronda Rousey making history in UFC and Simone Biles becoming one of the standouts of the 2016 Olympics.

The success of women in the wrestling business can be traced back as far as the '50s with Mae Young and The Fabulous Moolah, but there was a long time when women were hardly featured at all.

WWE has not only made good on the promise of a women's revolution, but the company has gone to great lengths to ensure the division has a place in the future.

This list will look at some of the people who have helped change the perception of what a woman can accomplish in the world of wrestling, both in the ring and backstage. This is not a ranked list, so do not take the order to mean anything about the importance of each athlete.

Stephanie McMahon

Stephanie McMahon may have been born into this business as the daughter of the most successful wrestling promoter of all time, but she has done more to earn her spot in the company than anyone may realize.

She took a big risk following in her father's footsteps in the '90s, especially due to the fact that at the time the company used women more for sex appeal than anything else.

She started at the bottom as a receptionist with the company, worked hard when she transitioned to an on-screen role and worked even harder backstage to move the company into the new millennium.

As a result of all her hard work, Stephanie has won several awards outside of the wrestling world, been named an honorary chairperson for the Special Olympics of Connecticut and played a big role in WWE becoming so active with various outreach programs such as the WrestleMania Reading Challenge and the Be a Star campaign against bullying.

This is all on top of becoming one of the greatest heel authority figures the business has ever seen. For someone as talented as she is to receive as much real heat as she does despite all her work with the Make-a-Wish Foundation and other charities is impressive.

Without Stephanie's experience and her drive to make the company better, WWE might look a lot different than it does today.

Bayley

Bayley has done something many would have thought impossible. She has made wrestling fans—the most critical group of fans on the planet—like a character who is nothing but positive energy and willpower.

The reason Bayley has been successful with this gimmick while so many have failed is because it's not a gimmick with her. What we are seeing with her is real.

Being able to watch someone progress from a rookie to one of the most beloved talents in the industry has been amazing, but watching someone as she achieves her dream is truly special.

You can see in her eyes how important being a wrestler is to her. It's all she has ever wanted to do, and she is proof that hard work can get you where you want to be.

Watching her win the NXT Women's Championship from Sasha Banks at the first TakeOver in Brooklyn brought tears to the eyes of many grown men who like to think they are tough guys. You can't force that kind of reaction from the crowd. It has to be earned.

On top of being a real success story, Bayley is also an incredible role model for both boys and girls. She radiates positive energy with everything she does, making it impossible not to cheer when her music hits and she starts pumping her arms in the air.

Nia Jax

Nia Jax is poised to become one of the most dominant women in WWE, but there is more to her than just power and intimidation.

Jax is a member of the Anoa'i wrestling dynasty, but that is not why she got the job. In fact, WWE has downplayed her family connections more than it has with most of The Rock's countless cousins.

She is building her own legacy, and she is doing it by also changing people's perceptions about how we see women's wrestling.

Jax is setting a new standard by proving beauty and power come in all forms. Have you ever wondered why her entrance starts with a close-up of her face? It's because there is something unique behind those eyes.

She is beautiful yet somehow manages to be both intimidating and intriguing at the same time. She is scary, but she also makes us want to watch her perform.

Jax, like Bayley, is also a great role model because she challenges the conception of what a women's wrestler can and should be.

Renee Young

Renee Young has carved out her own place in the company as the face of the WWE Network, but she didn't just stroll in and have the job handed to her.

Young started as the host of a Canadian TV show called Right After Wrestling, which went on to become Aftermatch. She hosted alongside former WWE interviewer Arda Ocal and current WWE commentator Mauro Ranallo.

Her obvious love for wrestling attracted the attention of WWE, which signed her in 2012. She started by doing interviews and commentary at NXT events, but as her popularity grew, so did her responsibilities.

She now hosts every pay-per-view pre-show, the SmackDown post-show Talking Smack and her own interview series, Unfiltered with Renee Young. Unlike the Stone Cold and Chris Jericho live podcasts, her show focuses more on finding out who the men and women of WWE are outside of the ring.

And we can't forget how instrumental she was in making The JBL and Cole Show as entertaining as it was during its run on WWE's YouTube channel.

Her sense of humor, charisma and knowledge of the business make her one of the WWE Universe's favorite non-wrestling talents in the company, and if she keeps working hard, there is no telling how far she can go in this business.

Cathy Kelley

If Renee Young is the face of the WWE Network, then Cathy Kelley is the face of WWE's YouTube channel.

She came to the attention of WWE officials for her work on AfterBuzzTV's various WWE post-shows, and in the short time since she debuted with WWE in April of this year, she has become a favorite among the WWE Universe.

If you follow her on social media, you also know Kelley is great at interacting with fans and cares about the people who are watching the product.

She's not just a pretty face with charisma. As a member of Mensa, she is also a certified genius. WWE was wise to snatch her up before another media outlet could capitalize on her skills.

Sasha Banks

Sasha Banks is someone who WWE was forced to turn babyface because the WWE Universe refused to boo someone so talented and driven to succeed. What choice did management have after the fans started chanting "We want Sasha" during other people's matches?

Banks might be one of the smaller women in the division, but she is never seen as an underdog because of how many risks she is willing to take in the ring.

Alongside Charlotte, Bayley and Becky Lynch, Banks is known as one of the Four Horsewomen of WWE, and it took a lot of hard work to earn the right to use that moniker.

Not only has she stolen the show from the men multiple times at both NXT events and main roster PPVs, but she has become an inspiration to girls who want to pursue a career inside the ring.

Watching her win the Women's Championship on Raw was an emotional moment because we were seeing someone achieve a dream she had since she was in grade school. If that doesn't touch your heart, nothing will.

Charlotte

Being the daughter of one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of the business can't be easy on Charlotte, but she has worked hard to make sure people know she earned her spot through dedication and fortitude.

It would have been easy for Charlotte to coast by on her family name and natural athleticism, but she was never going to be satisfied just being good enough.

She had to be the best.

Charlotte's athleticism is on par with the best in the company, man or woman, but it's her technical ability that separates her from the rest of the pack.

Growing up around the business gave her an understanding of what it takes to be a great wrestler, and she has used that knowledge to produce countless show-stealing performances.

Watching her blossom into the best heel in the division has been a joy, and if she can stay healthy, she could go down as one of the greatest the women's division has ever seen.

Asuka

If you look at the current crop of NXT Superstars, one of the people with the greatest potential to become a star on the main roster is Asuka.

The rainbow-haired warrior has made a name for herself over the past 12 years as one of the stiffest workers in the business, but it's how she performs as a character that puts her on a different level.

Anyone can learn to hit hard, but she has channeled her passion for wrestling and turned herself into something more.

Her entrance alone sets her apart from most Superstars. When she removes her mask and you look into her eyes, you know there is no stopping this woman.

When she eventually makes her way to the main roster, expect Asuka to continue dominating her opponents and overcoming the language barrier to connect with the WWE Universe on a personal level.

Sara Amato

Most WWE fans will be familiar with every name on this list because they are all constantly in front of the camera, but another woman has been integral to the success of the division, and her name is Sara Amato.

Indy wrestling fans know her as Sara Del Rey, and she is widely considered to be one of the greatest female wrestlers in the world.

WWE has put her in a position to use her knowledge to help the next generation as one of the top coaches at the Performance Center, and everyone who trains there is lucky to be able to benefit from her years of experience.

As Sara Del Rey, she competed in Japan, Mexico and all over The United States, winning titles in numerous promotions and making a name for herself as one of the top names to never wrestle a match for WWE.

It would be great if WWE fans got to see what she was capable of inside the ring at some point, but even if that never happens, she will leave her mark on the business through the people she has guided to reach their full potential.

Do not take anyone's exclusion from this list to mean they aren't important to the success of the women's division. This list just highlights the impact of a few people and how they have changed the perception of female wrestlers.

Many other names such as Becky Lynch, Natalya, Nikki Bella and Paige also deserve to be recognized for everything they have contributed. Maybe there will be a part two of this list down the line.

For now, take a moment and share your favorite moment from the women's division in the comment section below.

Thanks for reading and follow me on Twitter @BR_Doctor.