2023 was a banner year for wrestling, especially for women’s wrestling, as a multitude of wrestlers cemented themselves as top stars. One needs only glance at the rosters of WWE, AEW, Impact Wrestling, and Ring of Honor to find a multitude of candidates for best female wrestler of the year, and not just for their in-ring performance. All five nominees for this year’s category stepped up both between the ropes but also in their personas. Athena became the anchor of ROH, while Timeless Toni Storm was one of the most entertaining stars in AEW. Trinity brought fresh energy to Impact, and IYO SKY showed everyone her star power on the biggest stages in WWE. Then there’s Rhea Ripley, who became the must-see attraction on Monday Night RAW. The choice was difficult, but there is one who took this year’s top spot.
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And the winner of the 2023 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best Female Wrestler is…
Rhea Ripley!
Rhea Ripley went from one of WWE’s most promising young talent to one of WWE’s absolute biggest stars over the past year, and she made it happen on several fronts. Ripley hit her stride after joining the Judgement Day, but over the past year, she’s grown all the more comfortable as not just a member of the group but its de facto leader. Damian Priest might object to that statement, but where Ripley goes, Judgment Day follows, and they have become one of Monday Night RAW’s most prominent factions.
That was far from Ripley’s only evolution though, as she also partnered up with Dominik Mysterio for several hilarious vignettes over the course of the year, with many of them taking shots at Rey Mysterio while also furthering their on-screen dynamic. Mami and Dom Dom consistently entertain, and the partnership has yet to let us down.
Then in the ring itself, Ripley has dominated. She has become the powerhouse of the RAW Women’s Division, delivering commanding wins early in the year with a huge victory at the Royal Rumble. That would set her up for a rematch with The Queen Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 39, where she would finally defeat Flair and become SmackDown Women’s Champion. We also got big matches against Beth Phoenix, Zelina Vega at Backlash, and a thrilling match against Zoey Stark, Shayna Baszler, Nia Jax, and Raquel Rodriguez at Crown Jewel. 2023 was undisputedly the year of Rhea Ripley, and Mami looks to hold court in 2024.
The nominees for Best Female Wrestler are:
- Rhea Ripley – WINNER
- Athena
- Iyo Sky
- Toni Storm
- Trinity
