When one thinks of WWE superstars, they often think of men like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino and even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena.
But Black women have also been integral to the history of the WWE. One of the first-ever Black women who enjoyed superstar status was Marva Scott. Along with her sisters Babs Wingo and Ethel Johnson, Scott, who died in 2003 at the age of 65, proved that WWE superstars are more than just white men.
Now, as society moves toward a more inclusive representation, these six Black women are changing — and killing — the WWE game. Unapologetic, world-class performers and divas, here are the six Black women who are killing the wrestling game and becoming WWE superstars in their own right.
Sasha Banks
Born Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado in Fairfield, California, Sasha Banks is a WWE superstar with genuine Hollywood cache. In addition to recently appearing on the hit Star Wars series The Mandalorian, she has several cousins in the Hollywood game — namely, Brandy Norwood, Ray J and Snoop Dogg. As a wrestler, though, she’s held the Raw Women’s Championship five times, and she made history in 2016 when she and Charlotte Flair, daughter of Ric Flair, became the first women to headline a WWE pay-per-view event.
Bianca Belair
Born Bianca Blair Crawford in Knoxville, Tennessee, Bianca Belair was recently named No. 1 on the Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Top 150 Female Wrestlers of All Time list. In 2021, she became the second Black wrestler after “The Rock” to win a Royal Rumble match. That same year, she challenged Sasha Banks for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 37. It made history as the first match between two Black women to headline the blockbusting pay-per-view event.
Naomi
Born Trinity McCray in Sanford, Florida, Naomi is a part of the legendary Anoa’i family of wrestlers, thanks to her marriage to Jimmy Uso in 2014. Other members of the Anoa’i family of wrestlers include Nia Jax, “The Rock” and Roman Reigns. In 2017, she made history when she became the first Black woman to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Jazz
Born Carlene Denise Moore, Jazz was a two-time WWE Women’s Champion. However, she recently joined the Impact Wrestling brand.
Alicia Fox
Born Victoria Crawford in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Alicia Fox is the first, and only, Black Divas Champion in the brand’s history. She also starred in the hit E! reality series Total Divas and earned the title of WWE Legend in 2019. Before she began working as a wrestler, Crawford was a model and also appeared as a character in various WWE-branded video games.
Jacqueline
Jacqueline DeLois Moore, known only by her first name, was the first Black woman, and the only woman, to ever hold the WWE Cruiserweight Championship belt. In 2016, she was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
