The women of WWE have pushed hard over the past few years to ensure that the term "Diva" is erased from WWE history.
The Divas Championship officially retired at WrestleMania in 2016, the titles have since become Women's Championships, whilst the women are now referred to as superstars, much like their male counterparts.
There are more women's titles in WWE at present than ever before, but the following list looks at just five current women who are still employed by the company who were once Divas Champions.
#5. Current WWE Superstar Maryse
Maryse (@MaryseMizanin)
— boris (@bvmbshelled) July 15, 2019
- First Canadian Divas Champion and the first to hold it for over 200 days.
- First 2x Divas champion.
- The only Diva Search contestant to win a tournament.
- Successful return to WWE, where she competed in another WM match and main evented SmackDown. pic.twitter.com/KZ61iSTqQV
Maryse's WWE journey began as part of the annual Diva Search in 2006, but despite not winning the competition the star was hired by WWE and sent to their developmental brand.
The former champion made her debut at the beginning of 2008 and was able to defeat Michelle McCool to lift her first championship a few months later.
Maryse was able to capture the title for the second time in 2010, the year before she was originally released from the company. The star's release ended her five-year run in WWE and allowed her to explore several other opportunities whilst also continuing her relationship with The Miz.
Did you know that Maryse was the longest reigning Divas Champion for 5 years?
— Those Wrestling Girls (@TWrestlingGirls) March 24, 2020
Her reign lasted 216 days.#GirlPower pic.twitter.com/X6MC8Md69r
After a five-year break, Maryse made her return to WWE in 2016 and has since been seen as her husband's manager. Maryse isn't technically an active part of the Women's Division anymore, she often wrestles alongside her husband in intergender matches when needed.
Maryse has been able to take several breaks from WWE in recent years and has welcomed two daughters in that time. The couple now have their own reality TV show called Miz and Mrs, which was created off the back of the couple's appearances on Total Divas.
The former champion made her most recent return to WWE two weeks ago when she entered into a feud between her husband The Miz and Edge.
It is believed that Maryse was added to this storyline in order for Beth Phoenix to aid her husband and the two couples to then face off in an intergender match at some point in the future.
#4. Current WWE Superstar Paige
The inaugural NXT Women's Champion, 2x Diva's Champion and now your #SDLive General Manager!
— WWE UK (@WWEUK) August 17, 2018
Happy birthday from the UK, @RealPaigeWWE! pic.twitter.com/sASSeb0TxM
Paige hasn't appeared on WWE TV since 2020, but the former Divas Champion is still contracted to the company.
The British star was forced to retire from active competition in 2018 following a recurring neck injury and has since been able to take up several roles in the company.
Paige's main roster career began in 2014 when she was promoted on an episode of RAW. The Anti-Diva confronted AJ Lee on her first night on the show and was able to win the Divas Championship.
👏 Inaugural NXT Women's Champion
— WWE on BT Sport (@btsportwwe) August 17, 2020
🦋 Two-time Divas Champion
🤯 Became Divas Champion on main-roster debut
🔥 Held both titles simultaneously
👶 Youngest Divas Champion in history
💙 Former SmackDown GM
Happy birthday, @RealPaigeWWE, a true trailblazer for women's wrestling! pic.twitter.com/j1PZH4Jdqi
This made Paige the youngest holder of the title at just 21, this later led to an incredible feud between the two women that eclipsed most of that year.
Paige eventually lost the Championship back to AJ in September 2014, before the Women's Revolution officially got underway the following year when several NXT stars were called up to WWE's main roster.
Paige was a huge part of the Women's Revolution throughout 2015 but after a number of personal issues and having to undergo neck surgery, the former champion missed much of 2016 and 2017.
#3. Current WWE SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte
Five years ago today, Charlotte Flair walked into #WrestleMania as the #WWE Divas Champion, and walked out as the Women’s Champion. pic.twitter.com/XbLNkBRBcp
— Steve Argintaru (@SteveTSN) April 3, 2021
Charlotte Flair is the most decorated female wrestler in WWE history. The star has already listed the Divas, SmackDown, and RAW Women's Championships as well as the NXT Women's Championship and the Tag Team Championships.
Flair hasn't always been the dominant force in the company that she is today, and back in 2015, she was seen as the underdog going up against Nikki Bella and looking to end her record reign.
Charlotte as divas champion appreciation tweet 💖 pic.twitter.com/KLWN3ZwtYe
— edward (@blinksflair) December 13, 2018
Charlotte was able to dethrone Bella at WWE's Night of Champions event and then became the final woman to lift the Divas Championship since the title was retired the following year. Flair also went on to become the first Women's Champion when she retained the title at WrestleMania before it was later split across both SmackDown and RAW.
Flair has since gone on to become one of the company's biggest stars and is currently holding the biggest Championship on SmackDown. Flair also has many other accolades to her name, including the fact that she is a former Royal Rumble winner and a Grand Slam Champion.
#2. Current WWE Superstar Natalya
Today, Natalya turns 37-years old. Happy Birthday to the former Divas Champion, former SmackDown Women's Champion and a truly skilled veteran of her sport. pic.twitter.com/TqKmrYZ5pE
— Daily DDT (@FanSidedDDT) May 27, 2019
Natalya has been part of WWE for more than a decade and in that time she has been able to lift several championships.
Whilst it's well-known that Nattie is a former SmackDown Women's and Women's Tag Team Champion, the veteran is also a former Divas Champion. Natalya was able to win the title back at Survivor Series in 2010 when she defeated Layla and Michelle McCool in a handicap match.
The reign was a particularly short one that lasted around eight weeks since she was later defeated by Eve Torres at The Royal Rumble.
Today in History: AJ Lee vs. Brie Bella vs. Naomi vs. Natalya for the Divas Title at Night of Champions 2013 https://t.co/i5VI0skcRu pic.twitter.com/B6WcMnWZyz
— Diva Dirt (@divadirt) September 15, 2018
#1. Current WWE Superstar Beth Phoenix
October 2 2011 Beth Phoenix WWE divas champion pic.twitter.com/IJdv6XnIN4
— rusty fishing knife (@DannyBentley60) October 2, 2021
Beth Phoenix recently announced her departure from the commentary team on NXT, but has remained a WWE employee since she could now be added to RAW.
Phoenix is a WWE Hall of Famer who retired from the company in 2012 before the Women's Championship was brought back. The star is currently the only woman employed by the company at present to have held the original Women's Championship, but she was also a holder of the Divas title.
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕝𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕫𝕠𝕟, 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐱.
— ||. NOT (@NaomiWWE) (@DevilishBaddie_) July 2, 2021
“No female competitor ever dominated her division as convincingly as Beth Phoenix. Divas champion and Four times woman’s champion.”
Phoenix picked up right where she left off, dominating the field, but now as the “Glamazon.” pic.twitter.com/ncTDC0J7za
Phoenix won the Championship in October 2011 at Hell in a Cell and was able to then hold the title for 204 days before she was defeated by Nikki Bella in a Lumberjil match on RAW in 2012.
This loss came just months before Phoenix requested her release from the company in order to spend more time with her family. The star has since returned several times to be part of the Women's Revolution and even reunited with Natalya back in 2019 to challenge for the Women's Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania.