Standout Women Wrestlers to Watch in Indie Wrestling
- Neo
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Women’s wrestling is in a pretty good place right now. Across all companies, big and small, there’s a plethora of talented women out there. That’s why I’d like to showcase some women not signed to a major company who I believe are currently killing it on the indies.
Hyan
Match Recommendation: DPW Women's World Title Dog Collar Match: Hyan vs Dani Luna (DPW Forever 2025)
It's no secret that Booker T's Reality of Wrestling consistently produces wrestling stars. AEW's Bryan Keith and WWE's Roxanne Perez are perfect examples. One former student who's been successful is "The Renaissance Woman, "Hyan. She debuted in 2014 for ROW and has made appearances in nearly every major company. From getting squashed by Nia Jax on Monday Night Raw to becoming a mainstay in Deadlock Pro Wrestling, Hyan is a well-traveled woman in the wrestling world.
Her DPW matches with Dani Luna and Yuu prove that she's a versatile performer capable of having a good match with any wrestler, no matter their size. Remarkably, she's been wrestling unsigned for over a decade, which is wild considering how talented she is. Major wrestling companies should be chomping at the bit to make "The Queen of the Indies" a permanent member of their respective rosters.
Airica Demia
Match Recommendation: Spark Joshi Pacific Title Three Way: Airica Demia vs Vert Vixen vs Miyu Yamishita (Spark Ignite Texas)
Like her Instagram says, Airica Demia isn't your average everyday women's wrestler. For starters, her gimmick is heavily inspired by anime, specifically My Hero Academia (Hence her last name). Her music, ring gear, and promos all serve as vehicles to express her love for anime. This appreciation for anime extends to her in-ring work as well. She plays the role of a babyface well, with her mannerisms and comeback sequences being reminiscent of an anime protagonist. If Deku were a wrestler, he'd wrestle just like Airica Demia.
Currently, she holds four title belts: the Spark Joshi Pacific Championship, the VPW Women's Championship, the IGB Super Championship, and the HCW Women's Championship. With Mercedes Mone on the hunt for more championship gold, it wouldn't surprise me if these two square off someday.
Spike Nishimura
Match Recommendation: Spike Nishimura vs Chi Chi (Sendai Girls 10/30/24)
Spike Nishimura's career began in late 2023. Since then, she's appeared regularly at Beyond Wrestling, appeared on AEW Dynamite, and trained under the legendary Meiko Satomura. It's safe to say her career's had a strong start. What I like most about Spike is her style. She's an in-ring technician with a strong Japanese influence. Her in-ring style is an interesting mix of puroresu and traditional American wrestling. If you watch her wrestle, expect to see lots of kicks and wrestling holds.
At the moment, she's in the middle of her second tour of Japan with Sendai Girls, a promotion Meiko Satomura helped found. I see only big things in her future, and I can't wait for other wrestling fans to finally discover indie wrestling and joshi puroresu's best-kept secret.
Rachel Armstrong
Match Recommendation: Scramble match: Rachel Armstrong vs Brayden Toon vs Ron Bass Jr. vs Dex Royal vs Jamie Senegal vs Jeffrey John vs Shane Mercer (GCW Rumble on the River 2025)
Standing at only five feet tall, Rachel Armstrong, aka "Big Rach," is one of indie wrestling's beloved babyfaces. With nothing but a smile and a high flyer moveset, she excites every time she steps in the ring. Larry D, promoter for Generation Next Pro Wrestling, had this to say about Rachel: "Above all she is an absolute joy to be around, full of positively and a true genuine good person. Those are the types of people we want to surround ourselves with.”
Big Rach constantly finds herself being thrown and ragdolled around the ring due to her size, but for her, size isn’t a detriment; it’s an advantage. She can easily move around the ring, unlike most wrestlers, and deliver some exciting moves like her signature 450 Splash or Sliced Bread. Rachel can usually be found competing for indie companies like GCW or Wrestling Revolver; however, this past May, she was exposed to a brand-new audience as she took on Athena on an episode of Ring of Honor. With opportunities like this, it's only a matter of time before "Big Rach" hits the big time.
Maya World
Match Recommendation: Billie Starkz vs Maya World (Who Runs The World)
At only twenty-three years old, Maya has managed to become one of the most well-known wrestlers on the indie scene. Many would say 2025 is her breakout year, and it's hard not to agree. She's competed in Japan, won championship gold, wrestled an excellent match against her Athena, and met her idol, Mercedes Mone. What makes this all the more impressive is that she's only been wrestling for three years.
Maya always impresses me with her agile moveset, which likely comes from her background in sports. She reminds me of Billie Starkz in the sense that they're both young women with similar styles who have been under the wing of ROH Women's Champion, Athena. Maya's rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest women on the independent scene, but still has plenty of potential. I look forward to the day she's no longer a jobber for AEW/ROH and becomes a full-time wrestler.
Match Recommendation: Queen of the North Tournament Finals: Harleen Lopez vs Hannah Taylor vs Sammi Chaos (BCW Queen of the North 6)
Harleen Lopez is brutal, and I’m not just talking about the slogan on her merch. I mean her in ring style. It’s rough and hard-hitting, which makes it exciting to watch. She comes from an amateur wrestling background, and you can really see it in her work. Her moveset is full of suplexes and throws, showcasing how much of a powerhouse she truly is.
She frequents local Philadelphia promotions such as Labor of Love and Power Pro Lucha but made her first appearance for ROH this summer, taking a loss to Red Velvet. I would expect her to become a regular there, like other women on this list, as she continues to wrestle on the indies. The major wrestling companies could use more women like Harleen, powerhouse hosses capable of delivering great matches. Let's hope they take notice sooner rather than later.
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