6 Former WWE SmackDown Women's Champions with the most Instagram followers
Holding the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship brings a lot of attention to a superstar. Since the title was first introduced in 2016, it has remained the most important or second-most-important belt in the women's division.
Along with the money and history that comes with a major title win, popularity and fame also come. Simply put, wrestlers who become champions see their popularity grow. Several WWE Superstars have an impressive number of followers on platforms such as Instagram.
For the reader's information, current WWE SmackDown Women's Champion Liv Morgan has 1.8 million followers. While The Miracle Kid is far behind many of the more established stars, having so many followers is still incredibly impressive.
Below are six WWE SmackDown Women's Champions with the most Instagram followers.
#6. Natalya currently has 4.7 million Instagram followers
The Queen of Harts is one of the longest-tenured female superstars in WWE. She first signed a contract with the company in 2007 and debuted on the main roster just a year later.
While Natalya has held several championships in World Wrestling Entertainment, her SmackDown Women's Championship victory came at SummerSlam 2017. She defeated Charlotte Flair for the title at the event and held it for nearly three months.
Natalya currently has 4.7 million followers on Instagram. This impressive number makes her the sixth most-followed former WWE SmackDown Women's Champion. She also runs a separate Instagram account for her cat, 2Pawz.
#5. Charlotte Flair has 5 million Instagram followers
Charlotte Flair signed with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2012. In 2013, she had her first televised match with the NXT brand. In 2015, she was called up to the main roster. When the SmackDown Women's Championship was introduced in 2016, The Queen was a member of the RAW brand.
Still, it didn't take long for Flair to capture the gold. On the November 14th, 2017, edition of SmackDown, Charlotte defeated Natalya to win the championship. The impressive athlete went on to win the title a total of six times, with her most recent reign ending earlier this year.
The Queen has an incredibly impressive 5 million followers on Instagram. As a result, Charlotte is the fifth most followed former WWE SmackDown Women's Champion.
#4. Inaugural WWE SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch has 5.5 million followers
While Becky Lynch first began training for professional wrestling in 2002, she didn't sign a contract with WWE until 2013. In 2014, she debuted on the NXT brand, where she remained until she was called up to the main roster in 2015.
When the second WWE brand split took place in 2016, Becky Lynch was drafted to SmackDown Live. She was the first female draft pick for the brand and became the inaugural SmackDown Women's Champion. The Man went on to hold the title on three other occasions.
Big Time Becks' rivalry with Charlotte Flair may be back-and-forth on television, but she is firmly in control if we compare Instagram followers. The injured Becky Lynch currently has 5.5 million followers on the social media platform.
#3. Sasha Banks has 5.6 million Instagram followers
Sasha Banks made her pro wrestling debut in 2010 before signing a developmental deal with WWE in 2012. In 2013, she made her NXT television debut.
Just two years later, Banks was called up to the main roster. She has been incredibly influential and played a crucial part in the Women's Evolution on both NXT and the main roster.
The Boss won the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship for the first time, and so far only time, in 2020. She dethroned Bayley for the title at the Hell in a Cell event and held the belt for over five months.
While Sasha Banks' status with WWE is still up in the air after walking out of the company earlier this year, her popularity continues to soar. The Star Wars star currently has 5.6 million followers on Instagram.
#2. Alexa Bliss has 5.9 million Instagram followers
Alexa Bliss first signed with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2013 with no prior wrestling experience. Apart from in-ring competition, she often served as a manager on NXT before being called up to the main roster as part of the 2016 WWE draft. Since then, she has had a total of eight championship reigns.
The Goddess first captured the WWE SmackDown Women's Title in 2016 when she dethroned the first-ever champion, Becky Lynch. Bliss held the belt for over two months before winning it again in 2017.
The former RAW and SmackDown Women's Champion has nearly 6 million followers on Instagram. The social media platform lists her current follower count at 5.9 million, and her new pairing with Asuka may excite enough fans to push that number even higher.
#1. Ronda Rousey has the most followers with 15.7 million
Ronda Rousey hasn't had an incredibly long pro wrestling career. The mixed-martial artist signed a deal with WWE in January 2018. After over a year in the company, she took a hiatus to start a family. She returned earlier this year.
Upon returning, Rousey quickly targeted the SmackDown Women's Champion. She defeated Charlotte Flair for the title at WrestleMania Backlash in May and held it until WWE Money in the Bank in July. This is her first and only reign with the championship.
The Baddest Woman on the Planet smashes the rest of the competition with a staggering 15.7 million followers on Instagram. Her popularity in mainstream media before joining WWE increased her fame considerably.
Millions of fans follow this collection of former WWE SmackDown Women's Champions. While some certainly have more followers than others, each one boasts incredible popularity.
Speaking of the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship, click here for five women who may win the title for the first time before 2022 ends.