Fun question. Growing up in California, I did not get to see women pro wrestlers perform in person because women's wrestling was outlawed through the 1950's and most of the 1960's. There was no syndicated pro wrestling show on TV, so that was out too. Consequently, the women wrestlers who inspired me were the ones whose pictures appeared in the monthly wrestling magazines. I recall a long article on Mildred Burke and found it be fascinating, although her career was over by the time I came of age. But the two who caught my particular fancy were Penny Banner and Ann Casey. Of course, there were many others, but those two stood out.
As far as combative women in general, I'd have to hand it over to the Roller Derby. That was what first captured my imagination and drew me in. Great "fights" between women who could really cut loose. You never knew who was going to fight, so that made it all the better.
