The time has by no means been higher for WWE to begin transferring towards a Bianca Belair heel flip.
The EST has been simply that since she began in NXT in 2016. There have been a number of wrinkles right here and there however the character has mainly been the identical.
It led her to nice heights, together with a victory in a historic most important occasion at WrestleMania 37 towards then-Sasha Banks and an amazing year-long feud with Becky Lynch from 2021-22 that spanned two SummerSlams and included a match for the Uncooked Girls’s championship at WrestleMania 38.
However new stars have emerged and Belair hasn’t held a singles championship since Iyo Sky cashed in her Cash within the Financial institution on her at SummerSlam in 2023.
Since that loss, she has been caught within the mid-card as a two‐time WWE Girls’s tag crew champion with Jade Cargill and now Naomi together with her unique companion getting back from an harm each in actual life and in storyline.
A change as much as Belair’s character shouldn’t really feel out of the query as WWE nonetheless must reveal who attacked Cargill (if that’s even nonetheless a factor at this level) when it’s time for her return.
Belair ought to have the ability to garner loads of warmth turning on each Cargill and Naomi if it’s revealed her jealousy led to her taking out the previous AEW star.
Babyface WWE Girls’s champion Tiffany Stratton goes to wish plausible heel opponents as soon as she is finished with Charlotte Aptitude.
Additionally, a protracted awaited high-profile match with Girls’s World champion Rhea Ripley, down the highway since each are on completely different manufacturers, would possibly want Belair because the heel given Mami’s bayface recognition.
Add to that having husband Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins are at first for his or her first true heel flip and it looks like the proper to time to lastly put the three collectively on display screen and probably mimic the success of the The Judgement Day.
There’s, nevertheless, one situation you could possibly persuade me to not do it and that if WWE begins a Belair‐Charlotte Aptitude storyline centered round The EST having by no means overwhelmed the queen — the final 4 Horsewoman to verify off.
Aside from that, it’s time to start bringing out the opposite aspect of Belair. And given the viewers’s continued admiration for her it ought to get her instant heel warmth.
All The Rave
Ricochet is doing among the greatest work of his profession along with his new AEW heel gimmick as he and Swerve Strickland are hitting all the fitting notes huge and small. The previous WWE star stealing Prince Nana’s gown was a extra dastardly transfer than any pair of scissors he may maintain by somebody’s neck to those that know — or like me — discovered the backstory.
The gown belonged to Jimmy Rave. He was one of many founding members of The Embassy faction with Nana in Ring of Honor again within the early 2000s. Rave was known as the “Crown Jewel” of the group.
It’s additionally a callback to followers at Hammerstein Ballroom throwing bathroom paper — handed out by Nana — at Ricochet to spark his full heel flip. Throwing bathroom paper as an alternative of streamers in Ring of Honor started with Rave — who died in 2021 from an MSRA an infection that led to him having to a double leg amputation.
It’s a narrative AEW ought to inform extra particularly on TV as an alternative of solely saying the gown has a really particular which means to Nana.
Ricochet was nonetheless carrying the gown on the Defy Wrestling present over the weekend the place he was attacked by Strickland and on Collision.
It ought to spark an much more vengeful Stickland and get us to a stipulation for a extra bodily and bloody match than we obtained on Dynamite at Revolution.
The ten Depend
Ricky Starks certain wasted no time making his WWE debut in NXT, only a day after his AEW launch was introduced. Starks being off AEW TV for so long as he has and the drama round it solely makes his debut really feel that a lot greater. Will probably be exhausting for individuals to not be blissful for him. Starks’ first promos shall be a must-watch now, too.
Harley Cameron nailed her babyface promo, constructing sympathy for herself and performed into the net chatter that her puppet is extra fascinating than Mercedes Mone after her Collision guitar live performance.
The group was chanting “Harley!” earlier than Mone agreed to a TBS championship match at Grand Slam. AEW wants to determine tips on how to make that connection plain and displaying coronary heart and resilience in a loss in her residence nation — the place perhaps Mone has to cheat to beat her — would possibly do it.
Possibly MJF vs. Dustin Rhodes as an alternative of Jeff Jarrett was the feud we wanted in AEW. Rhodes’ promos normally have the identical grizzled veteran basis, however The Pure confirmed he can nonetheless convey his fastball in a means Jarrett hasn’t proven by going toe-to-toe with MJF on the mic on Dynamite.
Uncooked this week was one among its greatest wire-to-wire pure wrestling reveals that I can bear in mind, particularly the ladies’s tag crew match. Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan have limitless potential as a crew.
Toni Storm’s portrayal of Mariah Could was hilariously spot-on. Taking part in the function of her opponents in main feuds ought to completely be one thing she ought to hold doing to followers one thing to sit up for.
Why have the Creed Brothers use the titles to get DQ’d in a championship match? I get it’s going to get the Creeds some warmth, however logically is mindless. At the least have a dishonest try go unsuitable after which let the beatdown start.
As somebody who has performed each WWE 2K recreation, it’s important to love the ambition of this yr’s model, including chain grappling again, intergender matches, underground matches, strikes off the barricade, The Bloodline Showcase and a complete lot extra methods to play on-line.
TNA might have simply laid the primary brick for a Nemeth brother’s feud. It might not be one thing followers are notably clamoring for however I’m certain it means a ton to Nic and is huge alternative for Ryan.
It took 603 days for Bandido to return to an AEW ring for a televised match thanks first to a damaged wrist after which a concussion. His conflict with Bryan Keith on Collision didn’t disappoint in reminding everybody simply how particular a expertise Bandido is.
There was one thing Shakespearian in regards to the Miz cautioning Cody Rhodes that Jey Uso dealing with him at WrestleMania would imply he must lose one other buddy — particularly with Miz’s connection to Heel Harbinger Karion Kross. Then Rhodes checks with Uso about his WrestleMania determination earlier than their tag match so he is aware of how he ought to play issues.
Additional: Did anybody else discover Lilly is double the dimensions of the unique doll? WWE needed to promote that new merchandise, didn’t they?
Wrestler of the Week
Hirooki Goto can lastly name himself IWGP World Heavyweight championship after 21 years in New Japan. The 45-year-old veteran defeated Zack Sabre Jr in the principle occasion of The New Starting in Osaka over the weekend and obtained to rejoice along with his kids within the ring. After being a multiple-times tag crew champion with YOSH‐HASI the large belt is lastly his.
Social Media Submit of the Week
Match to Watch
Mariah Could vs. Toni Storm for the AEW girls’s championship (Grand Slam, Feb. 15, TNT, After All-Star Saturday Night time)
The nuances of this story actually haven’t missed beat by beat, together with the return of Storm’s butler Luther on Collision with the bloody white shoe Could used to activate Storm. AEW ought to put a cap on issues in Storm’s residence nation of Australia. Will or not it’s a Golden Age of cinema high quality bow?
