This past week, we saw the main roster debuts of Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Ruby Riot, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan. The purpose is pretty clear. The new talent is set to take down any and all WWE superstars in the women’s division that get in their way.
On Raw this past week, the WWE Universe saw the much anticipated return of Paige, but she did not come alone. Along with the return of Paige, fans were introduced to NXT’s Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville.
The intention was clear by the attack to top talents like Sasha Banks and Bayley – out with the old and in with the new. This is not to say that Banks or Bayley are going anywhere anytime soon, but they are both at the top of their game and other superstars want their spots.
Speaking of hungry superstars wanting top spots, that theme would continue on SmackDown Live. This time it was Ruby Riot, Liv Morgan, and Sarah Logan’s turn to attack the veterans from the blue brand.
Not only were Naomi and Becky Lynch attacked backstage, the trio then set their sights on the SmackDown Women’s Championship match, where they left Charlotte and Natalya laid out in the ring. If there was any doubt left Monday night it was certainly erased on Tuesday when it became clear that the Women’s Division was set to go to another gear.
What type of impact will both groups have? Recent history might be the best point of reference here, and two examples of impactful groups that had completely opposite trajectories were The Nexus and The Shield.
Both The Nexus and The Shield had big programs when they debuted, but it is how they were booked afterwards that determined each groups success. The Nexus’ booking was attacking John Cena weekly, until Cena assembled a super team to beat the young group and essentially everything fell apart little by little after that.
In The Shield’s case, the group of Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Seth Rollins were booked consistently. The Shield attacked like a pack of wolves when interrupting matches, but also found a way to implement that style in their own matches looking like a cohesive unit.
Where The Nexus failed is where The Shield succeeded. Being a cohesive unit is exactly how the group of Paige, Rose, and Deville would defeat a trio of Banks, Bayley, and Asuka.
If the debuts of both factions this past week were for just one program to make an impact, then it will certainly fail. However if both groups stay intact for a substantial amount of time, it will give fans more familiarity with each superstar before their eventual split.
A dominant female faction on each show gives the women’s division some storylines that the talent can actually sink their teeth into. The caliber of matches within the division have been of high quality, but when was the last time a great story was what drove the anticipation of a women’s match?
A storyline of this caliber is what will help the women’s division evolve and reach the next level of interest from fans. WWE Survivor Series 2018 might be a year out, but imagine if both these newly formed factions were booked strong and faced off for ultimate supremacy.
Next: What Charlotte Hopes For At WrestleMania
Have you ever heard of Christmas in July? A match at Survivor Series next year between both factions would be WrestleMania in November. There is a long way to go until then, but fortunately for the women’s division, it isn’t ten years ago and the blueprint for success has already been laid out.