WWE: Ruby Riott, Thriving in a Fastlane of Her Own

As she enters the biggest match of her career, the pressure is certainly on Ruby Riott. Luckily for her, though, the ‘Fastlane’ is where Riott has spent much of her WWE run thus far, and frankly, she seems rather comfortable there.

Just 24 hours after Paige’s raucous return, SmackDown Live met its own trio of fresh female faces. With Paige’s Absolution already creating buzz, the Riott Squad’s less dynamic debut brought them some negativity. Through no fault of their own, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan were immediately critiqued simply due to the seemingly repetitive nature of their arrival.

Both women’s divisions had gone quite some time without any NXT call-ups, which brought some frustration when 5 women were brought up for similar reasons with a comparable presentation. Nonetheless, some major opportunities had been created and as a faction leader, Riott had the biggest of them all.

Since joining the blue brand’s female ranks, The Riott Squad have been used as an outside threat of sorts, uniting the other women. Whether it be against The Welcoming Committee – or more prominently the trio of Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Naomi – multi-woman tag matches have been frequent for this brand new act. As you can imagine, that isn’t always the easiest format to stand out in, especially for three women without the top level NXT reputation that an Asuka or Bayley once had.

However, whilst the matches may have been packed with personalities, promo time always has been pivotal, and as the faction’s centrepiece, Ruby has reminded everyone of that. With the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble taking centre stage, television booking became slightly scattered but Riott was steadily gaining confidence, shining more with each talking segment she appeared in.

Oddly, just like her ‘Squad’ peers, in NXT Ruby fought the good fight. A scrappy and endearing babyface, Riott looked a valuable asset in a role that frankly, is one of wrestling’s toughest to perform.

Honestly, that’s an aspect of Riott’s main roster performance that’s likely gone underappreciated. With the snap of a finger, Ruby switched from a relatable underdog to a bitter, spiteful villain desperate for dominance…by hook or by crook. Though the direction was a little meandering, Riott Squad spent their January promoting the Rumble match and all things considered, did a solid job at it. Ruby would do well in the match itself too, scoring a couple of eliminations before Nia Jax threw her out after just over ten minutes.

It’s been since the Rumble though that Riott has really become a genuine focal point. In fact, on the SmackDown following that PPV, Ruby neatly established her presentation in just a few short words. To quote her, “there’s only one Ruby Riott. The way I talk, the way I act and the way I look.” The promo content seen on WWE TV can be hit and miss but this was a nice snapshot into the character’s mind-set whilst also spotlighting Riott’s actual strengths as a performer.

Simply put, Ruby is different and stands out a mile for it. As a heel, it’s allowed her a believable chip on her shoulder too. A frustration behind her every word, the perfect layer for a conflict opposite Charlotte: the prototypical women’s champion. It’s a story that writes itself really and in a broad strokes sense, the build-up has only heightened its importance. With both women beating the other’s allies, it’s been a modern fast-food equivalent of the old-school pyramid build. Granted some more time would be ideal but on paper, two women are standing above the rest and hopefully, that will make for some in-ring excitement on Sunday.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t yet a marquee match that fans are clamouring for. Unfortunately, many factors (some uncontrollable) impact its overall appeal at this particular moment in time. Nonetheless, there are elements to the build worth admiring and Ruby’s delivery on the microphone is arguable the biggest one. Moreover, the fact that she’s already in this spot is impressive in itself and that’s likely flown under the radar at times. Ruby made her NXT TV debut just under a year ago and has only been under contract for 15 months yet here she is, facing the division’s centrepiece in a PPV title match.

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Though perhaps underestimated at times, Ruby Riott has been an undeniable success in WWE thus far. In fact, she’s aptly spent her whole run in the WWE’s ‘Fastlane,’ so to speak, rapidly achieving feats without the wild fanfare or hype. Truth is, there’s a reason for her success too. To simplify it, Riott has a confidence and comfortability that stands out regardless of who she’s opposite. The list of talented in-ring females is a growing one but Riott has quickly made her own spot, absolutely maximising all microphone time. Though her crowning moment may not come Sunday, Ruby Riott looks set to be a major player in this division for quite some time.