WWE Superstar Shakeup: 5 Superstars Whose Stock Improved

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4. Natalya

Believe it or not, 35 year-old Natalya has already been with the WWE for 11 years. That makes her the longest tenured female on the entire roster. And although Nattie is a terrific in-ring worker, it always seemed like she’s taken a back seat whenever a new woman wrestler is given an opportunity. In those 11 years with the WWE, Natalya has only managed to win two Women’s Championships but those two reigns only lasted a combined 156 days and were nearly seven years apart from each other. Not exactly the type of resume that someone with Nattie’s talent deserves.

However, her switch to RAW may pay dividends for “The Queen of Hearts” but maybe not in the way most would define success. On Monday’s show, Nattie revealed herself as a new member of the red brand by interrupting Ronda Rousey’s interview backstage. Most would’ve assumed at that point that an angle was being set to pit the two against each other. However, it turns out that Natalya and Rousey are former training partners and good friends. That idea manifested itself even further when Rousey saved her friend later in the night from an ambush by Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose.

So as much as this looks like a BFF situation between Rousey and Nattie, it’s also a perfect set up for a program between the two. Let’s face it, Natalya is clearly a better heel than babyface so it most likely won’t be long before she turns on Rousey. Nattie is a perfect first program for Ronda. She’s a near two decade veteran of the sport and a true professional and for as much talent as Rousey has flashed, working with someone of Nattie’s pedigree is the right move. And if Nattie can assist in getting Rousey over and helping her become the massive star that the WWE believes she can be, they’ll owe a lot to her.

Sure, will this angle pay immediate dividends for Natalya? No. But it could have major ramifications. And it’s clearly a major step up from anything she’s done on SmackDown in a very long time.