Why Natalya Is The Most Underrated Superstar In WWE

In 2018, the Women’s Division in WWE might be as stacked as it ever has been with talent.  When that happens though, some great talents are not used to their fullest potential.  With all the talk about other superstars not getting the spotlight that they deserve, it might actually be Natalya that is the most underrated of them all.

Until the brand split in 2016, the Women’s Division only had one championship meaning there were less prominent spots for female superstars.  Whereas the male superstars have had several mid-card titles throughout the years.

Even still today, on the main roster there are six male championships compared to two female championships.  This would point to a female superstar having a more highly likelihood of being overlooked than a male, because not only are there less champions, but less contenders for those championships.

That being said, Natalya has quietly been a workhorse in WWE for the past 11 plus years that she has been under contract with the company.  Still, since debuting on the main roster a little over 10 years ago, Natalya has only captured two championships in that span.

There have been moments in Nattie’s career where she showed her unselfishness by managing teams involving her husband Tyson Kidd during two different runs.  Natalya is a well-respected member of the locker room, and part of that has been her willingness to play “mechanic” for the Women’s Division.

By mechanic I mean that Natalya is the superstar that is called on to fill voids in a storyline, and can be trusted to put on a great match.  Now this might at times mean flip flopping her from face to heel just to fit what a certain opponent might need, but that is why Natalya has been so respected.

Natalya has been such a crucial part of building other superstars’ up, that at times her character has not developed as much.  Yet this might be a result of how kind and welcoming of a person that Nattie is.

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From someone who has interacted with Natalya during some of her appearances at NXT events and from speaking to at least a hundred people who have met her, the Hart family descendant has a reputation of being a great person.  So why is the type of person that Nattie is so relevant?

Every personal interaction a fan has with a superstar will result in some sort of review of the experience from that same fan.  WWE is a product, and just like any product, positive reviews are a huge endorsement.

Not all babyfaces are capable of being charming at all times because there will always be extremely inconvenient fan interactions, but that is what should make Natalya’s reputation that much more appealing to WWE.  Then there is an even more obvious statement to make.  Natalya comes from one of the greatest family wrestling trees in history.

Yes, this is not breaking news by any means, but Nattie’s wrestling lineage is impressive to say the least.  Natalya’s parents are friggin’ Jim Neidhart and Stu Hart’s daughter (Elizabeth Hart)!

Her uncles include Bret and Owen Hart, and The British Bulldog (not blood related)! She is also credited with being the first female third generation wrestler.

From time to time, WWE will reference Natalya’s time as a student at the legendary Hart Family Dungeon, but what does that mean to younger fans?  A lot of young members of the WWE Universe that do not watch old documentaries or interviews most likely do not understand the significance of “surviving” the Hart Family Dungeon.

This is the place where bodybuilders and so called “tough guys” were left screaming for mercy.  Yet, Natalya made it through this process proving her toughness and commitment to professional wrestling.

While it is clear that Natalya is dedicated to her craft, she also has the skill to pair with it.  The Hart Dungeon graduate has really good athleticism, a great technical approach, and some surprising power.

When Natalya is given the time in the ring to perform, she rarely disappoints.  Unanimously the WWE Universe believes that Nattie is a good to great wrestler, yet there have not been the same complaints about her lack of big feature matches as you would expect.

This is a result of when Natalya was introduced to the WWE Universe.  A bulk of Natalya’s career has been in what was then called the “Divas Division”, where the superstars were only given a fraction of the time of what is regularly given now.

Now a majority of the WWE Universe have unknowingly bought into the idea that the female superstars who have been introduced in the past few years are all better than the superstars that preceded them.  Don’t get me wrong the talent that has arrived to the WWE main roster in the past few years has been superb, but is it Natalya’s fault that she was a good technical wrestler in an era that didn’t showcase that as much as now?

Before you mistakenly identify Natalya as just a cast member on Total Divas, remember that she paid her dues to get where she is like most of your fan favorites.  Nattie did not just go to wrestling school and go right into a WWE development territory.

No, Natalya made it through the Hart Family Dungeon and then worked the independent scene, even including stints in England and Japan.  Natalya is everything a member of the WWE Universe could ever want in a babyface.  You just don’t know it, and that is why Natalya is underrated.